Overlooked Hydrogen Bond in a Blue Copper Protein Uncovered by Neutron and Sub-Ångström Resolution X-ray Crystallography.

Metalloproteins play fundamental roles in organisms and are utilized as starting points for the directed evolution of artificial enzymes. Knowing the strategies of metalloproteins, by which they exquisitely tune their activities, will not only lead to an understanding of biochemical phenomena but also contribute to various applications. The blue copper protein (BCP) has been a renowned model system to understand the biology, chemistry, and physics of metalloproteins. Pseudoazurin (Paz), a blue copper protein, mediates electron transfer in the bacterial anaerobic respiratory chain. Its redox potential is finely tuned by hydrogen (H) bond networks; however, difficulty in visualizing H atom positions in the protein hinders the detailed understanding of the protein's structure-function relationship. We here used neutron and sub-ångström resolution X-ray crystallography to directly observe H atoms in Paz. The 0.86-Å-resolution X-ray structure shows that the peptide bond between Pro80 and the His81 Cu ligand deviates from the ideal planar structure. The 1.9-Å-resolution neutron structure confirms a long-overlooked H bond formed by the amide of His81 and the S atom of another Cu ligand Cys78. Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations show that this H bond increases the redox potential of the Cu site and explains the experimental results well. Our study demonstrates the potential of neutron and sub-ångström resolution X-ray crystallography to understand the chemistry of metalloproteins at atomic and quantum levels.

Crystal structures of QseE and QseG: elements of a three-component system from Escherichia coli.

Bacteria regulate virulence by using two-component systems (TCSs) composed of a histidine kinase (HK) and a response regulator (RR). TCSs respond to environmental signals and change gene-expression levels. The HK QseE and the RR QseF regulate the virulence of Enterobacteriaceae bacteria such as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. The operon encoding QseE/QseF also contains a gene encoding an outer membrane lipoprotein, qseG. The protein product QseG interacts with QseE in the periplasmic space to control the activity of QseE and constitutes a unique QseE/F/G three-component system. However, the structural bases of their functions are unknown. Here, crystal structures of the periplasmic regions of QseE and QseG were determined with the help of AlphaFold models. The periplasmic region of QseE has a helix-bundle structure as found in some HKs. The QseG structure is composed of an N-terminal globular domain and a long C-terminal helix forming a coiled-coil-like structure that contributes to dimerization. Comparison of QseG structures obtained from several crystallization conditions shows that QseG has structural polymorphisms at the C-terminus of the coiled-coil structure, indicating that the C-terminus is flexible. The C-terminal flexibility is derived from conserved hydrophilic residues that reduce the hydrophobic interaction at the coiled-coil interface. Electrostatic surface analysis suggests that the C-terminal coiled-coil region can interact with QseE. The observed structural fluctuation of the C-terminus of QseG is probably important for interaction with QseE.

Structural basis for substrate recognition in the Phytolacca americana glycosyltransferase PaGT3.

Capsaicinoids are phenolic compounds that have health benefits. However, the pungency and poor water solubility of these compounds limit their exploitation. Glycosylation is a powerful method to improve water solubility and reduce pungency while preserving bioactivity. PaGT3, a uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase (UGT) from Phytolacca americana, is known for its ability to glycosylate capsaicinoids and other phenolic compounds. While structural information on several UGTs is available, structures of UGTs that can glycosylate a range of phenolic compounds are rare. To fill this gap, crystal structures of PaGT3 with a sugar-donor analogue (UDP-2-fluoroglucose) and the acceptors capsaicin and kaempferol were determined. PaGT3 adopts a GT-B-fold structure that is highly conserved among UGTs. However, the acceptor-binding pocket in PaGT3 is hydrophobic and large, and is surrounded by longer loops. The larger acceptor-binding pocket in PaGT3 allows the enzyme to bind a range of compounds, while the flexibility of the longer loops possibly plays a role in accommodating the acceptors in the binding pocket according to their shape and size. This structural information provides insights into the acceptor-binding mechanism in UGTs that bind multiple substrates.

Fast autooxidation of a bis-histidyl-ligated globin from the anhydrobiotic tardigrade, Ramazzottius varieornatus, by molecular oxygen.

Tardigrades, a phylum of meiofaunal organisms, exhibit extraordinary tolerance to various environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures (-273 to 151°C) and exposure to ionizing radiation. Proteins from anhydrobiotic tardigrades with homology to known proteins from other organisms are new potential targets for structural genomics. Recently, we reported spectroscopic and structural characterization of a hexacoordinated haemoglobin (Kumaglobin [Kgb]) found in an anhydrobiotic tardigrade. In the absence of its exogenous ligand, Kgb displays hexacoordination with distal and proximal histidines. In this work, we analysed binding of the molecular oxygen ligand following reduction of haem in Kgb using a pulse radiolysis technique. Radiolytically generated hydrated electrons (eaq-) reduced the haem iron of Kgb within 20 µs. Subsequently, ferrous haem reacted with O2 to form a ferrous-dioxygen intermediate with a second-order rate constant of 3.0 × 106 M-1 s-1. The intermediate was rapidly (within 0.1 s) autooxidized to the ferric form. Redox potential measurements revealed an E'0 of -400 mV (vs. standard hydrogen electrode) in the ferric/ferrous couple. Our results suggest that Kgb may serve as a physiological generator of O2▪- via redox signalling and/or electron transfer.

Structural insights into a C2 domain protein specifically found in tardigrades.

Some tardigrades can survive extremely desiccated conditions through transition into a state called anhydrobiosis. Anhydrobiotic tardigrades have proteins unique to them and they are thought to be keys to the understanding of unusual desiccation resistance. In fact, previous transcriptome data show that several tardigrade-specific proteins are significantly upregulated under desiccated conditions. However, their physiological roles and chemical properties have been ambiguous because they show low or no similarity of amino acid sequences to proteins found in other organisms. Here, we report a crystal structure of one of such proteins. This protein shows a ß-sandwich structure composed of 8 ß-strands, three Ca2+ -binding sites, and hydrophobic residues on Ca2+ -binding (CBD) loops, which resemble characteristics of C2 domain proteins. We therefore conveniently describe this protein as tardigrade C2 domain protein (TC2P). Because the C2 domain functions as a Ca2+ -mediated membrane docking module, which is related to signal transduction or membrane trafficking, TC2Ps may play a role in Ca2+ -triggered phenomenon under desiccated situations. Our finding provides not only structural insights into a newly discovered desiccation-related protein family but also insights into the evolution and diversity of C2 domain proteins.

An Ambidextrous Polyphenol Glycosyltransferase PaGT2 from Phytolacca americana.

The glycosylation of small hydrophobic compounds is catalyzed by uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs). Because glycosylation is an invaluable tool for improving the stability and water solubility of hydrophobic compounds, UGTs have attracted attention for their application in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. However, the ability of UGTs to accept and glycosylate a wide range of substrates is not clearly understood due to the existence of a large number of UGTs. PaGT2, a UGT from Phytolacca americana, can regioselectively glycosylate piceatannol but has low activity toward other stilbenoids. To elucidate the substrate specificity and catalytic mechanism, we determined the crystal structures of PaGT2 with and without substrates and performed molecular docking studies. The structures have revealed key residues involved in substrate recognition and suggest the presence of a nonconserved catalytic residue (His81) in addition to the highly conserved catalytic histidine in UGTs (His18). The role of the identified residues in substrate recognition and catalysis is elucidated with the mutational assay. Additionally, the structure-guided mutation of Cys142 to other residues, Ala, Phe, and Gln, allows PaGT2 to glycosylate resveratrol with high regioselectivity, which is negligibly glycosylated by the wild-type enzyme. These results provide a basis for tailoring an efficient glycosyltransferase.

Structure of cytochrome b5 unique to tardigrades.

Cytochrome b5 is an essential electron transfer protein, which is ubiquitously found in living systems and involved in wide variety of biological processes. Tardigrades (also known as water bears), some of which are famous for desiccation resistance, have many proteins unique to them. Here, we report spectroscopic and structural characterization of a cytochrome b5 like protein from one of the desiccation-tolerant tardigrades, Ramazzottius varieornatus strain YOKOZUNA-1 (RvCytb5 ). A 1.4 Å resolution crystal structure revealed that RvCytb5 is a new cytochrome b5 protein specific to tardigrades.

Crown-ether-mediated crystal structures of the glycosyltransferase PaGT3 from Phytolacca americana.

Uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs) are ubiquitous enzymes that are involved in the glycosylation of small molecules. As glycosylation improves the water solubility and stability of hydrophobic compounds, interest in the use of UGTs for the synthesis of glycosides of poorly soluble compounds is increasing. While sugar-donor recognition in UGTs is conserved with the presence of a plant secondary product glycosyltransferase (PSPG) motif, the basis of the recognition of the sugar acceptor and the regioselectivity of the products is poorly understood owing to low sequence identity around the acceptor-binding region. PaGT3, a glycosyltransferase from the plant Phytolacca americana, can glycosylate a range of acceptors. To illustrate the structure-function relationship of PaGT3, its crystal structure was determined. The sugar-donor and sugar-acceptor binding pockets in PaGT3 were recognized by comparison of its structure with those of other UGTs. The key feature of PaGT3 was the presence of longer loop regions around the hydrophobic acceptor-binding pocket, which resulted in a flexible and wider acceptor binding pocket. In this study, PaGT3 crystals were grown by co-crystallization with 18-crown-6 ether or 15-crown-5 ether. The crown-ether molecule in the asymmetric unit was observed to form a complex with a metal ion, which was coordinated on two sides by the main-chain O atoms of Glu238 from two molecules of the protein. The crown ether-metal complex resembles a molecular glue that sticks two molecules of PaGT3 together to enhance crystal growth. Thus, this result provides an insight into the substrate-recognition strategy in PaGT3 for the study of glycosyltransferases. Additionally, it is shown that crown ether-metal ion complexes can be used as a molecular glue for the crystallization of proteins.

High-resolution neutron crystallography visualizes an OH-bound resting state of a copper-containing nitrite reductase.

Copper-containing nitrite reductases (CuNIRs) transform nitrite to gaseous nitric oxide, which is a key process in the global nitrogen cycle. The catalytic mechanism has been extensively studied to ultimately achieve rational control of this important geobiochemical reaction. However, accumulated structural biology data show discrepancies with spectroscopic and computational studies; hence, the reaction mechanism is still controversial. In particular, the details of the proton transfer involved in it are largely unknown. This situation arises from the failure of determining positions of hydrogen atoms and protons, which play essential roles at the catalytic site of CuNIRs, even with atomic resolution X-ray crystallography. Here, we determined the 1.50 Šresolution neutron structure of a CuNIR from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans (trimer molecular mass of ∼106 kDa) in its resting state at low pH. Our neutron structure reveals the protonation states of catalytic residues (deprotonated aspartate and protonated histidine), thus providing insights into the catalytic mechanism. We found that a hydroxide ion can exist as a ligand to the catalytic Cu atom in the resting state even at a low pH. This OH-bound Cu site is unexpected from previously given X-ray structures but consistent with a reaction intermediate suggested by computational chemistry. Furthermore, the hydrogen-deuterium exchange ratio in our neutron structure suggests that the intramolecular electron transfer pathway has a hydrogen-bond jump, which is proposed by quantum chemistry. Our study can seamlessly link the structural biology to the computational chemistry of CuNIRs, boosting our understanding of the enzymes at the atomic and electronic levels.

Investigation and Restoration of BEST1 Activity in Patient-derived RPEs with Dominant Mutations.

BEST1 is a Ca2+-activated Cl- channel predominantly expressed in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and over 250 genetic mutations in the BEST1 gene have been identified to cause retinal degenerative disorders generally known as bestrophinopathies. As most BEST1 mutations are autosomal dominant, it is of great biomedical interest to determine their disease-causing mechanisms and the therapeutic potential of gene therapy. Here, we characterized six Best vitelliform macular dystrophy (BVMD)-associated BEST1 dominant mutations by documenting the patients' phenotypes, examining the subcellular localization of endogenous BEST1 and surface Ca2+-dependent Cl- currents in patient-derived RPEs, and analyzing the functional influences of these mutations on BEST1 in HEK293 cells. We found that all six mutations are loss-of-function with different levels and types of deficiencies, and further demonstrated the restoration of Ca2+-dependent Cl- currents in patient-derived RPE cells by WT BEST1 gene supplementation. Importantly, BEST1 dominant and recessive mutations are both rescuable at a similar efficacy by gene augmentation via adeno-associated virus (AAV), providing a proof-of-concept for curing the vast majority of bestrophinopathies.

Dual Ca2+-dependent gates in human Bestrophin1 underlie disease-causing mechanisms of gain-of-function mutations.

Mutations of human BEST1, encoding a Ca2+-activated Cl- channel (hBest1), cause macular degenerative disorders. Best1 homolog structures reveal an evolutionarily conserved channel architecture highlighted by two landmark restrictions (named the "neck" and "aperture", respectively) in the ion conducting pathway, suggesting a unique dual-switch gating mechanism, which, however, has not been characterized well. Using patch clamp and crystallography, we demonstrate that both the neck and aperture in hBest1 are Ca2+-dependent gates essential for preventing channel leakage resulting from Ca2+-independent, spontaneous gate opening. Importantly, three patient-derived mutations (D203A, I205T and Y236C) lead to Ca2+-independent leakage and elevated Ca2+-dependent anion currents due to enhanced opening of the gates. Moreover, we identify a network of residues critically involved in gate operation. Together, our results suggest an indispensable role of the neck and aperture of hBest1 for channel gating, and uncover disease-causing mechanisms of hBest1 gain-of-function mutations.

Crystal structure of Kumaglobin: a hexacoordinated heme protein from an anhydrobiotic tardigrade, Ramazzottius varieornatus.

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, can survive extreme conditions. For example, tardigrades have high tolerance to extreme desiccation because they can enter an anhydrobiotic state, in which they show no or nearly undetectable metabolic processes. Proteins from anhydrobiotic tardigrades with low homology to known proteins from other organisms are new potential targets for structural genomics. Here, we present spectroscopic and structural characterization of an unprecedented globin protein (Kumaglobin: Kgb) found in an anhydrobiotic tardigrade. Spectroscopy reveals that Kgb contains hexacoordinated low-spin heme, which is not capable of binding to hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) unlike other globin proteins, such as neuroglobin. Interestingly however, when distal histidine is replaced with alanine, H2 S is capable of binding to heme, implying that the distal histidine of Kgb binds tightly to heme. The overall structure of Kgb at 1.5 Å resolution shows high resemblance to well-characterized eukaryotic globin proteins, such as myoglobin and cytoglobin. However, the heme coordination geometry in Kgb is unique because the distal histidinyl ligand is located at the 11th position of helix E while it is found at 7th position on helix E in many known globin proteins. The unusual conformation of distal histidine in Kgb is stabilized by a hydrogen bond with the carbonyl O atom of A103. Furthermore, bulky residues exist around the heme cofactor, resulting in a ruffling conformation of the porphyrin ring. Based on our study, Kgb is thought to be involved in electron transfer or enzymatic reactions rather than transporting or storing ligands. DATABASE: Structural data are available in the Protein Data Bank under the accession numbers 5ZIQ (Kgb4-SR) and 5ZM9 (Kgb7-house).

Crystallographic study of dioxygen chemistry in a copper-containing nitrite reductase from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans.

Copper-containing nitrite reductases (CuNIRs) are multifunctional enzymes that catalyse the one-electron reduction of nitrite (NO2-) to nitric oxide (NO) and the two-electron reduction of dioxygen (O2) to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In contrast to the mechanism of nitrite reduction, that of dioxygen reduction is poorly understood. Here, results from anaerobic synchrotron-radiation crystallography (SRX) and aerobic in-house radiation crystallography (iHRX) with a CuNIR from the thermophile Geobacillus thermodenitrificans (GtNIR) support the hypothesis that the dioxygen present in an aerobically manipulated crystal can bind to the catalytic type 2 copper (T2Cu) site of GtNIR during SRX experiments. The anaerobic SRX structure showed a dual conformation of one water molecule as an axial ligand in the T2Cu site, while previous aerobic SRX GtNIR structures were refined as diatomic molecule-bound states. Moreover, an SRX structure of the C135A mutant of GtNIR with peroxide bound to the T2Cu atom was determined. The peroxide molecule was mainly observed in a side-on binding manner, with a possible minor end-on conformation. The structures provide insights into dioxygen chemistry in CuNIRs and hence help to unmask the other face of CuNIRs.

Crystal structure of secretory abundant heat soluble protein 4 from one of the toughest "water bears" micro-animals Ramazzottius Varieornatus.

Though anhydrobiotic tardigrades (micro-animals also known as water bears) possess many genes of secretory abundant heat soluble (SAHS) proteins unique to Tardigrada, their functions are unknown. A previous crystallographic study revealed that a SAHS protein (RvSAHS1) from one of the toughest tardigrades, Ramazzottius varieornatus, has a ß-barrel architecture similar to fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) and two putative ligand binding sites (LBS1 and LBS2) where fatty acids can bind. However, some SAHS proteins such as RvSAHS4 have different sets of amino acid residues at LBS1 and LBS2, implying that they prefer other ligands and have different functions. Here RvSAHS4 was crystallized and analyzed under a condition similar to that for RvSAHS1. There was no electron density corresponding to a fatty acid at LBS1 of RvSAHS4, where a putative fatty acid was observed in RvSAHS1. Instead, LBS2 of RvSAHS4, which was composed of uncharged residues, captured a putative polyethylene glycol molecule. These results suggest that RvSAHS4 mainly uses LBS2 for the binding of uncharged molecules.

Serial femtosecond crystallography at the SACLA: breakthrough to dynamic structural biology.

X-ray crystallography visualizes the world at the atomic level. It has been used as the most powerful technique for observing the three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules and has pioneered structural biology. To determine a crystal structure with high resolution, it was traditionally required to prepare large crystals (> 200 µm). Later, synchrotron radiation facilities, such as SPring-8, that produce powerful X-rays were built. They enabled users to obtain good quality X-ray diffraction images even with smaller crystals (ca. 200-50 µm). In recent years, one of the most important technological innovations in structural biology has been the development of X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs). The SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free electron LAser (SACLA) in Japan generates the XFEL beam by accelerating electrons to relativistic speeds and directing them through in-vacuum, short-period undulators. Since user operation started in 2012, we have been involved in the development of serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) measurement systems using XFEL at the SACLA. The SACLA generates X-rays a billion times brighter than SPring-8. The extremely bright XFEL pulses enable data collection with microcrystals (ca. 50-1 µm). Although many molecular analysis techniques exist, SFX is the only technique that can visualize radiation-damage-free structures of biological macromolecules at room temperature in atomic resolution and fast time resolution. Here, we review the achievements of the SACLA-SFX Project in the past 5 years. In particular, we focus on: (1) the measurement system for SFX; (2) experimental phasing by SFX; (3) enzyme chemistry based on damage-free room-temperature structures; and (4) molecular movie taken by time-resolved SFX.

Structural insights into a secretory abundant heat-soluble protein from an anhydrobiotic tardigrade, Ramazzottius varieornatus.

Upon stopping metabolic processes, some tardigrades can undergo anhydrobiosis. Secretory abundant heat-soluble (SAHS) proteins have been reported as candidates for anhydrobiosis-related proteins in tardigrades, which seem to protect extracellular components and/or secretory organelles. We determined structures of a SAHS protein from Ramazzottius varieornatus (RvSAHS1), which is one of the toughest tardigrades. RvSAHS1 shows a ß-barrel structure similar to fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs), in which hydrophilic residues form peculiar hydrogen bond networks, which would provide RvSAHS1 with better tolerance against dehydration. We identified two putative ligand-binding sites: one that superimposes on those of some FABPs and the other, unique to and conserved in SAHS proteins. These results indicate that SAHS proteins constitute a new FABP family.

New molecular packing in a crystal of pseudoazurin from Alcaligenes faecalis: a double-helical arrangement of blue copper.

Pseudoazurin from the denitrifying bacterium Alcaligenes faecalis (AfPAz) is a blue copper protein and functions as an electron donor to copper-containing nitrite reductase (CuNIR). Conventionally, AfPAz has been crystallized using highly concentrated ammonium sulfate as a precipitant. Here, a needle-like crystal of AfPAz grown in a solution containing a macromolecular precipitant, polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG 8000), is reported. The crystal belonged to space group P61, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 68.7, c = 94.2 Å. The structure has been determined and refined at 2.6 Šresolution. The asymmetric unit contained two AfPAz molecules contacting each other on negatively charged surfaces. The molecular packing of the crystal showed a right-handed double-helical arrangement of AfPAz molecules and hence of blue copper sites. This structure provides insight into the excluded-volume effect of PEG and the manner of assembly of AfPAz.

Redox-coupled proton transfer mechanism in nitrite reductase revealed by femtosecond crystallography.

Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET), a ubiquitous phenomenon in biological systems, plays an essential role in copper nitrite reductase (CuNiR), the key metalloenzyme in microbial denitrification of the global nitrogen cycle. Analyses of the nitrite reduction mechanism in CuNiR with conventional synchrotron radiation crystallography (SRX) have been faced with difficulties, because X-ray photoreduction changes the native structures of metal centers and the enzyme-substrate complex. Using serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX), we determined the intact structures of CuNiR in the resting state and the nitrite complex (NC) state at 2.03- and 1.60-Å resolution, respectively. Furthermore, the SRX NC structure representing a transient state in the catalytic cycle was determined at 1.30-Å resolution. Comparison between SRX and SFX structures revealed that photoreduction changes the coordination manner of the substrate and that catalytically important His255 can switch hydrogen bond partners between the backbone carbonyl oxygen of nearby Glu279 and the side-chain hydroxyl group of Thr280. These findings, which SRX has failed to uncover, propose a redox-coupled proton switch for PCET. This concept can explain how proton transfer to the substrate is involved in intramolecular electron transfer and why substrate binding accelerates PCET. Our study demonstrates the potential of SFX as a powerful tool to study redox processes in metalloenzymes.

Redox-coupled structural changes in nitrite reductase revealed by serial femtosecond and microfocus crystallography.

Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) has enabled the damage-free structural determination of metalloenzymes and filled the gaps of our knowledge between crystallographic and spectroscopic data. Crystallographers, however, scarcely know whether the rising technique provides truly new structural insights into mechanisms of metalloenzymes partly because of limited resolutions. Copper nitrite reductase (CuNiR), which converts nitrite to nitric oxide in denitrification, has been extensively studied by synchrotron radiation crystallography (SRX). Although catalytic Cu (Type 2 copper (T2Cu)) of CuNiR had been suspected to tolerate X-ray photoreduction, we here showed that T2Cu in the form free of nitrite is reduced and changes its coordination structure in SRX. Moreover, we determined the completely oxidized CuNiR structure at 1.43 Å resolution with SFX. Comparison between the high-resolution SFX and SRX data revealed the subtle structural change of a catalytic His residue by X-ray photoreduction. This finding, which SRX has failed to uncover, provides new insight into the reaction mechanism of CuNiR.

Insights into unknown foreign ligand in copper nitrite reductase.

Bifunctional copper nitrite reductase (CuNIR) catalyzes nitrite reduction to nitric oxide and dioxygen reduction to hydrogen peroxide. In contrast to the well-researched nitrite reduction mechanism, the oxygen reduction mechanism in CuNIR has been totally unknown, because mononuclear copper-oxygen complexes decompose so readily that their visualization has been challenging. Here, we provide spectroscopic evidence that a foreign ligand binds to the catalytic copper (T2Cu) site of CuNIR, and determine CuNIR structures displaying a diatomic molecule on T2Cu. This unknown ligand can be interpreted as dioxygen and may provide insights into the oxygen reduction mechanism of CuNIR.