Preservation of forelimb function by UPF1 gene therapy in a rat model of TDP-43-induced motor paralysis.

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is an RNA surveillance mechanism that requires upframeshift protein 1 (UPF1). This study demonstrates that human UPF1 exerts protective effects in a rat paralysis model based on the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated protein, TDP-43 (transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 kDa). An adeno-associated virus vector (AAV9) was used to express TDP-43 throughout the spinal cord of rats, inducing reproducible limb paralysis, to recapitulate the paralysis in ALS. We selected UPF1 for therapeutic testing based on a genetic screen in yeast. The expression of human TDP-43 or human UPF1 in the spinal cord was titrated to less than twofold over the respective endogenous level. AAV9 human mycUPF1 clearly improved overall motor scores in rats also expressing TDP-43. The gene therapy effect of mycUPF1 was specific and reproducible compared with groups receiving either empty vector or green fluorescent protein vector controls. The gene therapy maintained forelimb motor function in rats that would otherwise become quadriplegic. This work helps validate UPF1 as a novel therapeutic for ALS and other TDP-43-related diseases and may implicate UPF1 and NMD involvement in the underlying disease mechanisms.

Latrepirdine stimulates autophagy and reduces accumulation of α-synuclein in cells and in mouse brain.

Latrepirdine (Dimebon; dimebolin) is a neuroactive compound that was associated with enhanced cognition, neuroprotection and neurogenesis in laboratory animals, and has entered phase II clinical trials for both Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease (HD). Based on recent indications that latrepirdine protects cells against cytotoxicity associated with expression of aggregatable neurodegeneration-related proteins, including Aß42 and γ-synuclein, we sought to determine whether latrepirdine offers protection to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We utilized separate and parallel expression in yeast of several neurodegeneration-related proteins, including α-synuclein (α-syn), the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated genes TDP43 and FUS, and the HD-associated protein huntingtin with a 103 copy-polyglutamine expansion (HTT gene; htt-103Q). Latrepirdine effects on α-syn clearance and toxicity were also measured following treatment of SH-SY5Y cells or chronic treatment of wild-type mice. Latrepirdine only protected yeast against the cytotoxicity associated with α-syn, and this appeared to occur via induction of autophagy. We further report that latrepirdine stimulated the degradation of α-syn in differentiated SH-SY5Y neurons, and in mouse brain following chronic administration, in parallel with elevation of the levels of markers of autophagic activity. Ongoing experiments will determine the utility of latrepirdine to abrogate α-syn accumulation in transgenic mouse models of α-syn neuropathology. We propose that latrepirdine may represent a novel scaffold for discovery of robust pro-autophagic/anti-neurodegeneration compounds, which might yield clinical benefit for synucleinopathies including Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disorder and/or multiple system atrophy, following optimization of its pro-autophagic and pro-neurogenic activities.

Latrepirdine improves cognition and arrests progression of neuropathology in an Alzheimer's mouse model.

Latrepirdine (Dimebon) is a pro-neurogenic, antihistaminic compound that has yielded mixed results in clinical trials of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, with a dramatically positive outcome in a Russian clinical trial that was unconfirmed in a replication trial in the United States. We sought to determine whether latrepirdine (LAT)-stimulated amyloid precursor protein (APP) catabolism is at least partially attributable to regulation of macroautophagy, a highly conserved protein catabolism pathway that is known to be impaired in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). We utilized several mammalian cellular models to determine whether LAT regulates mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Atg5-dependent autophagy. Male TgCRND8 mice were chronically administered LAT prior to behavior analysis in the cued and contextual fear conditioning paradigm, as well as immunohistological and biochemical analysis of AD-related neuropathology. Treatment of cultured mammalian cells with LAT led to enhanced mTOR- and Atg5-dependent autophagy. Latrepirdine treatment of TgCRND8 transgenic mice was associated with improved learning behavior and with a reduction in accumulation of Aß42 and α-synuclein. We conclude that LAT possesses pro-autophagic properties in addition to the previously reported pro-neurogenic properties, both of which are potentially relevant to the treatment and/or prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. We suggest that elucidation of the molecular mechanism(s) underlying LAT effects on neurogenesis, autophagy and behavior might warranty the further study of LAT as a potentially viable lead compound that might yield more consistent clinical benefit following the optimization of its pro-neurogenic, pro-autophagic and/or pro-cognitive activities.

Protein structure to function: insights from computation.

Computation plays an important role in functional genomics. THEMATICS is a computational method that predicts chemical and electrostatic properties of residues in enzymes and utilizes information contained in those predictions to identify active sites. The only input required is the three-dimensional structure of the query protein. The identification of residues involved in catalysis and in recognition is discussed. The two serine proteases Kex2 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and subtilisin from Bacillus subtilis are used as examples to illustrate how the method finds the catalytic residues for both enzymes. In addition, Kex2 is specific for dibasic sites and THEMATICS finds the recognition residues for both the S1 and S2 sites of Kex2. In contrast, no such recognition sites are found for the non-specific enzyme subtilisin. The ability to identify sites that govern recognition opens the door to better understanding of specificity and to the design of highly specific inhibitors.

Proteins in organic solvents.

Catalysis in organic solvents and the mapping of protein surfaces using multiple solvent crystal structures are two rapidly developing areas of research. Recent advances include the study of protein folding and stability in different solvents, and the demonstration that it is possible to qualitatively rank the affinities of protein binding sites for a given organic solvent using the multiple solvent crystal structures method.

Active site analysis of the potential antimicrobial target aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase.

Aspartate-beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase (ASADH) lies at the first branch point in the biosynthetic pathway through which bacteria, fungi, and the higher plants synthesize amino acids, including lysine and methionine and the cell wall component diaminopimelate from aspartate. Blocks in this biosynthetic pathway, which is absent in mammals, are lethal, and inhibitors of ASADH may therefore serve as useful antibacterial, fungicidal, or herbicidal agents. We have determined the structure of ASADH from Escherichia coli by crystallography in the presence of its coenzyme and a substrate analogue that acts as a covalent inhibitor. This structure is comparable to that of the covalent intermediate that forms during the reaction catalyzed by ASADH. The key catalytic residues are confirmed as cysteine 135, which is covalently linked to the intermediate during the reaction, and histidine 274, which acts as an acid/base catalyst. The substrate and coenzyme binding residues are also identified, and these active site residues are conserved throughout all of the ASADH sequences. Comparison of the previously determined apo-enzyme structure [Hadfield et al. J. Mol. Biol. (1999) 289, 991-1002] and the complex presented here reveals a conformational change that occurs on binding of NADP that creates a binding site for the amino acid substrate. These results provide a structural explanation for the preferred order of substrate binding that is observed kinetically.

THEMATICS: a simple computational predictor of enzyme function from structure.

We show that theoretical microscopic titration curves (THEMATICS) can be used to identify active-site residues in proteins of known structure. Results are featured for three enzymes: triosephosphate isomerase (TIM), aldose reductase (AR), and phosphomannose isomerase (PMI). We note that TIM and AR have similar structures but catalyze different kinds of reactions, whereas TIM and PMI have different structures but catalyze similar reactions. Analysis of the theoretical microscopic titration curves for all of the ionizable residues of these proteins shows that a small fraction (3-7%) of the curves possess a flat region where the residue is partially protonated over a wide pH range. The preponderance of residues with such perturbed curves occur in the active site. Additional results are given in summary form to show the success of the method for proteins with a variety of different chemistries and structures.

Structures of yeast ARF2 and ARL1: distinct roles for the N terminus in the structure and function of ARF family GTPases.

Structures were determined by x-ray crystallography for two members of the ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) family of regulatory GTPases, yeast ARF1 and ARL1, and were compared with previously determined structures of human ARF1 and ARF6. These analyses revealed an overall conserved fold but differences in primary sequence and length, particularly in an N-terminal loop, lead to differences in nucleotide and divalent metal binding. Packing of hydrophobic residues is central to the interplay between the N-terminal alpha-helix, switch I, and the interswitch region, which along with differences in surface electrostatics provide explanations for the different biophysical and biochemical properties of ARF and ARF-like proteins.

Inhibition of the aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica by L-leucinephosphonic acid. Spectroscopic and crystallographic characterization of the transition state of peptide hydrolysis.

The nature of the interaction of the transition-state analogue inhibitor L-leucinephosphonic acid (LPA) with the leucine aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica (AAP) was investigated. LPA was shown to be a competitive inhibitor at pH 8.0 with a K(i) of 6.6 microM. Electronic absorption spectra, recorded at pH 7.5 of [CoCo(AAP)], [CoZn(AAP)], and [ZnCo(AAP)] upon addition of LPA suggest that LPA interacts with both metal ions in the dinuclear active site. EPR studies on the Co(II)-substituted forms of AAP revealed that the environments of the Co(II) ions in both [CoZn(AAP)] and [ZnCo(AAP)] become highly asymmetric and constrained upon the addition of LPA and clearly indicate that LPA interacts with both metal ions. The X-ray crystal structure of AAP complexed with LPA was determined at 2.1 A resolution. The X-ray crystallographic data indicate that LPA interacts with both metal centers in the dinuclear active site of AAP and a single oxygen atom bridge is absent. Thus, LPA binds to the dinuclear active site of AAP as an eta-1,2-mu-phosphonate with one ligand to the second metal ion provided by the N-terminal amine. A structural comparison of the binding of phosphonate-containing transition-state analogues to the mono- and bimetallic peptidases provides insight into the requirement for the second metal ion in bridged bimetallic peptidases. On the basis of the results obtained from the spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic data presented herein along with previously reported mechanistic data for AAP, a new catalytic mechanism for the hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by AAP is proposed.

The energetic cost of induced fit catalysis: Crystal structures of trypsinogen mutants with enhanced activity and inhibitor affinity.

The contribution of induced fit to enzyme specificity has been much debated, although with little experimental data. Here we probe the effect of induced fit on enzyme specificity using the trypsin(ogen) system. BPTI is known to induce trypsinogen to assume a trypsinlike conformation. Correlations are observed between BPTI affinity and the values of k(cat)/K(m) for the hydrolysis of two substrates by eight trypsin(ogen) variants. The slope of both correlations is -1.8. The crystal structures of the BPTI complexes of four variant trypsinogens were also solved. Three of these enzymes, K15A, DeltaI16V17/D194N, and DeltaI16V17/Q156K trypsinogen, are 10- to 100-fold more active than trypsinogen. The fourth variant, DeltaI16V17 trypsinogen, is the lone outlier in the correlations; its activity is lower than expected based on its affinity for BPTI. The S1 site and oxyanion hole, formed by segments 184A-194 and 216-223, are trypsinlike in all of the enzymes. These structural and kinetic data confirm that BPTI induces an active conformation in the trypsin(ogen) variants. Thus, changes in BPTI affinity monitor changes in the energetic cost of inducing a trypsinlike conformation. Although the S1 site and oxyanion hole are similar in all four variants, the N-terminal and autolysis loop (residues 142-152) segments have different interactions for each variant. These results indicate that zymogen activity is controlled by a simple conformational equilibrium between active and inactive conformations, and that the autolysis loop and N-terminal segments control this equilibrium. Together, these data illustrate that induced fit does not generally contribute to enzyme specificity.

Methyl groups of thymine bases are important for nucleic acid recognition by DtxR.

The expression of diphtheria toxin is controlled by the diphtheria toxin repressor (DtxR). Under conditions of high iron concentration, DtxR binds the tox operator to inhibit transcription. To study how DNA binding specificity is achieved by this repressor, we solved the crystal structure of the nickel(II) activated DtxR(C102D) mutant complexed with a 43mer DNA duplex containing the DtxR consensus binding sequence. Structural analysis of this complex and comparison with a previously determined DtxR(C102D)-Ni(II)-tox operator ternary complex revealed unusual van der Waals interactions between Ser37/Pro39 of the repressor helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif and the methyl groups of specific thymine bases in the consensus binding sequence. Gel mobility shift assays utilizing deoxyuridine modified duplex DNA probes proved the importance of these interactions: the four methyl groups shown to interact with Ser37/Pro39 in the crystal structure contribute a total of 3.4 kcal/mol to binding energy. Thus, in addition to making base-specific hydrogen-bonding interactions to the DNA through its Gln43 residue, DtxR also recognizes methyl groups at certain positions in the DNA sequence with its Ser37 and Pro39 side chains, to achieve binding specificity toward its cognate operator sequences.

Crystal structure at 2.4 A resolution of Borrelia burgdorferi inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase: evidence of a substrate-induced hinged-lid motion by loop 6.

The conversion of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) to xanthosine 5'-monophosphate (XMP) is the committed and rate-limiting reaction in de novo guanine nucleotide biosynthesis. Inosine 5'- monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is the enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of IMP to XMP with the concomitant reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (from NAD(+) to NADH). Because of its critical role in purine biosynthesis, IMPDH is a drug design target for anticancer, antiinfective, and immunosuppressive chemotherapy. We have determined the crystal structure of IMPDH from Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterial spirochete that causes Lyme disease, with a sulfate ion bound in the IMP phosphate binding site. This is the first structure of IMPDH in the absence of substrate or cofactor where the active-site loop (loop 6), which contains the essential catalytic residue Cys 229, is clearly defined in the electron density. We report that a seven residue region of loop 6, including Cys229, is tilted more than 6 A away from its position in substrate- or substrate analogue-bound structures of IMPDH, suggestive of a conformational change. The location of this loop between beta6 and alpha6 links IMPDH to a family of beta/alpha barrel enzymes known to utilize this loop as a functional lid during catalysis. Least-squares minimization, root-mean-square deviation analysis, and inspection of the molecular surface of the loop 6 region in the substrate-free B. burgdorferi IMPDH and XMP-bound Chinese hamster IMPDH show that loop 6 follows a similar pattern of hinged rigid-body motion and indicates that IMPDH may be using loop 6 to bind and sequester substrate and to recruit an essential catalytic residue.

The role of residues outside the active site: structural basis for function of C191 mutants of Escherichia coli aspartate aminotransferase.

In previous kinetic studies of Escherichia coli aspartate aminotransferase, it was determined that some substitutions of conserved cysteine 191, which is located outside of the active site, altered the kinetic parameters of the enzyme (Gloss,L.M., Spencer,D. E. and Kirsch,J.F., 1996, Protein Struct. Funct. Genet., 24, 195-208). The mutations resulted in an alkaline shift of 0.6-0.8 pH units for the pK(a) of the internal aldimine between the PLP cofactor and Lys258. The change in the pK(a) affected the pH dependence of the k(cat)/K(m) (aspartate) values for the mutant enzymes. To help to understand these observations, crystal structures of five mutant forms of E.coli aspartate aminotransferase (the maleate complexes of C191S, C191F, C191Y and C191W, and C191S without maleate) were determined at about 2 A resolution in the presence of the pyridoxal phosphate cofactor. The overall three-dimensional fold of each mutant enzyme is the same as that of the wild-type protein, but there is a rotation of the mutated side chain around its C(alpha)-C(beta) bond. This side chain rotation results in a change in the pattern of hydrogen bonding connecting the mutant residue and the protonated Schiff base of the cofactor, which could account for the altered pK(a) of the Schiff base imine nitrogen that was reported previously. These results demonstrate how residues outside the active site can be important in helping determine the subtleties of the active site amino acid geometries and interactions and how mutations outside the active site can have effects on catalysis. In addition, these results help explain the surprising result previously reported that, for some mutant proteins, replacement of a buried cysteine with an aromatic side chain did not destabilize the protein fold. Instead, rotation around the C(alpha)-C(beta) bond allowed each large aromatic side chain to become buried in a nearby pocket without large changes in the enzyme's backbone geometry.

The catalytic pathway of cytochrome p450cam at atomic resolution.

Members of the cytochrome P450 superfamily catalyze the addition of molecular oxygen to nonactivated hydrocarbons at physiological temperature-a reaction that requires high temperature to proceed in the absence of a catalyst. Structures were obtained for three intermediates in the hydroxylation reaction of camphor by P450cam with trapping techniques and cryocrystallography. The structure of the ferrous dioxygen adduct of P450cam was determined with 0.91 angstrom wavelength x-rays; irradiation with 1.5 angstrom x-rays results in breakdown of the dioxygen molecule to an intermediate that would be consistent with an oxyferryl species. The structures show conformational changes in several important residues and reveal a network of bound water molecules that may provide the protons needed for the reaction.

Crystal structure of rabbit phosphoglucose isomerase, a glycolytic enzyme that moonlights as neuroleukin, autocrine motility factor, and differentiation mediator.

The multifunctional protein phosphoglucose isomerase, also known as neuroleukin, autocrine motility factor, and differentiation and maturation mediator, has different roles inside and outside the cell. In the cytoplasm, it catalyzes the second step in glycolysis. Outside the cell, it serves as a nerve growth factor and cytokine. We have determined the three-dimensional structure of rabbit muscle phosphoglucose isomerase complexed with the competitive inhibitor D-gluconate 6-phosphate by X-ray crystallography at 2.5 A resolution. The structure shows that the enzyme is a dimer with two alpha/beta-sandwich domains in each subunit. The location of the bound D-gluconate 6-phosphate inhibitor leads to the identification of residues involved in substrate specificity (Ser209, Ser159, Thr214, Thr217, and Thr211). The results of previously published kinetic studies suggest that a lysine and a histidine are involved in the catalytic mechanism. The crystal structure suggests active site residues Lys518 and His388 might be these residues. In addition, the positions of amino acid residues that are substituted in the genetic disease nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia suggest how these substitutions can result in altered catalysis or protein stability.

Observation of unstable species in enzyme-catalyzed transformations using protein crystallography.

Recent advances in rapid X-ray diffraction data collection methods, cryocrystallography, and other techniques have made it possible to visualize short-lived species in enzyme-catalyzed reactions directly at atomic resolution for a significant number of crystalline enzymes. The wide range of reaction types, intermediate lifetimes, and crystal characteristics means that different methods must be employed in each case, but there are enough examples now of successful structure determinations of normally unstable species to suggest guidelines for future investigations.

Solvent mobility and the protein 'glass' transition.

Proteins and other biomolecules undergo a dynamic transition near 200 K to a glass-like solid state with small atomic fluctuations. This dynamic transition can inhibit biological function. To provide a deeper understanding of the relative importance of solvent mobility and the intrinsic protein energy surface in the transition, a novel molecular dynamics simulation procedure with the protein and solvent at different temperatures has been used. Solvent mobility is shown to be the dominant factor in determining the atomic fluctuations above 180 K, although intrinsic protein effects become important at lower temperatures. The simulations thus complement experimental studies by demonstrating the essential role of solvent in controlling functionally important protein fluctuations.

Crystal structure of the proenzyme domain of plasminogen.

We have solved the X-ray crystal structure of the proenzyme form of the catalytic domain of plasminogen, with the nonessential mutations M585Q, V673M, and M788L, to 2.0 A resolution. The structure presents an inactive protease characterized by Asp740 (chymotrypsinogen 194) hydrogen bonded to His586 (chymotrypsinogen 40), preventing proper formation of the oxyanion hole and S1 specificity pocket. In addition, the catalytic triad residues are misplaced relative to the active conformation adopted by serine proteases in the chymotrypsin family. Finally, a unique form of zymogen inactivation is observed, characterized by a "foot-in-mouth" mechanism in which Trp761 (chymotrypsinogen 215) is folded into the S1 specificity pocket preventing substrate binding.

1-Butaneboronic acid binding to Aeromonas proteolytica aminopeptidase: a case of arrested development.

Hydrolases containing two metal ions connected by a bridging ligand catalyze reactions important in carcinogensis, tissue repair, post-translational modification, control and regulation of biochemical pathways, and protein degradation. The aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica serves as a paradigm for the study of such bridged bimetallic proteases since its three-dimensional structure is known to very high resolution and its catalytic reaction is amenable to spectroscopic examination. Herein, we report the X-ray crystal structure at 1.9 A resolution of AAP complexed with 1-butaneboronic acid (BuBA). This structure suggests that this complex represents a snapshot of the proteolytic reaction in an arrested form between the Michaelis complex and the transition state. Comparison of the structure with spectroscopic and other data allows us to conclude that the apparently structurally symmetrical dizinc site is actually asymmetric electrostatically.