Cyclic Sesquiterpene-Flavanone [4+2] Hybrids, Syzygioblanes A-C, Found in an Indonesian Traditional Medicine, "Jampu Salo" (Syzygium oblanceolatum).

A plant used in an Indonesian traditional herbal medicine as a diabetes treatment and known locally as "Jampu Salo" was collected on Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. It was identified as Syzygium oblanceolatum (C. B. Rob.) Merr. (Myrtaceae) and found for the first time in Sulawesi; it was previously reported only in the eastern Philippines and Borneo. A phytochemical study of S. oblanceolatum led to the isolation of three unprecedented meroterpenoids, syzygioblanes A-C (1-3, respectively). These compounds might be biosynthesized through [4+2] cycloaddition of various germacrane-based cyclic sesquiterpenoids with the flavone desmethoxymatteucinol to form a spiro skeleton. The unique and complex structures were elucidated by microcrystal electron diffraction analysis in addition to general analytical techniques such as high-resolution mass spectrometry, various nuclear magnetic resonance methods, and infrared spectroscopy. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction and calculations of electronic circular dichroism spectra helped to determine the absolute configurations. The newly isolated compounds exhibited collateral sensitivity to more strongly inhibit the growth of a multidrug resistant tumor cell line compared to a chemosensitive tumor cell line.

A high dose KRP203 induces cytoplasmic vacuoles associated with altered phosphoinositide segregation and endosome expansion.

In animal cells, vacuoles are absent, but can be induced by diseases and drugs. While phosphoinositides are critical for membrane trafficking, their role in the formation of these vacuoles remains unclear. The immunosuppressive KRP203/Mocravimod, which antagonizes sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors, has been identified as having novel multimodal activity against phosphoinositide kinases. However, the impact of this novel KRP203 activity is unknown. Here, we show that KRP203 disrupts the spatial organization of phosphoinositides and induces extensive vacuolization in tumor cells and immortalized fibroblasts. The KRP203-induced vacuoles are primarily from endosomes, and augmented by inhibition of PIKFYVE and VPS34. Conversely, overexpression of PTEN decreased KRP203-induced vacuole formation. Furthermore, V-ATPase inhibition completely blunted KRP203-induced vacuolization, pointing to a critical requirement of the endosomal maturation process. Importantly, nearly a half of KRP203-induced vacuoles are significantly decorated with PI4P, a phosphoinositide typically enriched at the plasma membrane and Golgi. These results suggest a model that noncanonical spatial reorganization of phosphoinositides by KRP203 alters the endosomal maturation process, leading to vacuolization. Taken together, this study reveals a previously unrecognized bioactivity of KRP203 as a vacuole-inducing agent and its unique mechanism of phosphoinositide modulation, providing a new insight of phosphoinositide regulation into vacuolization-associated diseases and their molecular pathologies.

Cryo-EM structure of P-glycoprotein bound to triple elacridar inhibitor molecules.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an ATP-binding cassette transporter known for its roles in expelling xenobiotic compounds from cells and contributing to cellular drug resistance through multidrug efflux. This mechanism is particularly problematic in cancer cells, where it diminishes the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs. P-gp inhibitors, such as elacridar, have been developed to circumvent the decrease in drug efficacy due to P-gp efflux. An earlier study reported the cryo-EM structure of human P-gp-Fab (MRK-16) complex bound by two elacridar molecules, at a resolution of 3.6 Å. In this study, we have obtained a higher resolution (2.5 Å) structure of the P-gp- Fab (UIC2) complex bound by three elacridar molecules. This finding, which exposes a larger space for compound-binding sites than previously acknowledged, has significant implications for the development of more selective inhibitors and enhances our understanding of the compound recognition mechanism of P-gp.

Fusion then fission: splitting and reassembly of an artificial fusion-protein nanocage.

A split-protein system is a simple approach to introduce new termini which are useful as modification sites in protein engineering, but has been adapted mainly for monomeric proteins. Here we demonstrate the design of split subunits of the 60-mer artificial fusion-protein nanocage TIP60. The subunit fragments successfully reformed the cage structure in the same manner as prior to splitting. One of the newly introduced terminals at the interior surface can be modified using a tag peptide and green fluorescent protein. Therefore, the termini could serve as a versatile modification site for incorporating a wide variety of functional peptides and proteins.

Stabilization of adalimumab Fab through the introduction of disulfide bonds between the variable and constant domains.

Fab is a promising format for antibody drug. Therefore, efforts have been made to improve its thermal stability for therapeutic and commercial use. So far, we have attempted to introduce a disulfide bond into the Fab fragment to improve its thermal stability and demonstrated that it is possible to do this without sacrificing its biochemical function. In this study, to develop a novel stabilization strategy for Fab, we attempted to introduce a disulfide bond between the variable and constant domains and prepared three variants of Fab; H:G10C + H:P210C, L:P40C + L:E165C, and H:G10C + H:P210C + L:P40C + L:E165C. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements showed that each of these variants had improved thermal stability. In addition, the variants with two disulfide bonds demonstrated a 6.5 °C increase in their denaturation temperatures compared to wild-type Fab. The introduction of disulfide bonds was confirmed by X-ray crystallography, and the variants retained their antigen-binding activity. The variants were also found to be less aggregative than the wild type. Our results demonstrate that the introduction of a disulfide bond between the variable and constant domains significantly improves the thermal stability of Fab.

Function and Structure of a Terpene Synthase Encoded in a Giant Virus Genome.

Giant viruses are nonstandard viruses with large particles and genomes. While previous studies have shown that their genomes contain various sequences of interest, their genes related specifically to natural product biosynthesis remain unexplored. Here we analyze the function and structure of a terpene synthase encoded by the gene of a giant virus. The enzyme is phylogenetically separated from the terpene synthases of cellular organisms; however, heterologous gene expression revealed that it still functions as a terpene synthase and produces a cyclic terpene from a farnesyl diphosphate precursor. Crystallographic analysis revealed its protein structure, which is relatively compact but retains essential motifs of the terpene synthases. We thus suggest that like cellular organisms, giant viruses produce and utilize natural products for their ecological strategies.

Crystal Structure Analysis of SH2 Domains in Complex with Phosphotyrosine Peptides.

While the number of tertiary structures solved by cryoelectron microscopy has rapidly increased, X-ray crystallography is still a popular method to determine the tertiary structure of proteins at atomic resolution. However, there are still problems associated with X-ray crystallography, including crystallization and crystal twinning. Indeed, we encountered crystallization and twinning problems in the crystal structure analysis of the SH2 domains complexed with a phosphorylated peptide derived from the oncoprotein CagA. In this chapter, we describe the methods used to overcome these problems. In addition, we provide details of the optimization of the crystallization conditions and cryo-conditions, which are usually not given in published crystal structure analyses.

Multimodal action of KRP203 on phosphoinositide kinases in vitro and in cells.

Increased phosphoinositide signaling is commonly associated with cancers. While "one-drug one-target" has been a major drug discovery strategy for cancer therapy, a "one-drug multi-targets" approach for phosphoinositide enzymes has the potential to offer a new therapeutic approach. In this study, we sought a new way to target phosphoinositides metabolism. Using a high-throughput phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase-alpha (PI5P4Kα) assay, we have identified that the immunosuppressor KRP203/Mocravimod induces a significant perturbation in phosphoinositide metabolism in U87MG glioblastoma cells. Despite high sequence similarity of PI5P4K and PI4K isozymes, in vitro kinase assays showed that KRP203 activates some (e.g., PI5P4Kα, PI4KIIß) while inhibiting other phosphoinositide kinases (e.g., PI5P4Kß, γ, PI4KIIα, class I PI3K-p110α, δ, γ). Furthermore, KRP203 enhances PI3P5K/PIKFYVE's substrate selectivity for phosphatidylinositol (PI) while preserving its selectivity for PI(3)P. At cellular levels, 3 h of KRP203 treatment induces a prominent increase of PI(3)P and moderate increase of PI(5)P, PI(3,5)P2, and PI(3,4,5)P3 levels in U87MG cells. Collectively, the finding of multimodal activity of KRP203 towards multi-phosphoinositide kinases may open a novel basis to modulate cellular processes, potentially leading to more effective treatments for diseases associated with phosphoinositide signaling pathways.

The two-step cargo recognition mechanism of heterotrimeric kinesin.

Kinesin-driven intracellular transport is essential for various cell biological events and thus plays a crucial role in many pathological processes. However, little is known about the molecular basis of the specific and dynamic cargo-binding mechanism of kinesins. Here, an integrated structural analysis of the KIF3/KAP3 and KIF3/KAP3-APC complexes unveils the mechanism by which KIF3/KAP3 can dynamically grasp APC in a two-step manner, which suggests kinesin-cargo recognition dynamics composed of cargo loading, locking, and release. Our finding is the first demonstration of the two-step cargo recognition and stabilization mechanism of kinesins, which provides novel insights into the intracellular trafficking machinery.

Anti-nanodisc antibodies specifically capture nanodiscs and facilitate molecular interaction kinetics studies for membrane protein.

Nanodisc technology has dramatically advanced the analysis of molecular interactions for membrane proteins. A nanodisc is designed as a vehicle for membrane proteins that provide a native-like phospholipid environment and better thermostability in a detergent-free buffer. This enables the determination of the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of small molecule binding by surface plasmon resonance. In this study, we generated a nanodisc specific anti-MSP (membrane scaffold protein) monoclonal antibody biND5 for molecular interaction analysis of nanodiscs. The antibody, biND5 bound to various types of nanodiscs with sub-nanomolar to nanomolar affinity. Epitope mapping analysis revealed specific recognition of 8 amino acid residues in the exposed helix-4 structure of MSP. Further, we performed kinetics binding analysis between adenosine A2a receptor reconstituted nanodiscs and small molecule antagonist ZM241385 using biND5 immobilized sensor chips. These results show that biND5 facilitates the molecular interaction kinetics analysis of membrane proteins substituted in nanodiscs.

Stromal Interaction Molecule 1 Maintains ß-Cell Identity and Function in Female Mice Through Preservation of G-Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor 1 Signaling.

Altered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ signaling has been linked with ß-cell dysfunction and diabetes development. Store-operated Ca2+ entry replenishes ER Ca2+ through reversible gating of plasma membrane Ca2+ channels by the ER Ca2+ sensor, stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1). For characterization of the in vivo impact of STIM1 loss, mice with ß-cell-specific STIM1 deletion (STIM1Δß mice) were generated and challenged with high-fat diet. Interestingly, ß-cell dysfunction was observed in female, but not male, mice. Female STIM1Δß mice displayed reductions in ß-cell mass, a concomitant increase in α-cell mass, and reduced expression of markers of ß-cell maturity, including MafA and UCN3. Consistent with these findings, STIM1 expression was inversely correlated with HbA1c levels in islets from female, but not male, human organ donors. Mechanistic assays demonstrated that the sexually dimorphic phenotype observed in STIM1Δß mice was due, in part, to loss of signaling through the noncanonical 17-ß estradiol receptor (GPER1), as GPER1 knockdown and inhibition led to a similar loss of expression of ß-cell maturity genes in INS-1 cells. Together, these data suggest that STIM1 orchestrates pancreatic ß-cell function and identity through GPER1-mediated estradiol signaling. ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS: Store-operated Ca2+ entry replenishes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ through reversible gating of plasma membrane Ca2+ channels by the ER Ca2+ sensor, stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1). ß-Cell-specific deletion of STIM1 results in a sexually dimorphic phenotype, with ß-cell dysfunction and loss of identity in female but not male mice. Expression of the noncanonical 17-ß estradiol receptor (GPER1) is decreased in islets of female STIM1Δß mice, and modulation of GPER1 levels leads to alterations in expression of ß-cell maturity genes in INS-1 cells.

X-ray and Electron Diffraction Observations of Steric Zipper Interactions in Metal-Induced Peptide Cross-ß Nanostructures.

The steric zipper is a common hydrophobic packing structure of peptide side chains that forms between two adjacent ß-sheet layers in amyloid and related fibrils. Although previous studies have revealed that peptide fragments derived from native protein sequences exhibit steric zipper structures, their de novo designs have rarely been studied. Herein, steric zipper structures were artificially constructed in the crystalline state by metal-induced folding and assembly of tetrapeptide fragments Boc-3pa-X1-3pa-X2-OMe (3pa: ß-(3-pyridyl)-l-alanine; X1 and X2: hydrophobic amino acids). Crystallographic studies revealed two types of packing structures, interdigitation and hydrophobic contact, that result in a class 1 steric zipper geometry when the X1 and X2 residues contain alkyl side chains. Furthermore, a class 3 steric zipper geometry was also observed for the first time among any reported steric zippers when using tetrapeptide fragments with (X1, X2) = (Thr, Thr) and (Phe, Leu). The system could also be extended to a knob-hole-type zipper using a pentapeptide sequence.

X-Ray Conformation and Structure-Activity Relationships of MA026, a Reversible Tight Junction Opener.

MA026, a cyclic lipodepsipeptide, opens the tight junction (TJ) probably via binding to claudin-1. We reported that (1) TJ-opening activity is dependent on the amino acid sequence order at Glu10-Leu11; (2) an epimer at the C3 position of the N-terminal acyl tail decreased the TJ-opening activity; and (3) the epimers D-Leu1/L-Gln6 and L-Leu1/D-Gln6 showed more potent TJ-opening activity than natural MA026, although no systematic structure-activity relationship (SAR) study was conducted. Here, we report the three-dimensional structure and systematic SAR study of MA026. X-Ray crystallography and circular dichroism analysis of MA026 revealed that MA026 forms a left-handed α-helical structure, and hydrophobic amino acids are clustered on one side. Furthermore, the SAR results clearly showed that the hydrophobic region of MA026 is important for TJ-opening activity. These results suggest that MA026 interacts with claudin-1 via the hydrophobic cluster region and provide novel structural insights toward the development of a TJ opener targeting claudin-1.

Functional molecular evolution of a GTP sensing kinase: PI5P4Kß.

Over 4 billion years of evolution, multiple mutations, including nucleotide substitutions, gene and genome duplications and recombination, have established de novo genes that translate into proteins with novel properties essential for high-order cellular functions. However, molecular processes through which a protein evolutionarily acquires a novel function are mostly speculative. Recently, we have provided evidence for a potential evolutionary mechanism underlying how, in mammalian cells, phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase ß (PI5P4Kß) evolved into a GTP sensor from ATP-utilizing kinase. Mechanistically, PI5P4Kß has acquired the guanine efficient association (GEA) motif by mutating its nucleotide base recognition sequence, enabling the evolutionary transition from an ATP-dependent kinase to a distinct GTP/ATP dual kinase with its KM for GTP falling into physiological GTP concentrations-the genesis of GTP sensing activity. Importantly, the GTP sensing activity of PI5P4Kß is critical for the manifestation of cellular metabolism and tumourigenic activity in the multicellular organism. The combination of structural, biochemical and biophysical analyses used in our study provides a novel framework for analysing how a protein can evolutionarily acquire a novel activity, which potentially introduces a critical function to the cell.

Uphill energy transfer mechanism for photosynthesis in an Antarctic alga.

Prasiola crispa, an aerial green alga, forms layered colonies under the severe terrestrial conditions of Antarctica. Since only far-red light is available at a deep layer of the colony, P. crispa has evolved a molecular system for photosystem II (PSII) excitation using far-red light with uphill energy transfer. However, the molecular basis underlying this system remains elusive. Here, we purified a light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl)-binding protein complex from P. crispa (Pc-frLHC) that excites PSII with far-red light and revealed its ring-shaped structure with undecameric 11-fold symmetry at 3.13 Šresolution. The primary structure suggests that Pc-frLHC evolved from LHCI rather than LHCII. The circular arrangement of the Pc-frLHC subunits is unique among eukaryote LHCs and forms unprecedented Chl pentamers at every subunit‒subunit interface near the excitation energy exit sites. The Chl pentamers probably contribute to far-red light absorption. Pc-frLHC's unique Chl arrangement likely promotes PSII excitation with entropy-driven uphill excitation energy transfer.

Structural basis underlying the synergism of NADase and SLO during group A Streptococcus infection.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a strict human pathogen possessing a unique pathogenic trait that utilizes the cooperative activity of NAD+-glycohydrolase (NADase) and Streptolysin O (SLO) to enhance its virulence. How NADase interacts with SLO to synergistically promote GAS cytotoxicity and intracellular survival is a long-standing question. Here, the structure and dynamic nature of the NADase/SLO complex are elucidated by X-ray crystallography and small-angle scattering, illustrating atomic details of the complex interface and functionally relevant conformations. Structure-guided studies reveal a salt-bridge interaction between NADase and SLO is important to cytotoxicity and resistance to phagocytic killing during GAS infection. Furthermore, the biological significance of the NADase/SLO complex in GAS virulence is demonstrated in a murine infection model. Overall, this work delivers the structure-functional relationship of the NADase/SLO complex and pinpoints the key interacting residues that are central to the coordinated actions of NADase and SLO in the pathogenesis of GAS infection.

Structural bases for aspartate recognition and polymerization efficiency of cyanobacterial cyanophycin synthetase.

Cyanophycin is a natural biopolymer consisting of equimolar amounts of aspartate and arginine as the backbone and branched sidechain, respectively. It is produced by a single enzyme, cyanophycin synthetase (CphA1), and accumulates as a nitrogen reservoir during N2 fixation by most cyanobacteria. A recent structural study showed that three constituent domains of CphA1 function as two distinct catalytic sites and an oligomerization interface in cyanophycin synthesis. However, it remains unclear how the ATP-dependent addition of aspartate to cyanophycin is initiated at the catalytic site of the glutathione synthetase-like domain. Here, we report the cryogenic electron microscopy structures of CphA1, including a complex with aspartate, cyanophycin primer peptide, and ATP analog. These structures reveal the aspartate binding mode and phosphate-binding loop movement to the active site required for the reaction. Furthermore, structural and mutational data show a potential role of protein dynamics in the catalytic efficiency of the arginine condensation reaction.

A unique peptide-based pharmacophore identifies an inhibitory compound against the A-subunit of Shiga toxin.

Shiga toxin (Stx), a major virulence factor of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), can cause fatal systemic complications. Recently, we identified a potent inhibitory peptide that binds to the catalytic A-subunit of Stx. Here, using biochemical structural analysis and X-ray crystallography, we determined a minimal essential peptide motif that occupies the catalytic cavity and is required for binding to the A-subunit of Stx2a, a highly virulent Stx subtype. Molecular dynamics simulations also identified the same motif and allowed determination of a unique pharmacophore for A-subunit binding. Notably, a series of synthetic peptides containing the motif efficiently inhibit Stx2a. In addition, pharmacophore screening and subsequent docking simulations ultimately identified nine Stx2a-interacting molecules out of a chemical compound database consisting of over 7,400,000 molecules. Critically, one of these molecules markedly inhibits Stx2a both in vitro and in vivo, clearly demonstrating the significance of the pharmacophore for identifying therapeutic agents against EHEC infection.

Discovery of non-squalene triterpenes.

All known triterpenes are generated by triterpene synthases (TrTSs) from squalene or oxidosqualene1. This approach is fundamentally different from the biosynthesis of short-chain (C10-C25) terpenes that are formed from polyisoprenyl diphosphates2-4. In this study, two fungal chimeric class I TrTSs, Talaromyces verruculosus talaropentaene synthase (TvTS) and Macrophomina phaseolina macrophomene synthase (MpMS), were characterized. Both enzymes use dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate or hexaprenyl diphosphate as substrates, representing the first examples, to our knowledge, of non-squalene-dependent triterpene biosynthesis. The cyclization mechanisms of TvTS and MpMS and the absolute configurations of their products were investigated in isotopic labelling experiments. Structural analyses of the terpene cyclase domain of TvTS and full-length MpMS provide detailed insights into their catalytic mechanisms. An AlphaFold2-based screening platform was developed to mine a third TrTS, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides colleterpenol synthase (CgCS). Our findings identify a new enzymatic mechanism for the biosynthesis of triterpenes and enhance understanding of terpene biosynthesis in nature.

The GTP responsiveness of PI5P4Kß evolved from a compromised trade-off between activity and specificity.

Unlike most kinases, phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase ß (PI5P4Kß) utilizes GTP as a physiological phosphate donor and regulates cell growth under stress (i.e., GTP-dependent stress resilience). However, the genesis and evolution of its GTP responsiveness remain unknown. Here, we reveal that PI5P4Kß has acquired GTP preference by generating a short dual-nucleotide-recognizing motif called the guanine efficient association (GEA) motif. Comparison of nucleobase recognition with 660 kinases and 128 G proteins has uncovered that most kinases and PI5P4Kß use their main-chain atoms for adenine recognition, while the side-chain atoms are required for guanine recognition. Mutational analysis of the GEA motif revealed that the acquisition of GTP reactivity is accompanied by an extended activity toward inosine triphosphate (ITP) and xanthosine triphosphate (XTP). Along with the evolutionary analysis data that point to strong negative selection of the GEA motif, these results suggest that the GTP responsiveness of PI5P4Kß has evolved from a compromised trade-off between activity and specificity, underpinning the development of the GTP-dependent stress resilience.