Structural Heterogeneity in a Phototransformable Fluorescent Protein Impacts its Photochemical Properties.

Photoconvertible fluorescent proteins (PCFP) are important cellular markers in advanced imaging modalities such as photoactivatable localization microscopy (PALM). However, their complex photophysical and photochemical behavior hampers applications such as quantitative and single-particle-tracking PALM. This work employs multidimensional NMR combined with ensemble fluorescence measurements to show that the popular mEos4b in its Green state populates two conformations (A and B), differing in side-chain protonation of the conserved residues E212 and H62,  altering the hydrogen-bond network in the chromophore pocket. The interconversion (protonation/deprotonation) between these two states, which occurs on the minutes time scale in the dark, becomes strongly accelerated in the presence of UV light, leading to a population shift. This work shows that the reversible photoswitching and Green-to-Red photoconversion properties differ between the A and B states. The chromophore in the A-state photoswitches more efficiently and is proposed to be more prone to photoconversion, while the B-state shows a higher level of photobleaching. Altogether, this data highlights the central role of conformational heterogeneity in fluorescent protein photochemistry.

Structure shows that the BIR2 domain of E3 ligase XIAP binds across the RIPK2 kinase dimer interface.

RIPK2 is an essential adaptor for NOD signalling and its kinase domain is a drug target for NOD-related diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease. However, recent work indicates that the phosphorylation activity of RIPK2 is dispensable for signalling and that inhibitors of both RIPK2 activity and RIPK2 ubiquitination prevent the essential interaction between RIPK2 and the BIR2 domain of XIAP, the key RIPK2 ubiquitin E3 ligase. Moreover, XIAP BIR2 antagonists also block this interaction. To reveal the molecular mechanisms involved, we combined native mass spectrometry, NMR, and cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structure of the RIPK2 kinase BIR2 domain complex and validated the interface with in cellulo assays. The structure shows that BIR2 binds across the RIPK2 kinase antiparallel dimer and provides an explanation for both inhibitory mechanisms. It also highlights why phosphorylation of the kinase activation loop is dispensable for signalling while revealing the structural role of RIPK2-K209 residue in the RIPK2-XIAP BIR2 interaction. Our results clarify the features of the RIPK2 conformation essential for its role as a scaffold protein for ubiquitination.

The plasma membrane-associated cation-binding protein PCaP1 of Arabidopsis thaliana is a uranyl-binding protein.

Uranium (U) is a naturally-occurring radionuclide that is toxic to living organisms. Given that proteins are primary targets of U(VI), their identification is an essential step towards understanding the mechanisms of radionuclide toxicity, and possibly detoxification. Here, we implemented a chromatographic strategy including immobilized metal affinity chromatography to trap protein targets of uranyl in Arabidopsis thaliana. This procedure allowed the identification of 38 uranyl-binding proteins (UraBPs) from root and shoot extracts. Among them, UraBP25, previously identified as plasma membrane-associated cation-binding protein 1 (PCaP1), was further characterized as a protein interacting in vitro with U(VI) and other metals using spectroscopic and structural approaches, and in planta through analyses of the fate of U(VI) in Arabidopsis lines with altered PCaP1 gene expression. Our results showed that recombinant PCaP1 binds U(VI) in vitro with affinity in the nM range, as well as Cu(II) and Fe(III) in high proportions, and that Ca(II) competes with U(VI) for binding. U(VI) induces PCaP1 oligomerization through binding at the monomer interface, at both the N-terminal structured domain and the C-terminal flexible region. Finally, U(VI) translocation in Arabidopsis shoots was affected in pcap1 null-mutant, suggesting a role for this protein in ion trafficking in planta.

Visualizing the transiently populated closed-state of human HSP90 ATP binding domain.

HSP90 are abundant molecular chaperones, assisting the folding of several hundred client proteins, including substrates involved in tumor growth or neurodegenerative diseases. A complex set of large ATP-driven structural changes occurs during HSP90 functional cycle. However, the existence of such structural rearrangements in apo HSP90 has remained unclear. Here, we identify a metastable excited state in the isolated human HSP90α ATP binding domain. We use solution NMR and mutagenesis to characterize structures of both ground and excited states. We demonstrate that in solution the HSP90α ATP binding domain transiently samples a functionally relevant ATP-lid closed state, distant by more than 30 Å from the ground state. NMR relaxation enables to derive information on the kinetics and thermodynamics of this interconversion, while molecular dynamics simulations establish that the ATP-lid in closed conformation is a metastable exited state. The precise description of the dynamics and structures sampled by human HSP90α ATP binding domain provides information for the future design of new therapeutic ligands.

Disentangling Chromophore States in a Reversibly Switchable Green Fluorescent Protein: Mechanistic Insights from NMR Spectroscopy.

The photophysical properties of fluorescent proteins, including phototransformable variants used in advanced microscopy applications, are influenced by the environmental conditions in which they are expressed and used. Rational design of improved fluorescent protein markers requires a better understanding of these environmental effects. We demonstrate here that solution NMR spectroscopy can detect subtle changes in the chemical structure, conformation, and dynamics of the photoactive chromophore moiety with atomic resolution, providing such mechanistic information. Studying rsFolder, a reversibly switchable green fluorescent protein, we have identified four distinct configurations of its p-HBI chromophore, corresponding to the cis and trans isomers, with each one either protonated (neutral) or deprotonated (anionic) at the benzylidene ring. The relative populations and interconversion kinetics of these chromophore species depend on sample pH and buffer composition that alter in a complex way the strength of H-bonds that contribute in stabilizing the chromophore within the protein scaffold. We show in particular the important role of histidine-149 in stabilizing the neutral trans chromophore at intermediate pH values, leading to ground-state cis-trans isomerization with a peculiar pH dependence. We discuss the potential implications of our findings on the pH dependence of the photoswitching contrast, a critical parameter in nanoscopy applications.

Raw nuclear magnetic resonance data of human linker histone H1x, lacking the C-terminal domain (NGH1x), and trajectory data of nanosecond molecular dynamics simulations of GH1x- and NGH1x-chromatosomes.

Linker histone H1 plays a vital role in the packaging of DNA. H1 has a tripartite structure: a conserved central globular domain that adopts a winged-helix fold, flanked by highly variable and intrinsically unstructured N- and C-terminal domains. The datasets presented in this article include raw 2D and 3D BEST-TROSY NMR data [1H-15 N HSQC; 15 N and 13C HNCO, HN(CO)CACB, HNCACB, HN(CA)CO] recorded for NGH1x, a truncated version of H1x containing the N-terminal and globular domains, but lacking the C-terminal domain. Experiments were conducted on double-labelled (15 N and 13C) NGH1x in 'low' and 'high salt,' to investigate the secondary structure content of the N-terminal domain of H1x under these conditions. We provide modelled structures of NGH1x (in low and high salt) based on the assigned chemical shifts in PDB format. The high salt structure of NGH1x (globular domain of H1x [GH1x; PDB: 2LSO] with the H1x NTD) was docked to the nucleosome to generate NGH1x- and GH1x-chromatosomes. The GH1x-chromatosome was generated for comparative purposes to elucidate the role of the N-terminal domain. We present raw data trajectories of molecular dynamics simulations of these chromatosomes in this article. The MD dataset provides nanosecond resolution data on the dynamics of GH1x- vs NGH1x-chromatosomes, which is useful to elucidate the DNA binding properties of the N-terminal domain of H1x in chromatin, as well as the dynamic behaviour of linker DNA in these chromatosomes.

Spectral editing of intra- and inter-chain methyl-methyl NOEs in protein complexes.

Specific isotopic labeling of methyl groups in a perdeuterated protein background enables the detection of long range NOEs in proteins or high molecular weight complexes. We introduce here an approach, combining an optimized isotopic labeling scheme with a specifically tailored NMR pulse sequence, to distinguish between intramolecular and intermolecular NOE connectivities. In hetero-oligomeric complexes, this strategy enables sign encoding of intra-subunit and inter-subunit NOEs. For homo-oligomeric assemblies, our strategy allows the specific detection of intra-chain NOEs in high resolution 3D NOESY spectra. The general principles, possibilities and limitations of this approach are presented. Applications of this approach for the detection of intermolecular NOEs in a hetero-hexamer, and the assignment of methyl 1H and 13C resonances in a homo-tetrameric protein complex are shown.

ssNMRlib: a comprehensive library and tool box for acquisition of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance experiments on Bruker spectrometers.

We introduce ssNMRlib, a comprehensive suite of pulse sequences and jython scripts for user-friendly solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data acquisition, parameter optimization and storage on Bruker spectrometers. ssNMRlib allows the straightforward setup of even highly complex multi-dimensional solid-state NMR experiments with a few clicks from an intuitive graphical interface directly from the Bruker Topspin acquisition software. ssNMRlib allows the setup of experiments in a magnetic-field-independent manner and thus facilitates the workflow in a multi-spectrometer setting with a centralized library. Safety checks furthermore assist the user in experiment setup. Currently hosting more than 140 1D to 4D experiments, primarily for biomolecular solid-state NMR, the library can be easily customized and new experiments are readily added as new templates. ssNMRlib is part of the previously introduced NMRlib library, which comprises many solution-NMR pulse sequences and macros.

NMR Reveals Light-Induced Changes in the Dynamics of a Photoswitchable Fluorescent Protein.

The availability of fluorescent proteins with distinct phototransformation properties is crucial for a wide range of applications in advanced fluorescence microscopy and biotechnology. To rationally design new variants optimized for specific applications, a detailed understanding of the mechanistic features underlying phototransformation is essential. At present, little is known about the conformational dynamics of fluorescent proteins at physiological temperature and how these dynamics contribute to the observed phototransformation properties. Here, we apply high-resolution NMR spectroscopy in solution combined with in situ sample illumination at different wavelengths to investigate the conformational dynamics of rsFolder, a GFP-derived protein that can be reversibly switched between a green fluorescent state and a nonfluorescent state. Our results add a dynamic view to the static structures obtained by x-ray crystallography. Including a custom-tailored NMR toolbox in fluorescent protein research provides new opportunities for investigating the effect of mutations or changes in the environmental conditions on the conformational dynamics of phototransformable fluorescent proteins and their correlation with the observed photochemical and photophysical properties.

NMRlib: user-friendly pulse sequence tools for Bruker NMR spectrometers.

We present NMRlib, a suite of jython-based tools designed for Bruker spectrometers (TopSpin versions 3.2-4.0) that allow easy setup, management, and exchange of NMR experiments. A NMR experiment can be set up and executed in a few clicks by navigating through the NMRlib GUI tree structure, without any further parameter adjustment. NMRlib is magnetic-field independent, and thus particularly helpful for laboratories operating multiple NMR spectrometers. NMRlib is easily personalized by adding, deleting, or reorganizing experiments. Additional tools are provided for data processing, visualization, and analysis. In particular, NMRlib contains all the polarization-enhanced fast-pulsing NMR experiments (SOFAST, BEST, HADAMAC,…) developed in our laboratory over the last decade. We also discuss some specific features that have been implemented to make these experiments most efficient and user friendly.

NMR assignments of human linker histone H1x N-terminal domain and globular domain in the presence and absence of perchlorate.

Human linker histone H1 plays a seminal role in eukaryotic DNA packaging. H1 has a tripartite structure consisting of a central, conserved globular domain, which adopts a winged-helix fold, flanked by two variable N- and C-terminal domains. Here we present the backbone resonance assignments of the N-terminal domain and globular domain of human linker histone H1x in the presence and absence of the secondary structure stabilizer sodium perchlorate. Analysis of chemical shift changes between the two conditions is consistent with induction of transient secondary structural elements in the N-terminal domain of H1x in high ionic strength, which suggests that the N-terminal domain adopts significant alpha-helical conformations in the presence of DNA.

Aromatic SOFAST-HMBC for proteins at natural 13C abundance.

We propose here SOFAST-HMBC as a new complementary NMR tool for aromatic side chain assignment of protein samples at natural 13C abundance. The characteristic peak patterns detected in SOFAST-HMBC for each aromatic side chain allow straightforward assignment of all protons and carbons (including quaternary ones) of the aromatic ring, and for tyrosine and phenylalanine, connection to the CB of the aliphatic chain. The performance of SOFAST-HMBC is demonstrated for three small proteins (7-14 kDa) at millimolar sample concentration using modern high-field NMR instruments equipped with cryogenically cooled probes. Despite the low amount of NMR-active 13C nuclei in these samples, 1H-13C multiple-bond correlation spectra of good quality were obtained in reasonable experimental times of typically less than 24 h.

BEST and SOFAST experiments for resonance assignment of histidine and tyrosine side chains in 13C/15N labeled proteins.

Aromatic amino-acid side chains are essential components for the structure and function of proteins. We present herein a set of NMR experiments for time-efficient resonance assignment of histidine and tyrosine side chains in uniformly 13C/15N-labeled proteins. The use of band-selective 13C pulses allows to deal with linear chains of coupled spins, thus avoiding signal loss that occurs in branched spin systems during coherence transfer. Furthermore, our pulse schemes make use of longitudinal 1H relaxation enhancement, Ernst-angle excitation, and simultaneous detection of 1H and 13C steady-state polarization to achieve significant signal enhancements.

How Detergent Impacts Membrane Proteins: Atomic-Level Views of Mitochondrial Carriers in Dodecylphosphocholine.

Characterizing the structure of membrane proteins (MPs) generally requires extraction from their native environment, most commonly with detergents. Yet, the physicochemical properties of detergent micelles and lipid bilayers differ markedly and could alter the structural organization of MPs, albeit without general rules. Dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) is the most widely used detergent for MP structure determination by NMR, but the physiological relevance of several prominent structures has been questioned, though indirectly, by other biophysical techniques, e.g., functional/thermostability assay (TSA) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Here, we resolve unambiguously this controversy by probing the functional relevance of three different mitochondrial carriers (MCs) in DPC at the atomic level, using an exhaustive set of solution-NMR experiments, complemented by functional/TSA and MD data. Our results provide atomic-level insight into the structure, substrate interaction and dynamics of the detergent-membrane protein complexes and demonstrates cogently that, while high-resolution NMR signals can be obtained for MCs in DPC, they systematically correspond to nonfunctional states.

Optimized fast mixing device for real-time NMR applications.

We present an improved fast mixing device based on the rapid mixing of two solutions inside the NMR probe, as originally proposed by Hore and coworkers (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125 (2003) 12484-12492). Such a device is important for off-equilibrium studies of molecular kinetics by multidimensional real-time NMR spectrsocopy. The novelty of this device is that it allows removing the injector from the NMR detection volume after mixing, and thus provides good magnetic field homogeneity independently of the initial sample volume placed in the NMR probe. The apparatus is simple to build, inexpensive, and can be used without any hardware modification on any type of liquid-state NMR spectrometer. We demonstrate the performance of our fast mixing device in terms of improved magnetic field homogeneity, and show an application to the study of protein folding and the structural characterization of transiently populated folding intermediates.

Fragment-Based NMR Study of the Conformational Dynamics in the bHLH Transcription Factor Ascl1.

The Achaete-scute homolog 1 (Ascl1) protein regulates a large subset of genes that leads neuronal progenitor cells to distinctive differentiation pathways during human brain development. Although it is well known that Ascl1 binds DNA as a homo- or heterodimer via its basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) motif, little is known about the conformational sampling properties of the DNA-free full-length protein, and in particular about the bHLH domain-flanking N- and C-terminal segments, which are predicted to be highly disordered in solution. The structural heterogeneity, low solubility, and high aggregation propensity of Ascl1 in aqueous buffer solutions make high-resolution studies of this protein a challenging task. Here, we have adopted a fragment-based strategy that allowed us to obtain high-quality NMR data providing, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive high-resolution information on the structural propensities and conformational dynamics of Ascl1. The emerging picture is that of an overall extended and highly dynamic polypeptide chain comprising three helical segments and lacking persistent long-range interactions. We also show that the C-terminal helix of the bHLH domain is involved in intermolecular interactions, even in the absence of DNA. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action that govern the regulation of proneural transcription factors.

RNA binding and chaperone activity of the E. coli cold-shock protein CspA.

Ensuring the correct folding of RNA molecules in the cell is of major importance for a large variety of biological functions. Therefore, chaperone proteins that assist RNA in adopting their functionally active states are abundant in all living organisms. An important feature of RNA chaperone proteins is that they do not require an external energy source to perform their activity, and that they interact transiently and non-specifically with their RNA targets. So far, little is known about the mechanistic details of the RNA chaperone activity of these proteins. Prominent examples of RNA chaperones are bacterial cold shock proteins (Csp) that have been reported to bind single-stranded RNA and DNA. Here, we have used advanced NMR spectroscopy techniques to investigate at atomic resolution the RNA-melting activity of CspA, the major cold shock protein of Escherichia coli, upon binding to different RNA hairpins. Real-time NMR provides detailed information on the folding kinetics and folding pathways. Finally, comparison of wild-type CspA with single-point mutants and small peptides yields insights into the complementary roles of aromatic and positively charged amino-acid side chains for the RNA chaperone activity of the protein.

Probing Conformational Exchange Dynamics in a Short-Lived Protein Folding Intermediate by Real-Time Relaxation-Dispersion NMR.

NMR spectroscopy is a powerful tool for studying molecular dynamics at atomic resolution simultaneously for a large number of nuclear sites. In this communication, we combine two powerful NMR techniques, relaxation-dispersion NMR and real-time NMR, in order to obtain unprecedented information on the conformational exchange dynamics present in short-lived excited protein states, such as those transiently accumulated during protein folding. We demonstrate the feasibility of the approach for the amyloidogenic protein ß2-microglobulin that folds via an intermediate state which is believed to be responsible for the onset of the aggregation process leading to amyloid formation.

The Disordered Region of the HCV Protein NS5A: Conformational Dynamics, SH3 Binding, and Phosphorylation.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) perform their physiological role without possessing a well-defined three-dimensional structure. Still, residual structure and conformational dynamics of IDPs are crucial for the mechanisms underlying their functions. For example, regions of transient secondary structure are often involved in molecular recognition, with the structure being stabilized (or not) upon binding. Long-range interactions, on the other hand, determine the hydrodynamic radius of the IDP, and thus the distance over which the protein can catch binding partners via so-called fly-casting mechanisms. The modulation of long-range interactions also presents a convenient way of fine-tuning the protein's interaction network, by making binding sites more or less accessible. Here we studied, mainly by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, residual secondary structure and long-range interactions in nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) from hepatitis C virus (HCV), a typical viral IDP with multiple functions during the viral life cycle. NS5A comprises an N-terminal folded domain, followed by a large (∼250-residue) disordered C-terminal part. Comparing nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of full-length NS5A with those of a protein construct composed of only the C-terminal residues 191-447 (NS5A-D2D3) allowed us to conclude that there is no significant interaction between the globular and disordered parts of NS5A. NS5A-D2D3, despite its overall high flexibility, shows a large extent of local residual (α-helical and ß-turn) structure, as well as a network of electrostatic long-range interactions. Furthermore, we could demonstrate that these long-range interactions become modulated upon binding to the host protein Bin1, as well as after NS5A phosphorylation by CK2. As the charged peptide regions involved in these interactions are well conserved among the different HCV genotypes, these transient long-range interactions may be important for some of the functions of NS5A over the course of the HCV life cycle.

NMR Methods for the Study of Instrinsically Disordered Proteins Structure, Dynamics, and Interactions: General Overview and Practical Guidelines.

Thanks to recent improvements in NMR instrumentation, pulse sequence design, and sample preparation, a panoply of new NMR tools has become available for atomic resolution characterization of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that are optimized for the particular chemical and spectroscopic properties of these molecules. A wide range of NMR observables can now be measured on increasingly complex IDPs that report on their structural and dynamic properties in isolation, as part of a larger complex, or even inside an entire living cell. Herein we present basic NMR concepts, as well as optimised tools available for the study of IDPs in solution. In particular, the following sections are discussed hereafter: a short introduction to NMR spectroscopy and instrumentation (Sect. 3.1), the effect of order and disorder on NMR observables (Sect. 3.2), particular challenges and bottlenecks for NMR studies of IDPs (Sect. 3.3), 2D HN and CON NMR experiments: the fingerprint of an IDP (Sect. 3.4), tools for overcoming major bottlenecks of IDP NMR studies (Sect. 3.5), 13C detected experiments (Sect. 3.6), from 2D to 3D: from simple snapshots to site-resolved characterization of IDPs (Sect. 3.7), sequential NMR assignment: 3D experiments (Sect. 3.8), high-dimensional NMR experiments (nD, with n>3) (Sect. 3.9) and conclusions and perspectives (Sect. 3.10).