Therapeutic potential of procathepsin L-inhibiting and progesterone-entrapping dimethyl-ß-cyclodextrin nanoparticles in treating experimental sepsis.

The pathogenic mechanisms of bacterial infections and resultant sepsis are partly attributed to dysregulated inflammatory responses sustained by some late-acting mediators including the procathepsin-L (pCTS-L). It was entirely unknown whether any compounds of the U.S. Drug Collection could suppress pCTS-L-induced inflammation, and pharmacologically be exploited into possible therapies. Here, we demonstrated that a macrophage cell-based screening of a U.S. Drug Collection of 1360 compounds resulted in the identification of progesterone (PRO) as an inhibitor of pCTS-L-mediated production of several chemokines [e.g., Epithelial Neutrophil-Activating Peptide (ENA-78), Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) or MCP-3] and cytokines [e.g., Interleukin-10 (IL-10) or Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)] in primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In vivo, these PRO-entrapping 2,6-dimethal-ß-cyclodextrin (DM-ß-CD) nanoparticles (containing 1.35 mg/kg PRO and 14.65 mg/kg DM-ß-CD) significantly increased animal survival in both male (from 30% to 70%, n = 20, P = 0.041) and female (from 50% to 80%, n = 30, P = 0.026) mice even when they were initially administered at 24 h post the onset of sepsis. This protective effect was associated with a reduction of sepsis-triggered accumulation of three surrogate biomarkers [e.g., Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) by 40%; Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-2 (MIP-2) by 45%; and Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor I (sTNFRI) by 80%]. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) analysis revealed a strong interaction between PRO and pCTS-L (KD = 78.2 ± 33.7 nM), which was paralleled with a positive correlation between serum PRO concentration and serum pCTS-L level (ρ = 0.56, P = 0.0009) or disease severity (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, SOFA; ρ = 0.64, P = 0.0001) score in septic patients. Our observations support a promising opportunity to explore DM-ß-CD nanoparticles entrapping lipophilic drugs as possible therapies for clinical sepsis.

Crab microRNA-381-5p regulates prophenoloxidase activation and phagocytosis to promote intracellular bacteria Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection by targeting mannose-binding protein.

Mannose-binding lectin plays an essential role in bacteria or virus-triggered immune response in mammals. Previous proteomic data revealed that in Eriocheir sinensis, the mannose-binding protein was differentially expressed after Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection. However, the function of mannose-binding protein against pathogen infection in invertebrates is poorly understood. In this study, a crab mannose-binding protein (EsMBP) was characterized and enhanced the host resistance to S. eriocheiris infection. The application of recombinant C-type carbohydrate recognition domain (CTLD) of EsMBP led to increased crab survival and decreased S. eriocheiris load in hemocytes. Meanwhile, the overexpression of CTLD of EsMBP in Raw264.7 cells inhibited S. eriocheiris intracellular replication. In contrast, depletion of EsMBP by RNA interference or antibody neutralization attenuated phenoloxidase activity and hemocyte phagocytosis, rendering host more susceptible to S. eriocheiris infection. Furthermore, miR-381-5p in hemocytes suppressed EsMBP expression and negatively regulated phenoloxidase activity to exacerbate S. eriocheiris invasion of hemocytes. Taken together, our findings revealed that crab mannose-binding protein was involved in host defense against S. eriocheiris infection and targeted by miR-381-5p, providing further insights into the control of S. eriocheiris spread in crabs.

Sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 main protease 3CLpro with an engineered ribonuclease zymogen.

Alongside vaccines and antiviral therapeutics, diagnostic tools are a crucial aid in combating the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the etiological agent SARS-CoV-2. All common assays for infection rely on the detection of viral sub-components, including structural proteins of the virion or fragments of the viral genome. Selective pressure imposed by human intervention of COVID-19 can, however, induce viral mutations that decrease the sensitivity of diagnostic assays based on biomolecular structure, leading to an increase in false-negative results. In comparison, mutations are unlikely to alter the function of viral proteins, and viral machinery is under less selective pressure from vaccines and therapeutics. Accordingly, diagnostic assays that rely on biomolecular function can be more robust than ones that rely on biopolymer structure. Toward this end, we used a split intein to create a circular ribonuclease zymogen that is activated by the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, 3CLpro . Zymogen activation by 3CLpro leads to a >300-fold increase in ribonucleolytic activity, which can be detected with a highly sensitive fluorogenic substrate. This coupled assay can detect low nanomolar concentrations of 3CLpro within a timeframe comparable to that of common antigen-detection protocols. More generally, the concept of detecting a protease by activating a ribonuclease could be the basis of diagnostic tools for other indications.

Monocytes Release Pro-Cathepsin D to Drive Blood-to-Brain Transcytosis in Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular complications are the major outcome of type 2 diabetes progression, and the underlying mechanism remains to be determined. METHODS: High-throughput RNA sequencing was performed using human monocyte samples from controls and diabetes. The transgenic mice expressing human CTSD (cathepsin D) in the monocytes was constructed using CD68 promoter. In vivo 2-photon imaging, behavioral tests, immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, Western blot analysis, vascular leakage assay, and single-cell RNA sequencing were performed to clarify the phenotype and elucidate the molecular mechanism. RESULTS: Monocytes expressed high-level CTSD in patients with type 2 diabetes. The transgenic mice expressing human CTSD in the monocytes showed increased brain microvascular permeability resembling the diabetic microvascular phenotype, accompanied by cognitive deficit. Mechanistically, the monocytes release nonenzymatic pro-CTSD to upregulate caveolin expression in brain endothelium triggering caveolae-mediated transcytosis, without affecting the paracellular route of brain microvasculature. The circulating pro-CTSD activated the caveolae-mediated transcytosis in brain endothelial cells via its binding with low-density LRP1 (lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1). Importantly, genetic ablation of CTSD in the monocytes exhibited a protective effect against the diabetes-enhanced brain microvascular transcytosis and the diabetes-induced cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: These findings uncover the novel role of circulatory pro-CTSD from monocytes in the pathogenesis of cerebral microvascular lesions in diabetes. The circulatory pro-CTSD is a potential target for the intervention of microvascular complications in diabetes.

Characterization of covalent inhibitors that disrupt the interaction between the tandem SH2 domains of SYK and FCER1G phospho-ITAM.

RNA sequencing and genetic data support spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) and high affinity immunoglobulin epsilon receptor subunit gamma (FCER1G) as putative targets to be modulated for Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapy. FCER1G is a component of Fc receptor complexes that contain an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM). SYK interacts with the Fc receptor by binding to doubly phosphorylated ITAM (p-ITAM) via its two tandem SH2 domains (SYK-tSH2). Interaction of the FCER1G p-ITAM with SYK-tSH2 enables SYK activation via phosphorylation. Since SYK activation is reported to exacerbate AD pathology, we hypothesized that disruption of this interaction would be beneficial for AD patients. Herein, we developed biochemical and biophysical assays to enable the discovery of small molecules that perturb the interaction between the FCER1G p-ITAM and SYK-tSH2. We identified two distinct chemotypes using a high-throughput screen (HTS) and orthogonally assessed their binding. Both chemotypes covalently modify SYK-tSH2 and inhibit its interaction with FCER1G p-ITAM, however, these compounds lack selectivity and this limits their utility as chemical tools.

Engineering the Propeptide of Microbial Transglutaminase Zymogen: Enabling Substrate-Dependent Activation for Bioconjugation Applications.

Microbial transglutaminase (MTG) from Streptomyces mobaraensis is a powerful biocatalytic glue for site-specific cross-linking of a range of biomolecules and synthetic molecules that have an MTG-reactive moiety. The preparation of active recombinant MTG requires post-translational proteolytic digestion of a propeptide that functions as an intramolecular chaperone to assist the correct folding of the MTG zymogen (MTGz) in the biosynthesis. Herein, we report engineered active zymogen of MTG (EzMTG) that is expressed in soluble form in the host Escherichia coli cytosol and exhibits cross-linking activity without limited proteolysis of the propeptide. We found that the saturation mutagenesis of residues K10 or Y12 in the propeptide domain generated several active MTGz mutants. In particular, the K10D/Y12G mutant exhibited catalytic activity comparable to that of mature MTG. However, the expression level was low, possibly because of decreased chaperone activity and/or the promiscuous substrate specificity of MTG, which is potentially harmful to the host cells. The K10R/Y12A mutant exhibited specific substrate-dependent reactivity toward peptidyl substrates. Quantitative analysis of the binding affinity of the mutated propeptides to the active site of MTG suggested an inverse relationship between the binding affinity and the catalytic activity of EzMTG. Our proof-of-concept study provides insights into the design of a new biocatalyst using the MTGz as a scaffold and a potential route to high-throughput screening of EzMTG mutants for bioconjugation applications.

Serine protease homolog pairs CLIPA4-A6, A4-A7Δ, and A4-A12 act as cofactors for proteolytic activation of prophenoloxidase-2 and -7 in Anopheles gambiae.

Phenoloxidase (PO) catalyzed melanization and other insect immune responses are mediated by serine proteases (SPs) and their noncatalytic homologs (SPHs). Many of these SP-like proteins have a regulatory clip domain and are called CLIPs. In most insects studied so far, PO precursors are activated by a PAP (i.e., PPO activating protease) and its cofactor of clip-domain SPHs. Although melanotic encapsulation is a well-known refractory mechanism of mosquitoes against malaria parasites, it is unclear if a cofactor is required for PPO activation. In Anopheles gambiae, CLIPA4 is 1:1 orthologous to Manduca sexta SPH2; CLIPs A5-7, A12-14, A26, A31, A32, E6, and E7 are 11:4 orthologous to M. sexta SPH1a, 1b, 4, and 101, SPH2 partners in the cofactors. Here we produced proCLIPs A4, A6, A7Δ, A12, and activated them with CLIPB9 or M. sexta PAP3. A. gambiae PPO2 and PPO7 were expressed in Escherichia coli for use as PAP substrates. CLIPB9 was mutated to CLIPB9Xa by including a Factor Xa cleavage site. CLIPA7Δ was a deletion mutant with a low complexity region removed. After PAP3 or CLIPB9Xa processing, CLIPA4 formed a high Mr complex with CLIPA6, A7Δ or A12, which assisted PPO2 and PPO7 activation. High levels of specific PO activity (55-85 U/µg for PO2 and 1131-1630 U/µg for PO7) were detected in vitro, indicating that cofactor-assisted PPO activation also occurs in this species. The cleavage sites and mechanisms for complex formation and cofactor function are like those reported in M. sexta and Drosophila melanogaster. In conclusion, these data suggest that the three (and perhaps more) SPHI-II pairs may form cofactors for CLIPB9-mediated activation of PPOs for melanotic encapsulation in A. gambiae.

Chemical Zymogens and Transmembrane Activation of Transcription in Synthetic Cells.

In this work, synthetic cells equipped with an artificial signaling pathway that connects an extracellular trigger event to the activation of intracellular transcription are engineered. Learning from nature, this is done via an engineering of responsive enzymes, such that activation of enzymatic activity can be triggered by an external biochemical stimulus. Reversibly deactivated creatine kinase to achieve triggered production of adenosine triphosphate, and a reversibly deactivated nucleic acid polymerase for on-demand synthesis of RNA are engineered. An extracellular, enzyme-activated production of a diffusible zymogen activator is also designed. The key achievement of this work is that the importance of cellularity is illustrated whereby the separation of biochemical partners is essential to resolve their incompatibility, to enable transcription within the confines of a synthetic cell. The herein designed biochemical pathway and the engineered synthetic cells are arguably primitive compared to their natural counterpart. Nevertheless, the results present a significant step toward the design of synthetic cells with responsive behavior, en route from abiotic to life-like cell mimics.

Identification of an essential role against shrimp pathogens of prophenoloxidase activating enzyme 1 (PPAE1) from Fenneropenaeus merguiensis hemocytes.

Prophenoloxidase (proPO) activating enzymes, known as PPAEs, are pivotal in activating the proPO system within invertebrate immunity. A cDNA encoding a PPAE derived from the hemocytes of banana shrimp, Fenneropenaeus merguiensis have cloned and analyzed, referred to as FmPPAE1. The open reading frame of FmPPAE1 encompasses 1392 base pairs, encoding a 464-amino acid peptide featuring a presumed 19-amino acid signal peptide. The projected molecular mass and isoelectric point of this protein stand at 50.5 kDa and 7.82, respectively. Structure of FmPPAE1 consists of an N-terminal clip domain and a C-terminal serine proteinase domain, housing a catalytic triad (His272, Asp321, Ser414) and a substrate binding site (Asp408, Ser435, Gly437). Expression of the FmPPAE1 transcript is specific to hemocytes and is heightened upon encountering pathogens like Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio harveyi, and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Using RNA interference to silence the FmPPAE1 gene resulted in reduced hemolymph phenoloxidase (PO) activity and decreased survival rates in shrimp co-injected with pathogenic agents. These findings strongly indicate that FmPPAE1 plays a vital role in regulating the proPO system in shrimp. Furthermore, upon successful production of recombinant FmPPAE1 protein (rFmPPAE1), it became evident that this protein exhibited remarkable abilities in both agglutinating and binding to a wide range of bacterial strains. These interactions were primarily facilitated through the recognition of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or peptidoglycans (PGN) found in the cell wall. This agglutination process subsequently triggered melanization, a critical immune response. Furthermore, rFmPPAE1 exhibited the ability to actively impede the growth of pathogenic bacteria harmful to shrimp, including V. harveyi and V. parahaemolyticus. These findings strongly suggest that FmPPAE1 not only plays a pivotal role in activating the proPO system but also possesses inherent antibacterial properties, actively contributing to the suppression of bacterial proliferation. In summary, these results underscore the substantial involvement of FmPPAE1 in activating the proPO system in F. merguiensis and emphasize its crucial role in the shrimp's immune defense against invading pathogens.

Unleashing the Power of Proenzyme Delivery for Targeted Therapeutic Applications Using Biodegradable Lipid Nanoparticles.

ConspectusProenzymes, functioning as inactive precursor forms of enzymes, hold significant promise for regulating essential biological processes. Their inherent property of latency, remaining inert until they arrive at the intended site of action, positions them as particularly promising candidates for the development of targeted therapeutics. Despite this potential, the therapeutic potential of proenzymes is challenged by designing proenzymes with excellent selectivity for disease cells. This limitation is further exacerbated by the inability of proenzymes to spontaneously cross the cell membrane, a biological barrier that impedes the cellular internalization of exogenous macromolecules. Therefore, efficacious intracellular delivery is paramount to unlocking the full therapeutic potency of proenzymes.In this Account, we first elucidate our recent advancements made in designing biodegradable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for the cell-specific delivery of biomacromolecules, including proteins and nucleic acids. Using a strategy of parallel synthesis, we have constructed an extensive library of ionizable lipids, each integrated with different biodegradable moieties. This combinatorial approach has led to the identification of LNPs that are particularly efficacious for the delivery of biomacromolecules specifically to tumor cells. This innovation capitalizes on the unique intracellular environment of cancer cells to control the degradation of LNPs, thereby ensuring the targeted release of therapeutics within tumor cells. Additionally, we discuss the structure-activity relationship governing the delivery efficacy of these LNPs and their applicability in regulating tumor cell signaling, specifically through the delivery of bacterial effector proteins.In the second segment, we aim to provide an overview of our recent contributions to the field of proenzyme design, where we have chemically tailored proteins to render them responsive to the unique milieu of tumor cells. Specifically, we elaborate on the chemical principles employed to modify proteins and DNAzymes, thereby priming them for activation in the presence of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), an enzyme that is prevalently upregulated within tumor cells. We summarize the methodologies for intracellular delivery of these proenzymes using biodegradable LNPs, both in vitro and in vivo. The concomitant intracellular delivery and activation of proenzymes are examined in the context of enhanced therapeutic outcomes and targeted CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing.In conclusion, we offer a perspective on the chemical principles that could be leveraged to optimize LNPs for tissue-specific delivery of proenzymes. We also explore chemical strategies for the irreversible modulation of proenzyme activity within living cells and in vivo. Through this discussion, we provide insights into potential avenues for overcoming existing limitations and enhancing the delivery of proenzymes using LNPs, particularly for developing tumor-targeted therapies and genome editing applications.

Discovery of novel indole derivatives as potent and selective inhibitors of proMMP-9 activation.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a secreted zinc-dependent endopeptidase that degrades the extracellular matrix and basement membrane of neurons, and then contributes to synaptic plasticity by remodeling the extracellular matrix. Inhibition of MMP-9 activity has therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative diseases such as fragile X syndrome. This paper reports the molecular design, synthesis, and in vitro studies of novel indole derivatives as inhibitors of proMMP-9 activation. High-throughput screening (HTS) of our internal compound library and subsequent merging of hit compounds 1 and 2 provided compound 4 as a bona-fide lead. X-ray structure-based design and subsequent lead optimization led to the discovery of compound 33, a highly potent and selective inhibitor of proMMP-9 activation.

Two clip-domain serine protease homologs, cSPH35 and cSPH242, act as a cofactor for prophenoloxidase-1 activation in Drosophila melanogaster.

Insect phenoloxidases (POs) catalyze phenol oxygenation and o-diphenol oxidation to form reactive intermediates that kill invading pathogens and form melanin polymers. To reduce their toxicity to host cells, POs are produced as prophenoloxidases (PPOs) and activated by a serine protease cascade as required. In most insects studied so far, PPO activating proteases (PAPs) generate active POs in the presence of a high Mr cofactor, comprising two serine protease homologs (SPHs) each with a Gly residue replacing the catalytic Ser of an S1A serine protease (SP). These SPHs have a regulatory clip domain at the N-terminus, like most of the SP cascade members including PAPs. In Drosophila, PPO activation and PO-catalyzed melanization have been examined in genetic analyses but it is unclear if a cofactor is required for PPO activation. In this study, we produced the recombinant cSPH35 and cSPH242 precursors, activated them with Manduca sexta PAP3, and confirmed their predicted role as a cofactor for Drosophila PPO1 activation by MP2 (i.e., Sp7). The cleavage sites and mechanisms for complex formation and cofactor function are highly similar to those reported in M. sexta. In the presence of high Mr complexes of the cSPHs, PO at a high specific activity of 260 U/µg was generated in vitro. To complement the in vitro analysis, we measured hemolymph PO activity levels in wild-type flies, cSPH35, and cSPH242 RNAi lines. Compared with the wild-type flies, only 4.4% and 18% of the control PO level (26 U/µl) was detected in the cSPH35 and cSPH242 knockdowns, respectively. Consistently, percentages of adults with a melanin spot at the site of septic pricking were 82% in wild-type, 30% in cSPH35 RNAi, and 53% in cSPH242 RNAi lines; the survival rate of the control (45%) was significantly higher than those (30% and 15%) of the two RNAi lines. These data suggest that Drosophila cSPH35 and cSPH242 are components of a cofactor for MP2-mediated PPO1 activation, which are indispensable for early melanization in adults.

Quantification of the zymogenicity and the substrate-induced activity enhancement of complement factor D.

Complement factor D (FD) is a serine protease present predominantly in the active form in circulation. It is synthesized as a zymogen (pro-FD), but it is continuously converted to FD by circulating active MASP-3. FD is a unique, self-inhibited protease. It has an extremely low activity toward free factor B (FB), while it is a highly efficient enzyme toward FB complexed with C3b (C3bB). The structural basis of this phenomenon is known; however, the rate enhancement was not yet quantified. It has also been unknown whether pro-FD has any enzymatic activity. In this study, we aimed to measure the activity of human FD and pro-FD toward uncomplexed FB and C3bB in order to quantitatively characterize the substrate-induced activity enhancement and zymogenicity of FD. Pro-FD was stabilized in the proenzyme form by replacing Arg25 (precursor numbering) with Gln (pro-FD-R/Q). Activated MASP-1 and MASP-3 catalytic fragments were also included in the study for comparison. We found that the complex formation with C3b enhanced the cleavage rate of FB by FD approximately 20 million-fold. C3bB was also a better substrate for MASP-1, approximately 100-fold, than free FB, showing that binding to C3b renders the scissile Arg-Lys bond in FB to become more accessible for proteolysis. Though easily measurable, this cleavage by MASP-1 is not relevant physiologically. Our approach provides quantitative data for the two-step mechanism characterized by the enhanced susceptibility of FB for cleavage upon complex formation with C3b and the substrate-induced activity enhancement of FD upon its binding to C3bB. Earlier MASP-3 was also implicated as a potential FB activator; however, MASP-3 does not cleave C3bB (or FB) at an appreciable rate. Finally, pro-FD cleaves C3bB at a rate that could be physiologically significant. The zymogenicity of FD is approximately 800, i.e., the cleavage rate of C3bB by pro-FD-R/Q was found to be approximately 800-fold lower than that by FD. Moreover, pro-FD-R/Q at approximately 50-fold of the physiological FD concentration could restore half-maximal AP activity of FD-depleted human serum on zymosan. The observed zymogen activity of pro-FD might be relevant in MASP-3 deficiency cases or during therapeutic MASP-3 inhibition.

Cytochrome P460 Cofactor Maturation Proceeds via Peroxide-Dependent Post-translational Modification.

Cytochrome P460s are heme enzymes that oxidize hydroxylamine to nitrous oxide. They bear specialized "heme P460" cofactors that are cross-linked to their host polypeptides by a post-translationally modified lysine residue. Wild-type N. europaea cytochrome P460 may be isolated as a cross-link-deficient proenzyme following anaerobic overexpression in E. coli. When treated with peroxide, this proenzyme undergoes maturation to active enzyme with spectroscopic and catalytic properties that match wild-type cyt P460. This maturation reactivity requires no chaperones─it is intrinsic to the protein. This behavior extends to the broader cytochrome c'ß superfamily. Accumulated data reveal key contributions from the secondary coordination sphere that enable selective, complete maturation. Spectroscopic data support the intermediacy of a ferryl species along the maturation pathway.

How an overlooked gene in coenzyme a synthesis solved an enzyme mechanism predicament.

Coenzyme A (CoA) is an essential cofactor throughout biology. The first committed step in the CoA synthetic pathway is synthesis of ß-alanine from aspartate. In Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica panD encodes the responsible enzyme, aspartate-1-decarboxylase, as a proenzyme. To become active, the E. coli and S. enterica PanD proenzymes must undergo an autocatalytic cleavage to form the pyruvyl cofactor that catalyzes decarboxylation. A problem was that the autocatalytic cleavage was too slow to support growth. A long-neglected gene (now called panZ) was belatedly found to encode the protein that increases autocatalytic cleavage of the PanD proenzyme to a physiologically relevant rate. PanZ must bind CoA or acetyl-CoA to interact with the PanD proenzyme and accelerate cleavage. The CoA/acetyl-CoA dependence has led to proposals that the PanD-PanZ CoA/acetyl-CoA interaction regulates CoA synthesis. Unfortunately, regulation of ß-alanine synthesis is very weak or absent. However, the PanD-PanZ interaction provides an explanation for the toxicity of the CoA anti-metabolite, N5-pentyl pantothenamide.

Clip-SP1 cleavage activates downstream prophenoloxidase activating protease (PAP) in Plutella xylostella.

Melanization is a component of the humoral immune defense of insects and is induced by serine protease-mediated phenoloxidase (PO) catalysis. Prophenoloxidase (PPO) in the midgut of Plutella xylostella is activated by the CLIP domain serine protease (clip-SP) in response to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) infection, but the detailed signaling cascade following this activation is unknown. Here, we report that activation of clip-SP enhances PO activity in the P. xylostella midgut by cleaving three downstream PPO-activating proteases (PAPs). First, the expression level of clip-SP1 was increased in the midgut after Bt8010 infection of P. xylostella. Then, purified recombinant clip-SP1 was able to activate three PAPs - PAPa, PAPb and PAP3 - which in turn enhanced their PO activity in the hemolymph. Furthermore, clip-SP1 showed a dominant effect on PO activity compared to the individual PAPs. Our results indicate that Bt infection induces the expression of clip-SP1, which is upstream of a signaling cascade, to efficiently activate PO catalysis and mediate melanization in the midgut of P. xylostella. And it provides a basis for studying the complex PPO regulatory system in the midgut during Bt infection.

Chemical Zymogens: Specificity and Steroidal Control of Reactivation.

Activating and masking enzymatic activity on demand is of the highest importance in nature. It is achieved by chemical interconversion of enzymes and the corresponding zymogens through, for example, proteolytic processing or reversible phosphorylation, and affords on-demand activation of enzymes, controlled in space and/or time. In stark contrast, examples of chemical zymogens are very few, and in most cases these are based on disulfide chemistry, which is largely indiscriminate as to the nature of the activating thiol. In this work, we address an outstanding challenge of specificity of reactivation of chemical zymogens. We achieve this through engineering affinity between the chemical zymogen and the activator. Additional, higher-level control over zymogen reactivation is installed in a nature-mimicking approach using steroidal hormones. Taken together, the results of this study take a step towards establishing the specificity of reactivation of synthetic, chemical zymogens. We anticipate that the results of this study will contribute significantly to the development of chemical zymogens as tools for diverse use in chemical biology and biotechnology.

Quest for selective MMP9 inhibitors: a computational approach.

Matrix Metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) is one of the important targets that play a vital role in various diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, arthritis, etc. Traditionally, MMP-9 inhibitors have been unable to achieve selectivity to get around this target; thereby, novel mechanisms such as inhibition of activated MMP-9 zymogen (pro-MMP-9) have been discovered. The JNJ0966 was one of the few compounds that attained the requisite selectivity by inhibiting the activation of MMP-9 zymogen (pro-MMP-9). Since JNJ0966, no other small molecules have been identified. Herein, extensive in silico studies were called upon to bolster the prospect of exploring potential candidates. The key objective of this research is to identify the potential hits from the ChEMBL database via molecular docking and dynamics approach. Protein with PDB ID: 5UE4, having a unique inhibitor in an allosteric binding pocket of MMP-9, was chosen for the study. Structure-based virtual screening and MMGBSA binding affinity calculations were performed, and five potential hits were finalized. Detailed analysis of the best-scoring molecules was performed with ADMET analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. All five hits outperformed JNJ0966 in the docking assessment, ADMET analysis, and molecular dynamics simulation. Accordingly, our research findings imply that these hits can be investigated for in vitro and in vivo studies against proMMP9 and might be explored as potential anticancer drugs. The outcome of our research might contribute in expediting the exploration of drugs that inhibits proMMP-9.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Maturation of the malarial phosphatidylserine decarboxylase is mediated by high affinity binding to anionic phospholipids.

Decarboxylation of phosphatidylserine (PS) to form phosphatidylethanolamine by PS decarboxylases (PSDs) is an essential process in most eukaryotes. Processing of a malarial PSD proenzyme into its active alpha and beta subunits is by an autoendoproteolytic mechanism regulated by anionic phospholipids, with PS serving as an activator and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidic acid acting as inhibitors. The biophysical mechanism underlying this regulation remains unknown. We used solid phase lipid binding, liposome-binding assays, and surface plasmon resonance to examine the binding specificity of a processing-deficient Plasmodium PSD (PkPSDS308A) mutant enzyme and demonstrated that the PSD proenzyme binds strongly to PS and PG but not to phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) of PkPSD with PS and PG were 80.4 nM and 66.4 nM, respectively. The interaction of PSD with PS is inhibited by calcium, suggesting that the binding mechanism involves ionic interactions. In vitro processing of WT PkPSD proenzyme was also inhibited by calcium, consistent with the conclusion that PS binding to PkPSD through ionic interactions is required for the proenzyme processing. Peptide mapping identified polybasic amino acid motifs in the proenzyme responsible for binding to PS. Altogether, the data demonstrate that malarial PSD maturation is regulated through a strong physical association between PkPSD proenzyme and anionic lipids. Inhibition of the specific interaction between the proenzyme and the lipids can provide a novel mechanism to disrupt PSD enzyme activity, which has been suggested as a target for antimicrobials, and anticancer therapies.

Effects of Ca2+ ions on the horseshoe crab coagulation cascade triggered by lipopolysaccharide.

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered horseshoe crab coagulation cascade is composed of three protease zymogens, prochelicerase C (proC), prochelicerase B (proB) and the proclotting enzyme (proCE). In this study, we found that Ca 2+ ions increase the production of the clotting enzyme as a result of a cascade reaction reconstituted by recombinant proteins of wild-type (WT) proC, WT proB and WT proCE. We divided the cascade into three stages: autocatalytic activation of WT proC on the surface of LPS into WT α-chelicerase C (Stage 1); activation of WT proB on the surface of LPS into WT chelicerase B by WT α-chelicerase C (Stage 2) and activation of WT proce into WT CE by chelicerase B (Stage 3). Ca2+ ions enhanced the proteolytic activation in Stage 2, but not those in Stages 1 and 3. Moreover, we performed isothermal titration calorimetry to clarify the interaction of LPS or the recombinant zymogens with Ca2+ ions. LPS interacted with Ca2+ ions at an association constant of Ka = 4.7 × 104 M-1, but not with any of the recombinant zymogens. We concluded that LPS bound with Ca2+ ions facilitates the chain reaction of the cascade as a more efficient scaffold than LPS itself.