Deconstructing virus condensation.

Viruses have evolved precise mechanisms for using the cellular physiological pathways for their perpetuation. These virus-driven biochemical events must be separated in space and time from those of the host cell. In recent years, granular structures, known for over a century for rabies virus, were shown to host viral gene function and were named using terms such as viroplasms, replication sites, inclusion bodies, or viral factories (VFs). More recently, these VFs were shown to be liquid-like, sharing properties with membrane-less organelles driven by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in a process widely referred to as biomolecular condensation. Some of the best described examples of these structures come from negative stranded RNA viruses, where micrometer size VFs are formed toward the end of the infectious cycle. We here discuss some basic principles of LLPS in connection with several examples of VFs and propose a view, which integrates viral replication mechanisms with the biochemistry underlying liquid-like organelles. In this view, viral protein and RNA components gradually accumulate up to a critical point during infection where phase separation is triggered. This yields an increase in transcription that leads in turn to increased translation and a consequent growth of initially formed condensates. According to chemical principles behind phase separation, an increase in the concentration of components increases the size of the condensate. A positive feedback cycle would thus generate in which crucial components, in particular nucleoproteins and viral polymerases, reach their highest levels required for genome replication. Progress in understanding viral biomolecular condensation leads to exploration of novel therapeutics. Furthermore, it provides insights into the fundamentals of phase separation in the regulation of cellular gene function given that virus replication and transcription, in particular those requiring host polymerases, are governed by the same biochemical principles.

The structure of the extended E2 DNA-binding domain of the bovine papillomavirus-1.

Bovine papillomavirus proteins were extensively studied as a prototype for the human papillomavirus. Here, the crystal structure of the extended E2 DNA-binding domain of the dominant transcription regulator from the bovine papillomavirus strain 1 is described in the space group P31 21. We found two protein functional dimers packed in the asymmetric unit. This new protein arrangement inside the crystal led to the reduction of the mobility of a previously unobserved loop directly involved in the protein-DNA interaction, which was then modeled for the first time.

Topology Dictates Evolution of Regulatory Cysteines in a Family of Viral Oncoproteins.

Redox regulation in biology is largely operated by cysteine chemistry in response to a variety of cell environmental and intracellular stimuli. The high chemical reactivity of cysteines determines their conservation in functional roles, but their presence can also result in harmful oxidation limiting their general use by proteins. Papillomaviruses constitute a unique system for studying protein sequence evolution since there are hundreds of anciently evolved stable genomes. E7, the viral transforming factor, is a dimeric, cysteine-rich oncoprotein that shows both conserved structural and variable regulatory cysteines constituting an excellent model for uncovering the mechanism that drives the acquisition of redox-sensitive groups. By analyzing over 300 E7 sequences, we found that although noncanonical cysteines show no obvious sequence conservation pattern, they are nonrandomly distributed based on topological constrains. Regulatory residues are strictly excluded from six positions stabilizing the hydrophobic core while they are enriched in key positions located at the dimerization interface or around the Zn+2 ion. Oxidation of regulatory cysteines is linked to dimer dissociation, acting as a reversible redox-sensing mechanism that triggers a conformational switch. Based on comparative sequence analysis, molecular dynamics simulations and biophysical analysis, we propose a model in which the occurrence of cysteine-rich positions is dictated by topological constrains, providing an explanation to why a degenerate pattern of cysteines can be achieved in a family of homologs. Thus, topological principles should enable the possibility to identify hidden regulatory cysteines that are not accurately detected using sequence based methodology.

Regulation of Tacaribe Mammarenavirus Translation: Positive 5' and Negative 3' Elements and Role of Key Cellular Factors.

Mammarenaviruses are enveloped viruses with a bisegmented negative-stranded RNA genome that encodes the nucleocapsid protein (NP), the envelope glycoprotein precursor (GPC), the RNA polymerase (L), and a RING matrix protein (Z). Viral proteins are synthesized from subgenomic mRNAs bearing a capped 5' untranslated region (UTR) and lacking 3' poly(A) tail. We analyzed the translation strategy of Tacaribe virus (TCRV), a prototype of the New World mammarenaviruses. A virus-like transcript that carries a reporter gene in place of the NP open reading frame and transcripts bearing modified 5' and/or 3' UTR were evaluated in a cell-based translation assay. We found that the presence of the cap structure at the 5' end dramatically increases translation efficiency and that the viral 5' UTR comprises stimulatory signals while the 3' UTR,specifically the presence of a terminal C+G-rich sequence and/or a stem-loop structure, down-modulates translation. Additionally, translation was profoundly reduced in eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4G-inactivated cells, whereas depletion of intracellular levels of eIF4E had less impact on virus-like mRNA translation than on a cell-like transcript. Translation efficiency was independent of NP expression or TCRV infection. Our results indicate that TCRV mRNAs are translated using a cap-dependent mechanism, whose efficiency relies on the interplay between stimulatory signals in the 5' UTR and a negative modulatory element in the 3' UTR. The low dependence on eIF4E suggests that viral mRNAs may engage yet-unknown noncanonical host factors for a cap-dependent initiation mechanism.IMPORTANCE Several members of the Arenaviridae family cause serious hemorrhagic fevers in humans. In the present report, we describe the mechanism by which Tacaribe virus, a prototypic nonpathogenic New World mammarenavirus, regulates viral mRNA translation. Our results highlight the impact of untranslated sequences and key host translation factors on this process. We propose a model that explains how viral mRNAs outcompete cellular mRNAs for the translation machinery. A better understanding of the mechanism of translation regulation of this virus can provide the bases for the rational design of new antiviral tools directed to pathogenic arenaviruses.

Hidden Structural Codes in Protein Intrinsic Disorder.

Intrinsic disorder is a major structural category in biology, accounting for more than 30% of coding regions across the domains of life, yet consists of conformational ensembles in equilibrium, a major challenge in protein chemistry. Anciently evolved papillomavirus genomes constitute an unparalleled case for sequence to structure-function correlation in cases in which there are no folded structures. E7, the major transforming oncoprotein of human papillomaviruses, is a paradigmatic example among the intrinsically disordered proteins. Analysis of a large number of sequences of the same viral protein allowed for the identification of a handful of residues with absolute conservation, scattered along the sequence of its N-terminal intrinsically disordered domain, which intriguingly are mostly leucine residues. Mutation of these led to a pronounced increase in both α-helix and ß-sheet structural content, reflected by drastic effects on equilibrium propensities and oligomerization kinetics, and uncovers the existence of local structural elements that oppose canonical folding. These folding relays suggest the existence of yet undefined hidden structural codes behind intrinsic disorder in this model protein. Thus, evolution pinpoints conformational hot spots that could have not been identified by direct experimental methods for analyzing or perturbing the equilibrium of an intrinsically disordered protein ensemble.

Conformational Heterogeneity Determined by Folding and Oligomer Assembly Routes of the Interferon Response Inhibitor NS1 Protein, Unique to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

The nonstructural NS1 protein is an essential virulence factor of the human respiratory syncytial virus, with a predominant role in the inhibition of the host antiviral innate immune response. This inhibition is mediated by multiple protein-protein interactions and involves the formation of large oligomeric complexes. There is neither a structure nor sequence or functional homologues of this protein, which points to a distinctive mechanism for blocking the interferon response among viruses. The NS1 native monomer follows a simple unfolding kinetics via a nativelike transition state ensemble, with a half-life of 45 min, in agreement with a highly stable core structure at equilibrium. Refolding is a complex process that involves several slowly interconverting species compatible with proline isomerization. However, an ultrafast folding event with a half-life of 0.2 ms is indicative of a highly folding compatible species within the unfolded state ensemble. On the other hand, the oligomeric assembly route from the native monomer, which does not involve unfolding, shows a monodisperse and irreversible end-point species triggered by a mild temperature change, with half-lives of 160 and 26 min at 37 and 47 °C, respectively, and at a low protein concentration (10 µM). A large secondary structure change into ß-sheet structure and the formation of a dimeric nucleus precede polymerization by the sequential addition of monomers at the surprisingly low rate of one monomer every 34 s. The polymerization phase is followed by the binding to thioflavin-T indicative of amyloid-like, albeit soluble, repetitive ß-sheet quaternary structure. The overall process is reversible only up until ~8 min, a time window in which most of the secondary structure change takes place. NS1's multiple binding activities must be accommodated in a few binding interfaces at most, something to be considered remarkable given its small size (15 kDa). Thus, conformational heterogeneity, and in particular oligomer formation, may provide a means of expand its binding repertoire. These equilibria will be determined by variables such as macromolecular crowding, protein-protein interactions, expression levels, turnover, or specific subcellular localization. The irreversible and quasi-spontaneous nature of the oligomer assembly, together with the fact that NS1 is the most abundant viral protein in infected cells, makes its accumulation highly conceivable under conditions compatible with the cellular milieu. The implications of NS1 oligomers in the viral life cycle and the inhibition of host innate immune response remain to be determined.

Cysteine-rich positions outside the structural zinc motif of human papillomavirus E7 provide conformational modulation and suggest functional redox roles.

The E7 protein from high-risk human papillomavirus is essential for cell transformation in cervical, oropharyngeal, and other HPV-related cancers, mainly through the inactivation of the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor. Its high cysteine content (~7%) and the observation that HPV-transformed cells are under oxidative stress prompted us to investigate the redox properties of the HPV16 E7 protein under biologically compatible oxidative conditions. The seven cysteines in HPV16 E7 remain reduced in conditions resembling the basal reduced state of a cell. However, under oxidative stress, a stable disulfide bridge forms between cysteines 59 and 68. Residue 59 has a protective effect on the other cysteines, and its mutation leads to an overall increase in the oxidation propensity of E7, including cysteine 24 central to the Rb binding motif. Gluthationylation of Cys 24 abolishes Rb binding, which is reversibly recovered upon reduction. Cysteines 59 and 68 are located 18.6 Å apart, and the formation of the disulfide bridge leads to a large structural rearrangement while retaining strong Zn association. These conformational and covalent changes are fully reversible upon restoration of the reductive environment. In addition, this is the first evidence of an interaction between the N-terminal intrinsically disordered and the C-terminal globular domains, known to be highly and separately conserved among human papillomaviruses. The significant conservation of such noncanonical cysteines in HPV E7 proteins leads us to propose a functional redox activity. Such an activity adds to the previously discovered chaperone activity of E7 and supports the picture of a moonlighting pathological role of this paradigmatic viral oncoprotein.

Folding of a cyclin box: linking multitarget binding to marginal stability, oligomerization, and aggregation of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor AB pocket domain.

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (Rb) controls the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of cells in most eukaryotes with a role in the fate of stem cells. Its inactivation by mutation or oncogenic viruses is required for cellular transformation and eventually carcinogenesis. The high conservation of the Rb cyclin fold prompted us to investigate the link between conformational stability and ligand binding properties of the RbAB pocket domain. RbAB unfolding presents a three-state transition involving cooperative secondary and tertiary structure changes and a partially folded intermediate that can oligomerize. The first transition corresponds to unfolding of the metastable B subdomain containing the binding site for the LXCXE motif present in cellular and viral targets, and the second transition corresponds to the stable A subdomain. The low thermodynamic stability of RbAB translates into a propensity to rapidly oligomerize and aggregate at 37 °C (T50 = 28 min) that is suppressed by human papillomavirus E7 and E2F peptide ligands, suggesting that Rb is likely stabilized in vivo through binding to target proteins. We propose that marginal stability and associated oligomerization may be conserved for function as a "hub" protein, allowing the formation of multiprotein complexes, which could constitute a robust mechanism to retain its cell cycle regulatory role throughout evolution. Decreased stability and oligomerization are shared with the p53 tumor suppressor, suggesting a link between folding and function in these two essential cell regulators that are inactivated in most cancers and operate within multitarget signaling pathways.

Minute time scale prolyl isomerization governs antibody recognition of an intrinsically disordered immunodominant epitope.

Conformational rearrangements in antibody·antigen recognition are essential events where kinetic discrimination of isomers expands the universe of combinations. We investigated the interaction mechanism of a monoclonal antibody, M1, raised against E7 from human papillomavirus, a prototypic viral oncoprotein and a model intrinsically disordered protein. The mapped 12-amino acid immunodominant epitope lies within a "hinge" region between the N-terminal intrinsically disordered and the C-terminal globular domains. Kinetic experiments show that despite being within an intrinsically disordered region, the hinge E7 epitope has at least two populations separated by a high energy barrier. Nuclear magnetic resonance traced the origin of this barrier to a very slow (t(1/2)∼4 min) trans-cis prolyl isomerization event involving changes in secondary structure. The less populated (10%) cis isomer is the binding-competent species, thus requiring the 90% of molecules in the trans configuration to isomerize before binding. The association rate for the cis isomer approaches 6 × 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), a ceiling for antigen-antibody interactions. Mutagenesis experiments showed that Pro-41 in E7Ep was required for both binding and isomerization. After a slow postbinding unimolecular rearrangement, a consolidated complex with K(D) = 1.2 × 10(-7) M is reached. Our results suggest that presentation of this viral epitope by the antigen-presenting cells would have to be "locked" in the cis conformation, in opposition to the most populated trans isomer, in order to select the specific antibody clone that goes through affinity and kinetic maturation.

Fine modulation of the respiratory syncytial virus M2-1 protein quaternary structure by reversible zinc removal from its Cys(3)-His(1) motif.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is a worldwide distributed pathogen that causes respiratory disease mostly in infants and the elderly. The M2-1 protein of hRSV functions as a transcription antiterminator and partakes in virus particle budding. It is present only in Pneumovirinae, namely, Pneumovirus (RSV) and Metapneumovirus, making it an interesting target for specific antivirals. hRSV M2-1 is a tight tetramer bearing a Cys3-His1 zinc-binding motif, present in Ebola VP30 protein and some eukaryotic proteins, whose integrity was shown to be essential for protein function but without a biochemical mechanistic basis. We showed that removal of the zinc atom causes dissociation to a monomeric apo-M2-1 species. Surprisingly, the secondary structure and stability of the apo-monomer is indistinguishable from that of the M2-1 tetramer. Dissociation reported by a highly sensitive tryptophan residue is much increased at pH 5.0 compared to pH 7.0, suggesting a histidine protonation cooperating in zinc removal. The monomeric apo form binds RNA at least as well as the tetramer, and this interaction is outcompeted by the phosphoprotein P, the RNA polymerase cofactor. The role of zinc goes beyond stabilization of local structure, finely tuning dissociation to a fully folded and binding competent monomer. Removal of zinc is equivalent to the disruption of the motif by mutation, only that the former is potentially reversible in the cellular context. Thus, this process could be triggered by a natural chelator such as glutathione or thioneins, where reversibility strongly suggests a modulatory role in the participation of M2-1 in the assembly of the polymerase complex or in virion budding.

Experimental snapshots of a protein-DNA binding landscape.

Protein recognition of DNA sites is a primary event for gene function. Its ultimate mechanistic understanding requires an integrated structural, dynamic, kinetic, and thermodynamic dissection that is currently limited considering the hundreds of structures of protein-DNA complexes available. We describe a protein-DNA-binding pathway in which an initial, diffuse, transition state ensemble with some nonnative contacts is followed by formation of extensive nonnative interactions that drive the system into a kinetic trap. Finally, nonnative contacts are slowly rearranged into native-like interactions with the DNA backbone. Dissimilar protein-DNA interfaces that populate along the DNA-binding route are explained by a temporary degeneracy of protein-DNA interactions, centered on "dual-role" residues. The nonnative species slow down the reaction allowing for extended functionality.

Assembly of the Tripartite and RNA Condensates of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Factory Proteins In Vitro: Role of the Transcription Antiterminator M2-1.

A wide variety of viruses replicate in liquid-like viral factories. Non-segmented negative stranded RNA viruses share a nucleoprotein (N) and a phosphoprotein (P) that together emerge as the main drivers of liquid-liquid phase separation. The respiratory syncytial virus includes the transcription antiterminator M2-1, which binds RNA and maximizes RNA transcriptase processivity. We recapitulate the assembly mechanism of condensates of the three proteins and the role played by RNA. M2-1 displays a strong propensity for condensation by itself and with RNA through the formation of electrostatically driven protein-RNA coacervates based on the amphiphilic behavior of M2-1 and finely tuned by stoichiometry. M2-1 incorporates into tripartite condensates with N and P, modulating their size through an interplay with P, where M2-1 is both client and modulator. RNA is incorporated into the tripartite condensates adopting a heterogeneous distribution, reminiscent of the M2-1-RNA IBAG granules within the viral factories. Ionic strength dependence indicates that M2-1 behaves differently in the protein phase as opposed to the protein-RNA phase, in line with the subcompartmentalization observed in viral factories. This work dissects the biochemical grounds for the formation and fate of the RSV condensates in vitro and provides clues to interrogate the mechanism under the highly complex infection context.

Nuclease Activity of the Junín Virus Nucleoprotein C-Terminal Domain.

The mammarenavirus Junín (JUNV) is the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever, a severe disease of public health concern. The most abundant viral protein is the nucleoprotein (NP), a multifunctional, two-domain protein with the primary role as structural component of the viral nucleocapsids, used as template for viral polymerase RNA synthesis activities. Here, we report that the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the attenuated Candid#1 strain of the JUNV NP can be purified as a stable soluble form with a secondary structure in line with known NP structures from other mammarenaviruses. We show that the JUNV NP CTD interacts with the viral matrix protein Z in vitro, and that the full-length NP and Z interact with each other in cellulo, suggesting that the NP CTD is responsible for this interaction. This domain comprises an arrangement of four acidic residues and a histidine residue conserved in the active site of exoribonucleases belonging to the DEDDh family. We show that the JUNV NP CTD displays metal-ion-dependent nuclease activity against DNA and single- and double-stranded RNA, and that this activity is impaired by the mutation of a catalytic residue within the DEDDh motif. These results further support this activity, not previously observed in the JUNV NP, which could impact the mechanism of the cellular immune response modulation of this important pathogen.

Biomolecular Condensation of the Human Papillomavirus E2 Master Regulator with p53: Implications in Viral Replication.

p53 exerts its tumour suppressor activity by modulating hundreds of genes and it can also repress viral replication. Such is the case of human papillomavirus (HPV) through targeting the E2 master regulator, but the biochemical mechanism is not known. We show that the C-terminal DNA binding domain of HPV16 E2 protein (E2C) triggers heterotypic condensation with p53 at a precise 2/1 E2C/p53 stoichiometry at the onset for demixing, yielding large regular spherical droplets that increase in size with E2C concentration. Interestingly, transfection experiments show that E2 co-localizes with p53 in the nucleus with a grainy pattern, and recruits p53 to chromatin-associated foci, a function independent of the DNA binding capacity of p53 as judged by a DNA binding impaired mutant. Depending on the length, DNA can either completely dissolve or reshape heterotypic droplets into irregular condensates containing p53, E2C, and DNA, and reminiscent of that observed linked to chromatin. We propose that p53 is a scaffold for condensation in line with its structural and functional features, in particular as a promiscuous hub that binds multiple cellular proteins. E2 appears as both client and modulator, likely based on its homodimeric DNA binding nature. Our results, in line with the known role of condensation in eukaryotic gene enhancement and silencing, point at biomolecular condensation of E2 with p53 as a means to modulate HPV gene function, strictly dependent on host cell replication and transcription machinery.

Molten Globule Driven and Self-downmodulated Phase Separation of a Viral Factory Scaffold.

Viral factories of liquid-like nature serve as sites for transcription and replication in most viruses. The respiratory syncytial virus factories include replication proteins, brought together by the phosphoprotein (P) RNA polymerase cofactor, present across non-segmented negative stranded RNA viruses. Homotypic liquid-liquid phase separation of RSV-P is governed by an α-helical molten globule domain, and strongly self-downmodulated by adjacent sequences. Condensation of P with the nucleoprotein N is stoichiometrically tuned, defining aggregate-droplet and droplet-dissolution boundaries. Time course analysis show small N-P nuclei gradually coalescing into large granules in transfected cells. This behavior is recapitulated in infection, with small puncta evolving to large viral factories, strongly suggesting that P-N nucleation-condensation sequentially drives viral factories. Thus, the tendency of P to undergo phase separation is moderate and latent in the full-length protein but unleashed in the presence of N or when neighboring disordered sequences are deleted. This, together with its capacity to rescue nucleoprotein-RNA aggregates suggests a role as a "solvent-protein".

Modular unfolding and dissociation of the human respiratory syncytial virus phosphoprotein p and its interaction with the m(2-1) antiterminator: a singular tetramer-tetramer interface arrangement.

Paramyxoviruses share the essential RNA polymerase complex components, namely, the polymerase (L), phosphoprotein (P), and nucleoprotein (N). Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) P is the smallest polypeptide among the family, sharing a coiled coil tetramerization domain, which disruption renders the virus inactive. We show that unfolding of P displays a first transition with low cooperativity but substantial loss of α-helix content and accessibility to hydrophobic sites, indicative of loose chain packing and fluctuating tertiary structure, typical of molten globules. The lack of unfolding baseline indicates a native state in conformational exchange and metastable at 20 °C. The second transition starts from a true intermediate state, with only the tetramerization domain remaining folded. The tetramerization domain undergoes a two-state dissociation/unfolding reaction (37.3 kcal mol(-1)). The M(2-1) transcription antiterminator, unique to RSV and Metapneumovirus, forms a nonglobular P:M(2-1) complex with a 1:1 stoichiometry and a K(D) of 8.1 nM determined by fluorescence anisotropy, far from the strikingly coincident dissociation range of P and M(2-1) tetramers (10(-28) M(3)). The M(2-1) binding region has been previously mapped to the N-terminal module of P, strongly suggesting the latter as the metastable molten globule domain. Folding, oligomerization, and assembly events between proteins and with RNA are coupled in the RNA polymerase complex. Quantitative assessment of the hierarchy of these interactions and their mechanisms contribute to the general understanding of RNA replication and transcription in Paramyxoviruses. In particular, the unique P-M(2-1) interface present in RSV provides a valuable antiviral target for this worldwide spread human pathogen.

Long-lasting immunoprotective and therapeutic effects of a hyperstable E7 oligomer based vaccine in a murine human papillomavirus tumor model.

Cervical cancer and many other anogenital and oropharyngeal carcinomas are strongly associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) persistent infections. HPV E7 oncoprotein is the major viral transforming factor, emerging as a natural candidate for immunotherapy, since it is constitutively expressed in HPV-induced cancer cells. We have previously shown that E7 can self-assemble into soluble and homogeneous spherical oligomers, named E7 soluble oligomers (E7SOs). These are highly resistant to thermal denaturation, providing an additional advantage given the demand for highly stable vaccine formulations. Here, we present a new chemically stabilized form of the E7SOs (E7SOx) and analyzed its effect in a murine HPV-tumor model. Vaccination of female mice with low doses of E7SOx combined with a CpG-rich oligonucleotide (ODN) as adjuvant elicits a strong long-lasting protection against E7-expressing tumor cells, preventing tumor outgrowth after rechallenge 90-days later. Therapeutic experiments showed that E7SOx/ODN vaccination significantly delays tumor growth and extends the time of survival of the treated mice in a dose-dependent manner. These proof-of-principle preclinical experiments denote the potential applicability of our E7SOx-based vaccine to the treatment of cervical cancer and other mucosal HPV-related neoplastic lesions. In addition to thermal, chemical and proteolysis stability, the combined recombinant and chemical modification nature of the E7SOx vaccine candidate, results in low-cost, of particular interest in developing countries, where most of the cervical cancer cases occur and the most affected population is at reproductive age.

Conformational buffering underlies functional selection in intrinsically disordered protein regions.

Many disordered proteins conserve essential functions in the face of extensive sequence variation, making it challenging to identify the mechanisms responsible for functional selection. Here we identify the molecular mechanism of functional selection for the disordered adenovirus early gene 1A (E1A) protein. E1A competes with host factors to bind the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein, subverting cell cycle regulation. We show that two binding motifs tethered by a hypervariable disordered linker drive picomolar affinity Rb binding and host factor displacement. Compensatory changes in amino acid sequence composition and sequence length lead to conservation of optimal tethering across a large family of E1A linkers. We refer to this compensatory mechanism as conformational buffering. We also detect coevolution of the motifs and linker, which can preserve or eliminate the tethering mechanism. Conformational buffering and motif-linker coevolution explain robust functional encoding within hypervariable disordered linkers and could underlie functional selection of many disordered protein regions.

E6*, the 50 amino acid product of the most abundant spliced transcript of the e6 oncoprotein in high-risk human papillomavirus, is a promiscuous folder and binder.

High-risk human papillomavirus E6 participates in tumorigenic progression, mainly by its ability to promote p53 degradation. HPV transcripts show a complex splicing pattern, where E6* is the most abundant transcript in high-risk HPV types, comprising the first 50 amino acids of E6. No structural or biochemical information of this polypeptide, which contains half of the first zinc binding motif of E6, is available, due to the difficulty to acquire a compact monomeric fold in such a small polypeptide. We show that HPV16-E6* can fold into either α-helix or ß-sheet large oligomers at pH 7.5 and 5.0, respectively, in the absence of zinc. The ß-sheet oligomers are highly stable and unaffected by the presence of zinc, while the α-helix oligomers tend to rapidly form aggregates, prevented by the presence of the metal. Two E6* molecules bind per atom of zinc, suggesting a tetrahedral, high-affinity arrangement (K(D) < 10(-12) M), which results in a zinc-mediated E6* dimer with significant secondary structure. Endogenous E6 oligomers were previously found in the cytosol of high-risk HPV transformed cell lines, and we propose that the oligomerization determinant resides within E6*. E6* effects were reported to counteract those of E6 in cells, and the ratio between these two species modulates p53 degradation and other apoptosis-dependent signaling cascades. A residue of an evolved splicing event related to regulation of oncogene expression in HPV or a splicing event resulting from the selection of a small deleterious viral polypeptide, the abundant existence of E6* with a "chameleon" nature correlates with target plasticity, and its fate is linked to a balance between protein levels, zinc availability, redox potential, and oligomerization. In addition, the results presented here have strong implications for zinc binding sites in nascent polypeptides. This evolved promiscuous folder speaks of effect rather than function of a viral product that, when highly increased, can directly or indirectly affect various cellular processes leading to cell deregulation and tumorigenesis.

The respiratory syncytial virus transcription antiterminator M(2-1) is a highly stable, zinc binding tetramer with strong pH-dependent dissociation and a monomeric unfolding intermediate.

The human respiratory syncytial virus M(2-1) transcription antiterminator is an essential elongation factor required by the RNA polymerase for effective transcription beyond the first two nonstructural genes. Its exclusive presence in pneumovirus among all paramyxovirus suggests a unique function within this small genus. With the aim of understanding its biochemical properties, we investigated this α-helical tetramer by making use of a biophysical approach. We found that the tetramer hydrodynamic radius is considerably extended at high ionic strengths and determined its zinc content to be one atom per monomer. Dissociation-unfolding experiments show a fully reversible and concentration-dependent cooperative transition, but secondary and tertiary structural changes are uncoupled at lower protein concentrations. We detect the presence of a monomeric intermediate, which can be classified as a "late molten globule" with substantial secondary and tertiary structure. Global fittings of experiments from three different probes at two M(2-1) concentrations provide a free energy of dissociation-unfolding of -36.8 ± 0.1 kcal mol(-1), corresponding to a tight dissociation constant of 10(-28) M(3) at pH 7.0. The tetramer affinity is strongly governed by pH, with a free energy change of 13 kcal mol(-1) when pH decreases from 7.0 to 5.0 (K(D) = 10(-18) M(3)). The drastic changes that take place within a pH range compatible with a cellular environment strongly suggest a regulatory effect of pH on M(2-1) structure and biochemical properties, likely affecting transcription and interaction with proteins and RNA.