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Contrasting Effects of Two Lipid Cofactors of Prion Replication on the Conformation of the Prion Protein. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130283. [PMID: 26090881 PMCID: PMC4474664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies introduced two experimental protocols for converting full-length recombinant prion protein (rPrP) purified from E.coli into the infectious prion state (PrPSc) with high infectivity titers. Both protocols employed protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) for generating PrPScde novo, but used two different lipids, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleolyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho(1’-rac-glycerol) (POPG) or phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), as conversion cofactors. The current study compares the effect of POPG and PE on the physical properties of native, α-helical full-length mouse rPrP under the solvent conditions used for converting rPrP into PrPSc. Surprisingly, the effects of POPG and PE on rPrP physical properties, including its conformation, thermodynamic stability, aggregation state and interaction with a lipid, were found to be remarkably different. PE was shown to have minimal, if any, effects on rPrP thermodynamic stability, cooperativity of unfolding, immediate solvent environment or aggregation state. In fact, little evidence indicates that PE interacts with rPrP directly. In contrast, POPG was found to bind to and induce dramatic changes in rPrP structure, including a loss of α-helical conformation and formation of large lipid-protein aggregates that were resistant to partially denaturing conditions. These results suggest that the mechanisms by which lipids assist conversion of rPrP into PrPSc might be fundamentally different for POPG and PE.
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Hosokawa-Muto J, Yamaguchi KI, Kamatari YO, Kuwata K. Synthesis of double-fluorescent labeled prion protein for FRET analysis. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2015; 79:1802-9. [PMID: 26035019 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2015.1050991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
An abnormal form of prion protein (PrP) is considered to be the pathogen in prion diseases. However, the structural details of this abnormal form are not known. To characterize the non-native structure of PrP, we synthesized position-specific double-fluorescent labeled PrP for a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiment. Using FRET, we observed a conformational change in the labeled PrP associated with amyloid fibril formation. The FRET analysis indicated that the distance between fluorescent labeled N- and C-terminal sites of PrP increased upon the formation of amyloid fibrils compared with that of the native state. This approach using FRET analysis is useful for elucidating the structure of abnormal PrP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kei-ichi Yamaguchi
- a Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases , Gifu University.,b United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences , Gifu University
| | - Yuji O Kamatari
- a Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases , Gifu University.,c Life Science Research Center , Gifu University
| | - Kazuo Kuwata
- a Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases , Gifu University.,b United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences , Gifu University.,d Department of Gene Development, Graduate School of Medicine , Gifu University , Gifu , Japan
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53
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Levine DJ, Stöhr J, Falese LE, Ollesch J, Wille H, Prusiner SB, Long JR. Mechanism of scrapie prion precipitation with phosphotungstate anions. ACS Chem Biol 2015; 10:1269-77. [PMID: 25695325 PMCID: PMC4437617 DOI: 10.1021/cb5006239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
![]()
The phosphotungstate anion (PTA)
is widely used to facilitate the
precipitation of disease-causing prion protein (PrPSc)
from infected tissue for applications in structural studies and diagnostic
approaches. However, the mechanism of this precipitation is not understood.
In order to elucidate the nature of the PTA interaction with PrPSc under physiological conditions, solutions of PTA were characterized
by NMR spectroscopy at varying pH. At neutral pH, the parent [PW12O40]3– ion decomposes to give
a lacunary [PW11O39]7– (PW11) complex and a single orthotungstate anion [WO4]2– (WO4). To measure the efficacy of
each component of PTA, increasing concentrations of PW11, WO4, and mixtures thereof were used to precipitate PrPSc from brain homogenates of scrapie prion-infected mice. The
amount of PrPSc isolated, quantified by ELISA and immunoblotting,
revealed that both PW11 and WO4 contribute to
PrPSc precipitation. Incubation with sarkosyl, PTA, or
individual components of PTA resulted in separation of higher-density
PrP aggregates from the neuronal lipid monosialotetrahexosylganglioside
(GM1), as observed by sucrose gradient centrifugation. These experiments
revealed that yield and purity of PrPSc were greater with
polyoxometalates (POMs), which substantially supported the separation
of lipids from PrPSc in the samples. Interaction of POMs
and sarkosyl with brain homogenates promoted the formation of fibrillar
PrPSc aggregates prior to centrifugation, likely through
the separation of lipids like GM1 from PrPSc. We propose
that this separation of lipids from PrP is a major factor governing
the facile precipitation of PrPSc by PTA from tissue and
might be optimized further for the detection of prions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana J. Levine
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, 211 Lewis Hall, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Jan Stöhr
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
- Department
of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson
Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Lillian E. Falese
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Julian Ollesch
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Holger Wille
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
- Department
of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson
Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Stanley B. Prusiner
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
- Department
of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson
Rising Lane, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Jeffrey R. Long
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, 211 Lewis Hall, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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54
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Yuan Z, Yang L, Chen B, Zhu T, Hassan MF, Yin X, Zhou X, Zhao D. Protein misfolding cyclic amplification induces the conversion of recombinant prion protein to PrP oligomers causing neuronal apoptosis. J Neurochem 2015; 133:722-9. [DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2014] [Revised: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yuan
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology; Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis; Ministry of Agriculture; National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory; College of Veterinary Medicine; China Agricultural University; Beijing China
| | - Lifeng Yang
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology; Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis; Ministry of Agriculture; National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory; College of Veterinary Medicine; China Agricultural University; Beijing China
| | - Baian Chen
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science; School of Basic Medical Science; Capital Medical University; Beijing China
| | - Ting Zhu
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology; Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis; Ministry of Agriculture; National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory; College of Veterinary Medicine; China Agricultural University; Beijing China
| | - Mohammad Farooque Hassan
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology; Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis; Ministry of Agriculture; National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory; College of Veterinary Medicine; China Agricultural University; Beijing China
| | - Xiaomin Yin
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology; Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis; Ministry of Agriculture; National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory; College of Veterinary Medicine; China Agricultural University; Beijing China
| | - Xiangmei Zhou
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology; Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis; Ministry of Agriculture; National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory; College of Veterinary Medicine; China Agricultural University; Beijing China
| | - Deming Zhao
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology; Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis; Ministry of Agriculture; National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory; College of Veterinary Medicine; China Agricultural University; Beijing China
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55
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Structural characterization of amyloid fibrils from the human parathyroid hormone. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2015; 1854:249-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2014.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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56
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Wang G, Wang M, Li C. The Unexposed Secrets of Prion Protein Oligomers. J Mol Neurosci 2015; 56:932-937. [PMID: 25823438 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-015-0546-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
According to the "protein-only" hypothesis, the misfolding and conversion of host-derived cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into pathogenically misfolded PrP are believed to be the key procedure in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. Intermediate, soluble oligomeric prion protein (PrP) aggregates were considered a critical process for prion diseases. Several independent studies on PrP oligomers gained insights into oligomers' formation, biophysical and biochemical characteristics, structure conversion, and neurotoxicity. PrP oligomers are rich in β-sheet structure and slightly resistant to proteinase K digestion. PrP oligomers exhibited more neurotoxicity and induced neuronal apoptosis in vivo and/or in vitro. In this review, we summarized recent studies regarding PrP oligomers and the relationship between misfolded PrP aggregates and neuronal death in the course of prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gailing Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Huanghuai University, 463000, Zhumadian, China.
| | - Mingcheng Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Huanghuai University, 463000, Zhumadian, China
| | - Chuanfeng Li
- Department of Bioengineering, Huanghuai University, 463000, Zhumadian, China
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57
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Yang C, Lo WL, Kuo YH, Sang JC, Lee CY, Chiang YW, Chen RPY. Revealing structural changes of prion protein during conversion from α-helical monomer to β-oligomers by means of ESR and nanochannel encapsulation. ACS Chem Biol 2015; 10:493-501. [PMID: 25375095 DOI: 10.1021/cb500765e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Under nondenaturing neutral pH conditions, full-length mouse recombinant prion protein lacking the only disulfide bridge can spontaneously convert from an α-helical-dominant conformer (α-state) to a β-sheet-rich conformer (β-state), which then associates into β-oligomers, and the kinetics of this spontaneous conversion depends on the properties of the buffer used. The molecular details of this structural conversion have not been reported due to the difficulty of exploring big protein aggregates. We introduced spin probes into different structural segments (three helices and the loop between strand 1 and helix 1), and employed a combined approach of ESR spectroscopy and protein encapsulation in nanochannels to reveal local structural changes during the α-to-β transition. Nanochannels provide an environment in which prion protein molecules are isolated from each other, but the α-to-β transition can still occur. By measuring dipolar interactions between spin probes during the transition, we showed that helix 1 and helix 3 retained their helicity, while helix 2 unfolded to form an extended structure. Moreover, our pulsed ESR results allowed clear discrimination between the intra- and intermolecular distances between spin labeled residues in helix 2 in the β-oligomers, making it possible to demonstrate that the unfolded helix 2 segment lies at the association interface of the β-oligomers to form cross-β structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che Yang
- Institute
of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Institute
of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Wei-Lin Lo
- Institute
of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Institute
of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Yun-Hsuan Kuo
- Department
of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Jason C. Sang
- Institute
of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Institute
of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Chung-Yu Lee
- Institute
of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Institute
of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Yun-Wei Chiang
- Department
of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Rita P.-Y. Chen
- Institute
of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Institute
of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, R.O.C
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58
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Ellett LJ, Coleman BM, Shambrook MC, Johanssen VA, Collins SJ, Masters CL, Hill AF, Lawson VA. Glycosaminoglycan sulfation determines the biochemical properties of prion protein aggregates. Glycobiology 2015; 25:745-55. [PMID: 25701659 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwv014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are transmissible neurodegenerative disorders associated with the conversion of the cellular prion protein, PrP(C), to a misfolded isoform called PrP(Sc). Although PrP(Sc) is a necessary component of the infectious prion, additional factors, or cofactors, have been shown to contribute to the efficient formation of transmissible PrP(Sc). Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are attractive cofactor candidates as they can be found associated with PrP(Sc) deposits, have been shown to enhance PrP misfolding in vitro, are found in the same cellular compartments as PrP(C) and have been shown to be disease modifying in vivo. Here we investigated the effects of the sulfated GAGs, heparin and heparan sulfate (HS), on disease associated misfolding of full-length recombinant PrP. More specifically, the degree of sulfation of these molecules was investigated for its role in modulating the disease-associated characteristics of PrP. Both heparin and HS induced a β-sheet conformation in recombinant PrP that was associated with the formation of aggregated species; however, the biochemical properties of the aggregates formed in the presence of heparin or HS varied in solubility and protease resistance. Furthermore, these properties could be modified by changes in GAG sulfation, indicating that subtle changes in the properties of prion disease cofactors could initiate disease associated misfolding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bradley M Coleman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute
| | - Mitch C Shambrook
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute
| | | | | | - Colin L Masters
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University Of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew F Hill
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute
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59
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Daskalov A, Habenstein B, Martinez D, Debets AJM, Sabaté R, Loquet A, Saupe SJ. Signal transduction by a fungal NOD-like receptor based on propagation of a prion amyloid fold. PLoS Biol 2015; 13:e1002059. [PMID: 25671553 PMCID: PMC4344463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In the fungus Podospora anserina, the [Het-s] prion induces programmed cell death by activating the HET-S pore-forming protein. The HET-s β-solenoid prion fold serves as a template for converting the HET-S prion-forming domain into the same fold. This conversion, in turn, activates the HET-S pore-forming domain. The gene immediately adjacent to het-S encodes NWD2, a Nod-like receptor (NLR) with an N-terminal motif similar to the elementary repeat unit of the β-solenoid fold. NLRs are immune receptors controlling cell death and host defense processes in animals, plants and fungi. We have proposed that, analogously to [Het-s], NWD2 can activate the HET-S pore-forming protein by converting its prion-forming region into the β-solenoid fold. Here, we analyze the ability of NWD2 to induce formation of the β-solenoid prion fold. We show that artificial NWD2 variants induce formation of the [Het-s] prion, specifically in presence of their cognate ligands. The N-terminal motif is responsible for this prion induction, and mutations predicted to affect the β-solenoid fold abolish templating activity. In vitro, the N-terminal motif assembles into infectious prion amyloids that display a structure resembling the β-solenoid fold. In vivo, the assembled form of the NWD2 N-terminal region activates the HET-S pore-forming protein. This study documenting the role of the β-solenoid fold in fungal NLR function further highlights the general importance of amyloid and prion-like signaling in immunity-related cell fate pathways. The fungus Podospora anserina uses a prion amyloid fold as a signal transduction device between a Nod-like receptor and a downstream cell death execution protein. Although amyloids are best known as protein aggregates that are responsible for fatal neurodegenerative diseases, amyloid structures can also fulfill functional roles in cells. In particular, the controlled formation of amyloid structures appears to be involved in different signaling processes in the context of programmed cell death and host defense. The [Het-s] prion of the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina is a model system in which the 3-D structure of the prion form has been solved. The [Het-s] prion works as an activation switch for a second protein termed HET-S. HET-S is a pore-forming protein that is activated when the [Het-s] prion causes its C-terminal domain to adopt an amyloid-like fold. The protein encoded by the gene adjacent to het-S is a Nod-like receptor (NLR) called NWD2. NLRs are immune receptors that control host defense and cell death processes in plants, animals, and fungi. We show that NWD2 can template the formation of the [Het-s] prion fold in a ligand-controlled manner. NWD2 has an N-terminal motif homologous to the HET-S/s prion-forming region; we find that this region is both necessary and sufficient for its prion-inducing activity, and our functional and structural approaches reveal that the N-terminal region of NWD2 adopts a fold closely related to that of the HET-S/s prion. This study illustrates how the controlled formation of a prion amyloid fold can be used in a signaling process whereby a Nod-like receptor protein activates a downstream cell death execution domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asen Daskalov
- Non-self recognition in Fungi, Institut de Biochimie et de Génétique Cellulaire, UMR 5095, CNRS—Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Birgit Habenstein
- Institute of Chemistry & Biology of Membranes & Nanoobjects, CNRS, CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, France
| | - Denis Martinez
- Institute of Chemistry & Biology of Membranes & Nanoobjects, CNRS, CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, France
| | - Alfons J. M. Debets
- Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Raimon Sabaté
- Institut de Nanociència i nanotecnologia, Departament Fisicoquímica, Universitat de Barcelona, Joan XXIII s/n, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoine Loquet
- Institute of Chemistry & Biology of Membranes & Nanoobjects, CNRS, CBMN, UMR 5248, Pessac, France
| | - Sven J. Saupe
- Non-self recognition in Fungi, Institut de Biochimie et de Génétique Cellulaire, UMR 5095, CNRS—Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- * E-mail:
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60
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Groveman BR, Kraus A, Raymond LD, Dolan MA, Anson KJ, Dorward DW, Caughey B. Charge neutralization of the central lysine cluster in prion protein (PrP) promotes PrP(Sc)-like folding of recombinant PrP amyloids. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:1119-28. [PMID: 25416779 PMCID: PMC4294479 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.619627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Revised: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The structure of the infectious form of prion protein, PrP(Sc), remains unclear. Most pure recombinant prion protein (PrP) amyloids generated in vitro are not infectious and lack the extent of the protease-resistant core and solvent exclusion of infectious PrP(Sc), especially within residues ∼90-160. Polyanionic cofactors can enhance infectivity and PrP(Sc)-like characteristics of such fibrils, but the mechanism of this enhancement is unknown. In considering structural models of PrP(Sc) multimers, we identified an obstacle to tight packing that might be overcome with polyanionic cofactors, namely, electrostatic repulsion between four closely spaced cationic lysines within a central lysine cluster of residues 101-110. For example, in our parallel in-register intermolecular β-sheet model of PrP(Sc), not only would these lysines be clustered within the 101-110 region of the primary sequence, but they would have intermolecular spacings of only ∼4.8 Å between stacked β-strands. We have now performed molecular dynamics simulations predicting that neutralization of the charges on these lysine residues would allow more stable parallel in-register packing in this region. We also show empirically that substitution of these clustered lysine residues with alanines or asparagines results in recombinant PrP amyloid fibrils with extended proteinase-K resistant β-sheet cores and infrared spectra that are more reminiscent of bona fide PrP(Sc). These findings indicate that charge neutralization at the central lysine cluster is critical for the folding and tight packing of N-proximal residues within PrP amyloid fibrils. This charge neutralization may be a key aspect of the mechanism by which anionic cofactors promote PrP(Sc) formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison Kraus
- From the Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases and
| | | | - Michael A Dolan
- the Computational Biology Section, Bioinformatics and Computational Biosciences Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | | | - David W Dorward
- the Research Technologies Branch, Microscopy Unit, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840 and
| | - Byron Caughey
- From the Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases and
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61
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Hadži S, Ondračka A, Jerala R, Hafner‐Bratkovič I. Pathological mutations H187R and E196K facilitate subdomain separation and prion protein conversion by destabilization of the native structure. FASEB J 2014; 29:882-93. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-255646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- San Hadži
- Department of BiotechnologyNational Institute of ChemistryLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Andrej Ondračka
- Department of BiotechnologyNational Institute of ChemistryLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Roman Jerala
- Department of BiotechnologyNational Institute of ChemistryLjubljanaSlovenia
- EN‐FIST Centre of ExcellenceLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Iva Hafner‐Bratkovič
- Department of BiotechnologyNational Institute of ChemistryLjubljanaSlovenia
- EN‐FIST Centre of ExcellenceLjubljanaSlovenia
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62
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How does domain replacement affect fibril formation of the rabbit/human prion proteins. PLoS One 2014; 9:e113238. [PMID: 25401497 PMCID: PMC4234653 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2014] [Accepted: 10/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It is known that in vivo human prion protein (PrP) have the tendency to form fibril deposits and are associated with infectious fatal prion diseases, while the rabbit PrP does not readily form fibrils and is unlikely to cause prion diseases. Although we have previously demonstrated that amyloid fibrils formed by the rabbit PrP and the human PrP have different secondary structures and macromolecular crowding has different effects on fibril formation of the rabbit/human PrPs, we do not know which domains of PrPs cause such differences. In this study, we have constructed two PrP chimeras, rabbit chimera and human chimera, and investigated how domain replacement affects fibril formation of the rabbit/human PrPs. Methodology/Principal Findings As revealed by thioflavin T binding assays and Sarkosyl-soluble SDS-PAGE, the presence of a strong crowding agent dramatically promotes fibril formation of both chimeras. As evidenced by circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and proteinase K digestion assays, amyloid fibrils formed by human chimera have secondary structures and proteinase K-resistant features similar to those formed by the human PrP. However, amyloid fibrils formed by rabbit chimera have proteinase K-resistant features and secondary structures in crowded physiological environments different from those formed by the rabbit PrP, and secondary structures in dilute solutions similar to the rabbit PrP. The results from transmission electron microscopy show that macromolecular crowding caused human chimera but not rabbit chimera to form short fibrils and non-fibrillar particles. Conclusions/Significance We demonstrate for the first time that the domains beyond PrP-H2H3 (β-strand 1, α-helix 1, and β-strand 2) have a remarkable effect on fibrillization of the rabbit PrP but almost no effect on the human PrP. Our findings can help to explain why amyloid fibrils formed by the rabbit PrP and the human PrP have different secondary structures and why macromolecular crowding has different effects on fibrillization of PrPs from different species.
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63
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Klimova N, Makarava N, Baskakov IV. The diversity and relationship of prion protein self-replicating states. Virus Res 2014; 207:113-9. [PMID: 25312451 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2014.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Revised: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
It has become evident that the prion protein (PrP) can form a diverse range of self-replicating structures in addition to bona fide PrP(Sc) or strain-specific PrP(Sc) variants. Some self-replicating states can be only produced in vitro, whereas others can be formed in vivo and in vitro. While transmissible, not all states that replicate in vivo are truly pathogenic. Some of them can replicate silently without causing symptoms or clinical diseases. In the current article we discuss the data on PK-digestion patterns of different self-replicating PrP states in connection with other structural data available to date and assess possible relationships between different self-replicating states. Even though different self-replicating PrP states appear to have significantly different global folding patterns, it seems that the C-terminal region exhibits a cross-β-sheet structure in all self-replicating states, as this region acquires the proteolytically most stable conformation. We also discuss the possibility of the transformation of self-replicating states and triggering of PrP(Sc) formation within the frame of the deformed templating model. The spread of silent self-replicating states is of a particular concern because they can lead to transmissible prion disease. Moreover, examples on how different replication requirements favor different states are discussed. This knowledge can help in designing conditions for selective amplification of a particular PrP state in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Klimova
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Natallia Makarava
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Ilia V Baskakov
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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64
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Trevitt CR, Hosszu LLP, Batchelor M, Panico S, Terry C, Nicoll AJ, Risse E, Taylor WA, Sandberg MK, Al-Doujaily H, Linehan JM, Saibil HR, Scott DJ, Collinge J, Waltho JP, Clarke AR. N-terminal domain of prion protein directs its oligomeric association. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:25497-508. [PMID: 25074940 PMCID: PMC4162156 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.566588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The self-association of prion protein (PrP) is a critical step in the pathology of prion diseases. It is increasingly recognized that small non-fibrillar β-sheet-rich oligomers of PrP may be of crucial importance in the prion disease process. Here, we characterize the structure of a well defined β-sheet-rich oligomer, containing ∼12 PrP molecules, and often enclosing a central cavity, formed using full-length recombinant PrP. The N-terminal region of prion protein (residues 23-90) is required for the formation of this distinct oligomer; a truncated form comprising residues 91-231 forms a broad distribution of aggregated species. No infectivity or toxicity was found using cell and animal model systems. This study demonstrates that examination of the full repertoire of conformers and assembly states that can be accessed by PrP under specific experimental conditions should ideally be done using the full-length protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare R Trevitt
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Laszlo L P Hosszu
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Mark Batchelor
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Silvia Panico
- the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX
| | - Cassandra Terry
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Andrew J Nicoll
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Emmanuel Risse
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - William A Taylor
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Malin K Sandberg
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Huda Al-Doujaily
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Jacqueline M Linehan
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Helen R Saibil
- the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX
| | - David J Scott
- the National Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, the ISIS Spallation Neutron and Muon Source and Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0FA, and
| | - John Collinge
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG
| | - Jonathan P Waltho
- the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Krebs Institute for Biomolecular Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony R Clarke
- From the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG,
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65
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Ladner-Keay CL, Griffith BJ, Wishart DS. Shaking alone induces de novo conversion of recombinant prion proteins to β-sheet rich oligomers and fibrils. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98753. [PMID: 24892647 PMCID: PMC4043794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of β-sheet rich prion oligomers and fibrils from native prion protein (PrP) is thought to be a key step in the development of prion diseases. Many methods are available to convert recombinant prion protein into β-sheet rich fibrils using various chemical denaturants (urea, SDS, GdnHCl), high temperature, phospholipids, or mildly acidic conditions (pH 4). Many of these methods also require shaking or another form of agitation to complete the conversion process. We have identified that shaking alone causes the conversion of recombinant PrP to β-sheet rich oligomers and fibrils at near physiological pH (pH 5.5 to pH 6.2) and temperature. This conversion does not require any denaturant, detergent, or any other chemical cofactor. Interestingly, this conversion does not occur when the water-air interface is eliminated in the shaken sample. We have analyzed shaking-induced conversion using circular dichroism, resolution enhanced native acidic gel electrophoresis (RENAGE), electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thioflavin T fluorescence and proteinase K resistance. Our results show that shaking causes the formation of β-sheet rich oligomers with a population distribution ranging from octamers to dodecamers and that further shaking causes a transition to β-sheet fibrils. In addition, we show that shaking-induced conversion occurs for a wide range of full-length and truncated constructs of mouse, hamster and cervid prion proteins. We propose that this method of conversion provides a robust, reproducible and easily accessible model for scrapie-like amyloid formation, allowing the generation of milligram quantities of physiologically stable β-sheet rich oligomers and fibrils. These results may also have interesting implications regarding our understanding of prion conversion and propagation both within the brain and via techniques such as protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) and quaking induced conversion (QuIC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol L. Ladner-Keay
- Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bethany J. Griffith
- Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - David S. Wishart
- Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
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66
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Wang X, Cui M, Zhao C, He L, Zhu D, Wang B, Du W. Regulation of aggregation behavior and neurotoxicity of prion neuropeptides by platinum complexes. Inorg Chem 2014; 53:5044-54. [PMID: 24787240 DOI: 10.1021/ic500092t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases belong to a group of infectious, fatal neurodegenerative disorders. The conformational conversion of a cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into an abnormal misfolded isoform (PrP(Sc)) is the key event in prion disease pathology. PrP106-126 resembles PrP(Sc) in some physicochemical and biological characteristics, such as apoptosis induction in neurons, fibrillar formation, and mediation of the conversion of native cellular PrP(C) to PrP(Sc). Numerous studies have been conducted to explore the inhibiting methods on the aggregation and neurotoxicity of prion neuropeptide PrP106-126. We showed that PrP106-126 aggregation, as assessed by fluorescence assay and atomic force microscopy, is inhibited by platinum complexes cisplatin, carboplatin, and Pt(bpy)Cl2. ESI-MS and NMR assessments of PrP106-126 and its mutant peptides demonstrate that platinum complexes bind to the peptides in coordination and nonbonded interactions, which rely on the ligand properties and the peptide sequence. In peptides, methionine residue is preferred as a potent binding site over histidine residue for the studied platinum complexes, implying a typical thiophile characteristic of platinum. The neurotoxicity induced by PrP106-126 is better inhibited by Pt(bpy)Cl2 and cisplatin. Furthermore, the ligand configuration contributes to both the binding affinity and the inhibition of peptide aggregation. The pursuit of novel platinum candidates that selectively target prion neuropeptide is noteworthy for medicinal inorganic chemistry and chemical biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesong Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China , Beijing 100872, People's Republic of China
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67
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Cobb NJ, Apostol MI, Chen S, Smirnovas V, Surewicz WK. Conformational stability of mammalian prion protein amyloid fibrils is dictated by a packing polymorphism within the core region. J Biol Chem 2013; 289:2643-50. [PMID: 24338015 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.520718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian prion strains are believed to arise from the propagation of distinct conformations of the misfolded prion protein PrP(Sc). One key operational parameter used to define differences between strains has been conformational stability of PrP(Sc) as defined by resistance to thermal and/or chemical denaturation. However, the structural basis of these stability differences is unknown. To bridge this gap, we have generated two strains of recombinant human prion protein amyloid fibrils that show dramatic differences in conformational stability and have characterized them by a number of biophysical methods. Backbone amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange experiments revealed that, in sharp contrast to previously studied strains of infectious amyloid formed from the yeast prion protein Sup35, differences in β-sheet core size do not underlie differences in conformational stability between strains of mammalian prion protein amyloid. Instead, these stability differences appear to be dictated by distinct packing arrangements (i.e. steric zipper interfaces) within the amyloid core, as indicated by distinct x-ray fiber diffraction patterns and large strain-dependent differences in hydrogen/deuterium exchange kinetics for histidine side chains within the core region. Although this study was limited to synthetic prion protein amyloid fibrils, a similar structural basis for strain-dependent conformational stability may apply to brain-derived PrP(Sc), especially because large strain-specific differences in PrP(Sc) stability are often observed despite a similar size of the PrP(Sc) core region.
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68
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Baillod P, Garrec J, Tavernelli I, Rothlisberger U. Prion versus Doppel Protein Misfolding: New Insights from Replica-Exchange Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Biochemistry 2013; 52:8518-26. [DOI: 10.1021/bi400884e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Baillod
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julian Garrec
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- CNRS,
UMR 7565 Structure et Réactivité des Systèmes
Moléculaires Complexes, Nancy Université, Nancy, France
| | - Ivano Tavernelli
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Rothlisberger
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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69
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Ma Q, Hu JY, Chen J, Liang Y. The role of crowded physiological environments in prion and prion-like protein aggregation. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:21339-52. [PMID: 24284393 PMCID: PMC3856008 DOI: 10.3390/ijms141121339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2013] [Revised: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases and prion- like protein misfolding diseases are related to the accumulation of abnormal aggregates of the normal host proteins including prion proteins and Tau protein. These proteins possess self-templating and transmissible characteristics. The crowded physiological environments where the aggregation of these amyloidogenic proteins takes place can be imitated in vitro by the addition of macromolecular crowding agents such as inert polysaccharides. In this review, we summarize the aggregation of prion proteins in crowded physiological environments and discuss the role of macromolecular crowding in prion protein aggregation. We also summarize the aggregation of prion- like proteins including human Tau protein, human α-synuclein, and human copper, zinc superoxide dismutase under macromolecular crowding environments and discuss the role of macromolecular crowding in prion- like protein aggregation. The excluded-volume effects caused by macromolecular crowding could accelerate the aggregation of neurodegenerative disease-associated proteins while inhibiting the aggregation of the proteins that are not neurodegenerative disease-associated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
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70
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Lin SJ, Yu KH, Wu JR, Lee CF, Jheng CP, Chen HR, Lee CI. Liberation of GPI-anchored prion from phospholipids accelerates amyloidogenic conversion. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:17943-57. [PMID: 24005859 PMCID: PMC3794761 DOI: 10.3390/ijms140917943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Revised: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 08/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are a rare group of fatal neurodegenerative illnesses in humans and animals caused by misfolding of prion protein (PrP). Prion protein is a cell-surface glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored glycoprotein expressed mostly in the central and peripheral nervous system, and this membrane-bound protein can be cleaved from the cell membranes by phosphoinositide phospholipase C. Numerous studies have investigated GPI-free recombinant PrP, but the role of GPI on misfolding of PrP is not well known. In this study, we synthesized a GPI analog that was covalently linking to a PrP S230C mutant, resulting in S230C-GPI. The structural changes in S230C-GPI upon binding to lipid vesicles composed of mixtures of the zwitterionic lipid (POPC) and the anionic lipid (POPG) were analyzed by circular dichroism spectroscopy, and the amyloid aggregation of S230C-GPI in the liberation from phospholipid vesicles was monitored by proteinase K-digestion assay. Our results indicate that S230C-GPI in the liberation of lipid vesicles has high tendency to misfold into amyloid fibrils, while the membrane-bound S230C-GPI proteins are highly stable and rarely convert into amyloid forms. In addition, the role of cholesterol in S230C-GPI was studied. The effect of GPI, cholesterol and phospholipid vesicles on misfolding of PrP is further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen-Jie Lin
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan; E-Mails: (S.-J.L.); (K.-H.Y.); (C.-P.J.); (H.-R.C.)
| | - Kun-Hua Yu
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan; E-Mails: (S.-J.L.); (K.-H.Y.); (C.-P.J.); (H.-R.C.)
| | - Jhih-Ru Wu
- Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan; E-Mails: (J.-R.W.); (C.-F.L.)
| | - Chin-Fa Lee
- Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan; E-Mails: (J.-R.W.); (C.-F.L.)
| | - Cheng-Ping Jheng
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan; E-Mails: (S.-J.L.); (K.-H.Y.); (C.-P.J.); (H.-R.C.)
| | - Hau-Ren Chen
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan; E-Mails: (S.-J.L.); (K.-H.Y.); (C.-P.J.); (H.-R.C.)
| | - Cheng-I Lee
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan; E-Mails: (S.-J.L.); (K.-H.Y.); (C.-P.J.); (H.-R.C.)
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +886-5-272-0411 (ext. 66511); Fax: +886-5-272-2871
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71
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Lin CF, Yu KH, Jheng CP, Chung R, Lee CI. Curcumin reduces amyloid fibrillation of prion protein and decreases reactive oxidative stress. Pathogens 2013; 2:506-19. [PMID: 25437204 PMCID: PMC4235698 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens2030506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2013] [Revised: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation into amyloids of the prion protein (PrP) is responsible for the development of fatal transmissible neurodegenerative diseases. Various studies on curcumin demonstrate promise for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and inhibition of PrPres accumulation. To evaluate the effect of curcumin on amyloid fibrillation of prion protein, we first investigated the effect of curcumin on mouse prion protein (mPrP) in a cell-free system. Curcumin reduced the prion fibril formation significantly. Furthermore, we monitored the change in apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level upon curcumin treatment in mouse neuroblastoma cells (N2a). Curcumin effectively rescues the cells from apoptosis and decreases the ROS level caused by subsequent co-incubation with prion amyloid fibrils. The assays in cell-free mPrP and in N2a cells of this work verified the promising effect of curcumin on the prevention of transmissible neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Fen Lin
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi, Taiwan 621, China.
| | - Kun-Hua Yu
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi, Taiwan 621, China.
| | - Cheng-Ping Jheng
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi, Taiwan 621, China.
| | - Raymond Chung
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY 10471, USA.
| | - Cheng-I Lee
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Science, National Chung Cheng University, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi, Taiwan 621, China.
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72
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Dutta A, Chen S, Surewicz WK. The effect of β2-α2 loop mutation on amyloidogenic properties of the prion protein. FEBS Lett 2013; 587:2918-23. [PMID: 23892077 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Revised: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies revealed that elk-like S170N/N174T mutation in mouse prion protein (moPrP), which results in an increased rigidity of β2-α2 loop, leads to a prion disease in transgenic mice. Here we characterized the effect of this mutation on biophysical properties of moPrP. Despite similar thermodynamic stabilities of wild type and mutant proteins, the latter was found to have markedly higher propensity to form amyloid fibrils. Importantly, this effect was observed even under fully denaturing conditions, indicating that the increased conversion propensity of the mutant protein is not due to loop rigidity but rather results from greater amyloidogenic potential of the amino acid sequence within the loop region of S170N/N174T moPrP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpana Dutta
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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73
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Larda ST, Simonetti K, Al-Abdul-Wahid MS, Sharpe S, Prosser RS. Dynamic Equilibria between Monomeric and Oligomeric Misfolded States of the Mammalian Prion Protein Measured by 19F NMR. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135:10533-41. [DOI: 10.1021/ja404584s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sacha Thierry Larda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5S 3H6
| | - Karen Simonetti
- Molecular
Structure and Function
Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
| | | | - Simon Sharpe
- Molecular
Structure and Function
Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5S 1A8
| | - R. Scott Prosser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5S 3H6
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5S 1A8
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74
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Chatterjee B, Lee CY, Lin C, Chen EHL, Huang CL, Yang CC, Chen RPY. Amyloid core formed of full-length recombinant mouse prion protein involves sequence 127-143 but not sequence 107-126. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67967. [PMID: 23844138 PMCID: PMC3700907 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The principal event underlying the development of prion disease is the conversion of soluble cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into its disease-causing isoform, PrP(Sc). This conversion is associated with a marked change in secondary structure from predominantly α-helical to a high β-sheet content, ultimately leading to the formation of aggregates consisting of ordered fibrillar assemblies referred to as amyloid. In vitro, recombinant prion proteins and short prion peptides from various species have been shown to form amyloid under various conditions and it has been proposed that, theoretically, any protein and peptide could form amyloid under appropriate conditions. To identify the peptide segment involved in the amyloid core formed from recombinant full-length mouse prion protein mPrP(23-230), we carried out seed-induced amyloid formation from recombinant prion protein in the presence of seeds generated from the short prion peptides mPrP(107-143), mPrP(107-126), and mPrP(127-143). Our results showed that the amyloid fibrils formed from mPrP(107-143) and mPrP(127-143), but not those formed from mPrP(107-126), were able to seed the amyloidogenesis of mPrP(23-230), showing that the segment residing in sequence 127-143 was used to form the amyloid core in the fibrillization of mPrP(23-230).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chung-Yu Lee
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen Lin
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Eric H.-L. Chen
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Li Huang
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chih Yang
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Rita P.-Y. Chen
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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75
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Huang P, Lian F, Wen Y, Guo C, Lin D. Prion protein oligomer and its neurotoxicity. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2013; 45:442-51. [PMID: 23557632 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmt037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, are fatal neurodegenerative disorders. According to the 'protein only' hypothesis, the key molecular event in the pathogenesis of prion disease is the conformational conversion of the host-derived cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into a misfolded form (scrapie PrP, PrP(Sc)). Increasing evidence has shown that the most infectious factor is the smaller subfibrillar oligomers formed by prion proteins. Both the prion oligomer and PrP(Sc) are rich in β-sheet structure and resistant to the proteolysis of proteinase K. The prion oligomer is soluble in physiologic environments whereas PrP(Sc) is insoluble. Various prion oligomers are formed in different conditions. Prion oligomers exhibited more neurotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo than the fibrillar forms of PrP(Sc), implying that prion oligomers could be potential drug targets for attacking prion diseases. In this article, we describe recent experimental evidence regarding prion oligomers, with a special focus on prion oligomer formation and its neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Huang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 21009, China
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76
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Campbell L, Gill AC, McGovern G, Jalland CMO, Hopkins J, Tranulis MA, Hunter N, Goldmann W. The PrP(C) C1 fragment derived from the ovine A136R154R171PRNP allele is highly abundant in sheep brain and inhibits fibrillisation of full-length PrP(C) protein in vitro. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2013; 1832:826-36. [PMID: 23474307 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2013.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2012] [Revised: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 02/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Expression of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) is crucial for the development of prion diseases. Resistance to prion diseases can result from reduced availability of the prion protein or from amino acid changes in the prion protein sequence. We propose here that increased production of a natural PrP α-cleavage fragment, C1, is also associated with resistance to disease. We show, in brain tissue, that ARR homozygous sheep, associated with resistance to disease, produced PrP(C) comprised of 25% more C1 fragment than PrP(C) from the disease-susceptible ARQ homozygous and highly susceptible VRQ homozygous animals. Only the C1 fragment derived from the ARR allele inhibits in-vitro fibrillisation of other allelic PrP(C) variants. We propose that the increased α-cleavage of ovine ARR PrP(C) contributes to a dominant negative effect of this polymorphism on disease susceptibility. Furthermore, the significant reduction in PrP(C) β-cleavage product C2 in sheep of the ARR/ARR genotype compared to ARQ/ARQ and VRQ/VRQ genotypes, may add to the complexity of genetic determinants of prion disease susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Campbell
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, Scotland, UK.
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77
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Abstract
The infectious agent of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases, has been the center of intense debate for decades. Years of studies have provided overwhelming evidence to support the prion hypothesis that posits a protein conformal infectious agent is responsible for the transmissibility of the disease. The recent studies that generate prion infectivity with purified bacterially expressed recombinant prion protein not only provides convincing evidence supporting the core of the prion hypothesis, that a pathogenic conformer of host prion protein is able to seed the conversion of its normal counterpart to the likeness of itself resulting in the replication of the pathogenic conformer and occurrence of disease, they also indicate the importance of cofactors, particularly lipid or lipid-like molecules, in forming the protein conformation-based infectious agent. This article reviews the literature regarding the chemical nature of the infectious agent and the potential contribution from lipid molecules to prion infectivity, and discusses the important remaining questions in this research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Ohio State University, 1645 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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78
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Yuan F, Yang L, Zhang Z, Wu W, Zhou X, Yin X, Zhao D. Cellular prion protein (PrPC) of the neuron cell transformed to a PK-resistant protein under oxidative stress, comprising main mitochondrial damage in prion diseases. J Mol Neurosci 2013; 51:219-24. [PMID: 23715697 PMCID: PMC3739867 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-013-0008-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases characterize a category of fatal neurodegenerative diseases. Although reports have increasingly shown that oxidative stress plays an important role in the progression of prion diseases, little is known about whether oxidative stress is a cause or a consequence of a prion disease. The mechanism of prion disease development also remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate three things: the possible mechanisms of neuron cell damage, the conformation of anti-protease K (PK) PrPSc, and the role of oxidative stress in the progression of prion diseases. The study results demonstrated that normal PrPC transformed into a PK-resistant protein under oxidative stress in the presence of PrP106–126. Further, the protein misfolding cyclic amplification procedure may have accelerated this process. Mitochondrial damage and dysfunction in prion disease progression were also observed in this study. Our results suggested that neuron cell damage, and particularly mitochondrial damage, was induced by oxidative stress. This damage may be the initial cause of a given prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangzhong Yuan
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Lifeng Yang
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Zhuming Zhang
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Wenyu Wu
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xiangmei Zhou
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xiaomin Yin
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Deming Zhao
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
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79
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Fabian H, Gast K, Laue M, Jetzschmann KJ, Naumann D, Ziegler A, Uchanska-Ziegler B. IR spectroscopic analyses of amyloid fibril formation of β2-microglobulin using a simplified procedure for its in vitro generation at neutral pH. Biophys Chem 2013; 179:35-46. [PMID: 23727989 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2013.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Revised: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
β2-microglobulin (β2m) is known to be the major component of fibrillar deposits in the joints of patients suffering from dialysis-related amyloidosis. We have developed a simplified procedure to convert monomeric recombinant β2m into amyloid fibrils at physiological pH by a combination of stirring and heating, enabling us to follow conformational changes associated with the assembly by infrared spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Our studies reveal that fibrillogenesis begins with the formation of relatively large aggregates, with secondary structure not significantly altered by the stirring-induced association. In contrast, the conversion of the amorphous aggregates into amyloid fibrils is associated with a profound re-organization at the level of the secondary and tertiary structures, leading to non-native like parallel arrangements of the β-strands in the fully formed amyloid structure of β2m. This study highlights the power of an approach to investigate the formation of β2m fibrils by a combination of biophysical techniques including IR spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinz Fabian
- Robert Koch-Institut, ZBS 6, Nordufer 20, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
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80
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Chu NK, Becker CFW. Recombinant expression of soluble murine prion protein for C-terminal modification. FEBS Lett 2013; 587:430-5. [PMID: 23337878 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2012] [Revised: 11/30/2012] [Accepted: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Membrane attachment of prion protein (PrP) via its glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor plays a key role during conversion of cellular PrP(C) into its pathogenic isoform PrP(Sc). Strategies to access homogenous lipidated PrP via expressed protein ligation (EPL) are required to fully decipher the effect of membrane attachment. Such strategies suffer from insoluble expression of PrP-intein fusion constructs and low folding efficiencies that severely limit the available amount of homogeneous lipidated PrP. Here, we describe an alternative method for expression of soluble PrP-intein fusion proteins in Escherichia coli that provides access to natively folded PrP ready to use in EPL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam Ky Chu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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81
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Xiao SJ, Hu PP, Chen LQ, Zhen SJ, Peng L, Li YF, Huang CZ. A visual dual-aptamer logic gate for sensitive discrimination of prion diseases-associated isoform with reusable magnetic microparticles and fluorescence quantum dots. PLoS One 2013; 8:e53935. [PMID: 23393552 PMCID: PMC3564804 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Accepted: 12/07/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular logic gates, which have attracted increasing research interest and are crucial for the development of molecular-scale computers, simplify the results of measurements and detections, leaving the diagnosis of disease either "yes" or "no". Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders that happen in human and animals. The main problem with a diagnosis of prion diseases is how to sensitively and selectively discriminate and detection of the minute amount of PrP(Res) in biological samples. Our previous work had demonstrated that dual-aptamer strategy could achieve highly sensitive and selective discrimination and detection of prion protein (cellular prion protein, PrP(C), and the diseases associated isoform, PrP(Res)) in serum and brain. Inspired by the advantages of molecular logic gate, we further conceived a new concept for dual-aptamer logic gate that responds to two chemical input signals (PrP(C) or PrP(Res) and Gdn-HCl) and generates a change in fluorescence intensity as the output signal. It was found that PrP(Res) performs the "OR" logic operation while PrP(C) performs "XOR" logic operation when they get through the gate consisted of aptamer modified reusable magnetic microparticles (MMPs-Apt1) and quantum dots (QDs-Apt2). The dual-aptamer logic gate simplifies the discrimination results of PrP(Res), leaving the detection of PrP(Res) either "yes" or "no". The development of OR logic gate based on dual-aptamer strategy and two chemical input signals (PrP(Res) and Gdn-HCl) is an important step toward the design of prion diseases diagnosis and therapy systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Jin Xiao
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory on Luminescence and Real-Time Analysis, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Instrumentation, Department of Applied Chemistry, East China Institute of Technology, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Ping Ping Hu
- College of Life Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Qiang Chen
- College of Life Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shu Jun Zhen
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory on Luminescence and Real-Time Analysis, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Peng
- College of Life Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Fang Li
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory on Luminescence and Real-Time Analysis, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cheng Zhi Huang
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory on Luminescence and Real-Time Analysis, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- * E-mail:
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82
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Baillod P, Garrec J, Colombo MC, Tavernelli I, Rothlisberger U. Enhanced Sampling Molecular Dynamics Identifies PrPSc Structures Harboring a C-Terminal β-Core. Biochemistry 2012; 51:9891-9. [DOI: 10.1021/bi301091x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Baillod
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julian Garrec
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria-Carola Colombo
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ivano Tavernelli
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Rothlisberger
- Laboratory
of Computational Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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83
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Sang JC, Lee CY, Luh FY, Huang YW, Chiang YW, Chen RPY. Slow spontaneous α-to-β structural conversion in a non-denaturing neutral condition reveals the intrinsically disordered property of the disulfide-reduced recombinant mouse prion protein. Prion 2012; 6:489-97. [PMID: 22987112 PMCID: PMC3510854 DOI: 10.4161/pri.22217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In prion diseases, the normal prion protein is transformed by an unknown mechanism from a mainly α-helical structure to a β-sheet-rich, disease-related isomer. In this study, we surprisingly found that a slow, spontaneous α-to-coil-to-β transition could be monitored by circular dichroism spectroscopy in one full-length mouse recombinant prion mutant protein, denoted S132C/N181C, in which the endogenous cysteines C179 and C214 were replaced by Ala and S132 and N181 were replaced by Cys, during incubation in a non-denaturing neutral buffer. No denaturant was required to destabilize the native state for the conversion. The product after this structural conversion is toxic β-oligomers with high fluorescence intensity when binding with thioflavin T. Site-directed spin-labeling ESR data suggested that the structural conversion involves the unfolding of helix 2. After examining more protein mutants, it was found that the spontaneous structural conversion is due to the disulfide-deletion (C to A mutations). The recombinant wild-type mouse prion protein could also be transformed into β-oligomers and amyloid fibrils simply by dissolving and incubating the protein in 0.5 mM NaOAc (pH 7) and 1 mM DTT at 25°C with no need of adding any denaturant to destabilize the prion protein. Our findings indicate the important role of disulfide bond reduction on the structural conversion of the recombinant prion protein, and highlight the special “intrinsically disordered” conformational character of the recombinant prion protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason C Sang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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84
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Hafner-Bratkovič I, Benčina M, Fitzgerald KA, Golenbock D, Jerala R. NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophage cell lines by prion protein fibrils as the source of IL-1β and neuronal toxicity. Cell Mol Life Sci 2012; 69:4215-28. [PMID: 22926439 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-012-1140-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2012] [Revised: 08/01/2012] [Accepted: 08/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal transmissible neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by aggregation of the pathological form of prion protein, spongiform degeneration, and neuronal loss, and activation of astrocytes and microglia. Microglia can clear prion plaques, but on the other hand cause neuronal death via release of neurotoxic species. Elevated expression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β has been observed in brains affected by several prion diseases, and IL-1R-deficiency significantly prolonged the onset of the neurodegeneration in mice. We show that microglial cells stimulated by prion protein (PrP) fibrils induced neuronal toxicity. Microglia and macrophages release IL-1β upon stimulation by PrP fibrils, which depends on the NLRP3 inflammasome. Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by PrP fibrils requires depletion of intracellular K(+), and requires phagocytosis of PrP fibrils and consecutive lysosome destabilization. Among the well-defined molecular forms of PrP, the strongest NLRP3 activation was observed by fibrils, followed by aggregates, while neither native monomeric nor oligomeric PrP were able to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. Our results together with previous studies on IL-1R-deficient mice suggest the IL-1 signaling pathway as the perspective target for the therapy of prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Hafner-Bratkovič
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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85
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Isolation of novel synthetic prion strains by amplification in transgenic mice coexpressing wild-type and anchorless prion proteins. J Virol 2012; 86:11763-78. [PMID: 22915801 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01353-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian prions are thought to consist of misfolded aggregates (protease-resistant isoform of the prion protein [PrP(res)]) of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)). Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) can be induced in animals inoculated with recombinant PrP (rPrP) amyloid fibrils lacking mammalian posttranslational modifications, but this induction is inefficient in hamsters or transgenic mice overexpressing glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored PrP(C). Here we show that TSE can be initiated by inoculation of misfolded rPrP into mice that express wild-type (wt) levels of PrP(C) and that synthetic prion strain propagation and selection can be affected by GPI anchoring of the host's PrP(C). To create prions de novo, we fibrillized mouse rPrP in the absence of molecular cofactors, generating fibrils with a PrP(res)-like protease-resistant banding profile. These fibrils induced the formation of PrP(res) deposits in transgenic mice coexpressing wt and GPI-anchorless PrP(C) (wt/GPI(-)) at a combined level comparable to that of PrP(C) expression in wt mice. Secondary passage into mice expressing wt, GPI(-), or wt plus GPI(-) PrP(C) induced TSE disease with novel clinical, histopathological, and biochemical phenotypes. Contrary to laboratory-adapted mouse scrapie strains, the synthetic prion agents exhibited a preference for conversion of GPI(-) PrP(C) and, in one case, caused disease only in GPI(-) mice. Our data show that novel TSE agents can be generated de novo solely from purified mouse rPrP after amplification in mice coexpressing normal levels of wt and anchorless PrP(C). These observations provide insight into the minimal elements required to create prions in vitro and suggest that the PrP(C) GPI anchor can modulate the propagation of synthetic TSE strains.
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86
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Xiao SJ, Hu PP, Xiao GF, Wang Y, Liu Y, Huang CZ. Label-free detection of prion protein with its DNA aptamer through the formation of T-Hg2+-T configuration. J Phys Chem B 2012; 116:9565-9. [PMID: 22823483 DOI: 10.1021/jp302522b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Though rapid tests were developed for mass screening of prion diseases in the last century, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was still epidemic in some European countries. The main reason is that the sensitivity of such tests is insufficient for detecting animals that are incubating with prion diseases at the presymptomatic stage. Driven by this, in this contribution, we developed a novel sensitive label-free method taking advantage of DNA aptamer for prion proteins (PrP) detection through the formation of T-Hg(2+)-T configuration. In the presence of Hg(2+) ions, double-strand structures formed due to the strong binding affinity of Hg(2+) ions to the T bases of DNA aptamer, which dramatically enhanced the fluorescence of Syber Green I, a double-strand indicator. With the addition of prion protein, however, the specific interaction between prion protein and its aptamer forced the destruction of the double-strand structures, and thus the fluorescence of Syber Green I decreased. It was found that there is a linear relationship between the decreased fluorescence intensities and prion protein concentration ranging from 13.0 to 156.0 nmol/L. Compared with other methods, the method presented here holds the advantages of being label-free, rapid, highly sensitive, and selective, which shows great promise for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Jin Xiao
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory on Luminescence and Real-Time Analysis, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China
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87
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Abstract
The transmissible agent of prion disease consists of prion protein (PrP) in β-sheet-rich state (PrP(Sc)) that can replicate its conformation according to a template-assisted mechanism. This mechanism postulates that the folding pattern of a newly recruited polypeptide accurately reproduces that of the PrP(Sc) template. Here, three conformationally distinct amyloid states were prepared in vitro using Syrian hamster recombinant PrP (rPrP) in the absence of cellular cofactors. Surprisingly, no signs of prion infection were found in Syrian hamsters inoculated with rPrP fibrils that resembled PrP(Sc), whereas an alternative amyloid state, with a folding pattern different from that of PrP(Sc), induced a pathogenic process that led to transmissible prion disease. An atypical proteinase K-resistant, transmissible PrP form that resembled the structure of the amyloid seeds was observed during a clinically silent stage before authentic PrP(Sc) emerged. The dynamics between the two forms suggest that atypical proteinase K-resistant PrP (PrPres) gave rise to PrP(Sc). While no PrP(Sc) was found in preparations of fibrils using protein misfolding cyclic amplification with beads (PMCAb), rPrP fibrils gave rise to atypical PrPres in modified PMCAb, suggesting that atypical PrPres was the first product of PrP(C) misfolding triggered by fibrils. The current work demonstrates that a new mechanism responsible for prion diseases different from the PrP(Sc)-templated or spontaneous conversion of PrP(C) into PrP(Sc) exists. This study provides compelling evidence that noninfectious amyloids with a structure different from that of PrP(Sc) could lead to transmissible prion disease. This work has numerous implications for understanding the etiology of prion and other neurodegenerative diseases.
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88
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Shashilov V, Xu M, Makarava N, Savtchenko R, Baskakov IV, Lednev IK. Dissecting structure of prion amyloid fibrils by hydrogen-deuterium exchange ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 2012; 116:7926-30. [PMID: 22681559 PMCID: PMC3490051 DOI: 10.1021/jp2122455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms underlying structural diversity of amyloid fibrils or prion strains formed within the same primary structure is considered to be one of the most enigmatic questions in prion biology. We report here on the direct characterization of amyloid structures using a novel spectroscopic technique, hydrogen-deuterium exchange ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy. This method enables us to assess the structural differences within highly ordered cross-β-cores of two amyloid states produced within the same amino acid sequence of full-length mammalian prion protein. We found that while both amyloid states consisted of β-structures, their cross-β-cores exhibited hydrogen bonding of different strengths. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy revealed that both amyloid states displayed equally narrow crystalline-like bands, suggesting uniform structures of cross-β-cores within each state. Taken together, these data suggest that highly polymorphous fibrils can display highly uniform structures of their cross-β-core and belong to the same prion strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Shashilov
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY, USA 12222
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY, USA 12222
| | - Natallia Makarava
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology and Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21201
| | - Regina Savtchenko
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology and Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21201
| | - Ilia V. Baskakov
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology and Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21201
| | - Igor K. Lednev
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY, USA 12222
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89
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Role of prion protein aggregation in neurotoxicity. Int J Mol Sci 2012; 13:8648-8669. [PMID: 22942726 PMCID: PMC3430257 DOI: 10.3390/ijms13078648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Revised: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson, Alzheimer’s, Huntington, and prion diseases, the deposition of aggregated misfolded proteins is believed to be responsible for the neurotoxicity that characterizes these diseases. Prion protein (PrP), the protein responsible of prion diseases, has been deeply studied for the peculiar feature of its misfolded oligomers that are able to propagate within affected brains, inducing the conversion of the natively folded PrP into the pathological conformation. In this review, we summarize the available experimental evidence concerning the relationship between aggregation status of misfolded PrP and neuronal death in the course of prion diseases. In particular, we describe the main findings resulting from the use of different synthetic (mainly PrP106-126) and recombinant PrP-derived peptides, as far as mechanisms of aggregation and amyloid formation, and how these different spatial conformations can affect neuronal death. In particular, most data support the involvement of non-fibrillar oligomers rather than actual amyloid fibers as the determinant of neuronal death.
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90
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Walsh DJ, Noble GP, Piro JR, Supattapone S. Non-reducing alkaline solubilization and rapid on-column refolding of recombinant prion protein. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2012; 42:77-86. [PMID: 22239709 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2011.564256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Mature prion protein (PrP) is a 208-residue polypeptide that contains a single disulfide bond. We report an alternative method to purify recombinant mouse PrP produced in Escherichia coli. Bacterial inclusion bodies were solubilized in a buffer containing 2 M urea at pH 12.5. The solubilized protein was rapidly purified on a nickel affinity column without a chaotrope gradient, followed by ion-exchange chromatography. The yield and purity of PrP produced by this alternative approach was similar to that obtained using a conventional solubilization and on-column refolding protocol. Recombinant PrP produced using the non-reducing purification protocol is properly folded, as determined by circular dichroism, and a competent substrate for amyloid fibril formation, as determined by Thoflavin-T dye binding assays. In summary, this report describes a rapid method for producing properly folded recombinant PrP without reducing agents or a chaotrope gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Walsh
- Departments of Biochemistry, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA
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91
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Qi X, Moore RA, McGuirl MA. Dissociation of recombinant prion protein fibrils into short protofilaments: implications for the endocytic pathway and involvement of the N-terminal domain. Biochemistry 2012; 51:4600-8. [PMID: 22591453 DOI: 10.1021/bi300201e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Fibril dissociation is necessary for efficient conversion of normal prion protein to its misfolded state and continued propagation into amyloid. Recent studies have revealed that conversion occurs along the endocytic pathway. To improve our understanding of the dissociation process, we have investigated the effect of low pH on the stability of recombinant prion fibrils. We show that under conditions that mimic the endocytic environment, amyloid fibrils made from full-length prion protein dissociate both laterally and axially to form protofilaments. Approximately 5% of the protofilaments are short enough to be considered soluble and contain ~100-300 monomers per structure; these also retain the biophysical characteristics of the filaments. We propose that protonation of His residues and charge repulsion in the N-terminal domain trigger fibril dissociation. Our data suggest that lysosomes and late endosomes are competent milieus for propagating the misfolded state not only by destabilizing the normal prion protein but also by accelerating the dissociation of fibrils into smaller structures that may act as seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Qi
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics and Division of Biological Sciences, 204 CHCB, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
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92
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Winter R, Kühn U, Hause G, Schwarz E. Polyalanine-independent conformational conversion of nuclear poly(A)-binding protein 1 (PABPN1). J Biol Chem 2012; 287:22662-71. [PMID: 22570486 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.362327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy is a late-onset disease caused by an elongation of a natural 10-alanine segment within the N-terminal domain of the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein 1 (PABPN1) to maximally 17 alanines. The disease is characterized by intranuclear deposits consisting primarily of PABPN1. In previous studies, we could show that the N-terminal domain of PABPN1 forms amyloid-like fibrils. Here, we analyze fibril formation of full-length PABPN1. Unexpectedly, fibril formation was independent of the presence of the alanine segment. With regard to fibril formation kinetics and resistance against denaturants, fibrils formed by full-length PABPN1 had completely different properties from those formed by the N-terminal domain. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and limited proteolysis showed that fibrillar PABPN1 has a structure that differs from native PABPN1. Circumstantial evidence is presented that the C-terminal domain is involved in fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reno Winter
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Technical Biochemistry, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
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93
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Common benzothiazole and benzoxazole fluorescent DNA intercalators for studying Alzheimer Aβ1-42 and prion amyloid peptides. Biotechniques 2012; 52:000113873. [DOI: 10.2144/000113873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Accepted: 05/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloids are fibrillar protein aggregates associated with a number of neurodegenerative pathologies including Alzheimer and Creutzfeldt—Jakob disease. The study of amyloids is usually based on fluorescence with the dye thioflavin-T. Although a number of amyloid binding compounds have been synthesized, many are nonfluorescent or not readily available for research use. Here we report on a class of commercial benzothiazole/benzoxazole containing fluorescent DNA intercalators from Invitrogen that possess the ability to bind amyloid Aβ1-42 peptide and hamster prion. These dyes fluoresce from 500–750 nm and are available as dimers or monomers. We demonstrate that these dyes can be used as acceptors for thioflavin-T fluorescence resonance energy transfer as well as reporter groups for binding studies with Congo red and chrysamine G. As more potential therapeutic compounds for these diseases are generated, there is a need for simple and inexpensive methods to monitor their interactions with amyloids. The fluorescent dyes reported here are readily available and can be used as tools for biochemical studies of amyloid structures and in vitro screening of potential therapeutics.
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94
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Ma Q, Fan JB, Zhou Z, Zhou BR, Meng SR, Hu JY, Chen J, Liang Y. The contrasting effect of macromolecular crowding on amyloid fibril formation. PLoS One 2012; 7:e36288. [PMID: 22558423 PMCID: PMC3340346 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2012] [Accepted: 03/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amyloid fibrils associated with neurodegenerative diseases can be considered biologically relevant failures of cellular quality control mechanisms. It is known that in vivo human Tau protein, human prion protein, and human copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) have the tendency to form fibril deposits in a variety of tissues and they are associated with different neurodegenerative diseases, while rabbit prion protein and hen egg white lysozyme do not readily form fibrils and are unlikely to cause neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we have investigated the contrasting effect of macromolecular crowding on fibril formation of different proteins. Methodology/Principal Findings As revealed by assays based on thioflavin T binding and turbidity, human Tau fragments, when phosphorylated by glycogen synthase kinase-3β, do not form filaments in the absence of a crowding agent but do form fibrils in the presence of a crowding agent, and the presence of a strong crowding agent dramatically promotes amyloid fibril formation of human prion protein and its two pathogenic mutants E196K and D178N. Such an enhancing effect of macromolecular crowding on fibril formation is also observed for a pathological human SOD1 mutant A4V. On the other hand, rabbit prion protein and hen lysozyme do not form amyloid fibrils when a crowding agent at 300 g/l is used but do form fibrils in the absence of a crowding agent. Furthermore, aggregation of these two proteins is remarkably inhibited by Ficoll 70 and dextran 70 at 200 g/l. Conclusions/Significance We suggest that proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases are more likely to form amyloid fibrils under crowded conditions than in dilute solutions. By contrast, some of the proteins that are not neurodegenerative disease-associated are unlikely to misfold in crowded physiological environments. A possible explanation for the contrasting effect of macromolecular crowding on these two sets of proteins (amyloidogenic proteins and non-amyloidogenic proteins) has been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun-Bao Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bing-Rui Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sheng-Rong Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ji-Ying Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- * E-mail:
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95
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Diaz-Espinoza R, Soto C. High-resolution structure of infectious prion protein: the final frontier. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2012; 19:370-7. [PMID: 22472622 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.2266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Prions are the proteinaceous infectious agents responsible for the transmission of prion diseases. The main or sole component of prions is the misfolded prion protein (PrP(Sc)), which is able to template the conversion of the host's natively folded form of the protein (PrP(C)). The detailed mechanism of prion replication and the high-resolution structure of PrP(Sc) are unknown. The currently available information on PrP(Sc) structure comes mostly from low-resolution biophysical techniques, which have resulted in quite divergent models. Recent advances in the production of infectious prions, using very pure recombinant protein, offer new hope for PrP(Sc) structural studies. This review highlights the importance of, challenges for and recent progress toward elucidating the elusive structure of PrP(Sc), arguably the major pending milestone to reach in understanding prions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Diaz-Espinoza
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA
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96
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Sanghera N, Correia BEFS, Correia JRS, Ludwig C, Agarwal S, Nakamura HK, Kuwata K, Samain E, Gill AC, Bonev BB, Pinheiro TJT. Deciphering the molecular details for the binding of the prion protein to main ganglioside GM1 of neuronal membranes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 18:1422-31. [PMID: 22118676 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2011.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2011] [Revised: 08/15/2011] [Accepted: 08/16/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
The prion protein (PrP) resides in lipid rafts in vivo, and lipids modulate misfolding of the protein to infectious isoforms. Here we demonstrate that binding of recombinant PrP to model raft membranes requires the presence of ganglioside GM1. A combination of liquid- and solid-state NMR revealed the binding sites of PrP to the saccharide head group of GM1. The binding epitope for GM1 was mapped to the folded C-terminal domain of PrP, and docking simulations identified key residues in the C-terminal region of helix C and the loop between strand S2 and helix B. Crucially, this region of PrP is linked to prion resistance in vivo, and structural changes caused by lipid binding in this region may explain the requirement for lipids in the generation of infectious prions in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narinder Sanghera
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
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97
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Makarava N, Savtchenko R, Alexeeva I, Rohwer RG, Baskakov IV. Fast and ultrasensitive method for quantitating prion infectivity titre. Nat Commun 2012; 3:741. [PMID: 22415832 PMCID: PMC3518416 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2011] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioassay by end-point dilution has been used for decades for routine determination of prion infectivity titre. Here we show that the new protein misfolding cyclic amplification with beads (PMCAb) technique can be used to estimate titres of the infection-specific forms of the prion protein with a higher level of precision and in 3-6 days as opposed to 2 years, when compared with the bioassay. For two hamster strains, 263 K and SSLOW, the median reactive doses determined by PCMAb (PMCAb(50)) were found to be 10(12.8) and 10(12.2) per gram of brain tissue, which are 160- and 4,000-fold higher than the corresponding median infectious dose (ID(50)) values measured by bioassay. The 10(2)- to 10(3)-fold differences between ID(50) and PMCAb(50) values could be due to a large excess of PMCAb-reactive prion protein seeds with little or no infectivity. Alternatively, the differences between ID(50) and PMCAb(50) could be due to higher rate of clearance of infection-specific prion protein seeds in animals versus PMCAb reactions. A well-calibrated PMCAb reaction can be an efficient and cost-effective method for the estimation of infection-specific prion protein titre.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natallia Makarava
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland, 725 W. Lombard Street, Baltimore 21201, USA
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98
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Kubota T, Hamazoe Y, Hashiguchi S, Ishibashi D, Akasaka K, Nishida N, Katamine S, Sakaguchi S, Kuroki R, Nakashima T, Sugimura K. Direct evidence of generation and accumulation of β-sheet-rich prion protein in scrapie-infected neuroblastoma cells with human IgG1 antibody specific for β-form prion protein. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:14023-39. [PMID: 22356913 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.318352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
We prepared β-sheet-rich recombinant full-length prion protein (β-form PrP) (Jackson, G. S., Hosszu, L. L., Power, A., Hill, A. F., Kenney, J., Saibil, H., Craven, C. J., Waltho, J. P., Clarke, A. R., and Collinge, J. (1999) Science 283, 1935-1937). Using this β-form PrP and a human single chain Fv-displaying phage library, we have established a human IgG1 antibody specific to β-form but not α-form PrP, PRB7 IgG. When prion-infected ScN2a cells were cultured with PRB7 IgG, they generated and accumulated PRB7-binding granules in the cytoplasm with time, consequently becoming apoptotic cells bearing very large PRB7-bound aggregates. The SAF32 antibody recognizing the N-terminal octarepeat region of full-length PrP stained distinct granules in these cells as determined by confocal laser microscopy observation. When the accumulation of proteinase K-resistant PrP was examined in prion-infected ScN2a cells cultured in the presence of PRB7 IgG or SAF32, it was strongly inhibited by SAF32 but not at all by PRB7 IgG. Thus, we demonstrated direct evidence of the generation and accumulation of β-sheet-rich PrP in ScN2a cells de novo. These results suggest first that PRB7-bound PrP is not responsible for the accumulation of β-form PrP aggregates, which are rather an end product resulting in the triggering of apoptotic cell death, and second that SAF32-bound PrP lacking the PRB7-recognizing β-form may represent so-called PrP(Sc) with prion propagation activity. PRB7 is the first human antibody specific to β-form PrP and has become a powerful tool for the characterization of the biochemical nature of prion and its pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Kubota
- Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
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Saiki M, Hidaka Y, Nara M, Morii H. Stem-forming regions that are essential for the amyloidogenesis of prion proteins. Biochemistry 2012; 51:1566-76. [PMID: 22324778 DOI: 10.1021/bi201688r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases represent fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by the aggregation of prion proteins. With regard to the formation of the amyloidogenic cross-β-structure, the initial mechanism in the conversion to a β-structure is critically important. To explore the core regions forming a stem of the amyloid, we designed and prepared a series of peptides comprised of two native sequences linked by a turn-inducing dipeptide moiety and examined their ability to produce amyloids. A sequence alignment of the peptides bearing the ability to form amyloid structures revealed that paired strands consisting of VNITI (residues 180-184) and VTTTT (residues 189-193) are the core regions responsible for initiating the formation of cross-β-structures and for further ordered aggregation. In addition, most of the causative mutations responsible for inherited prion diseases were found to be located in these stem-forming regions on helix H2 and their counterpart on helix H3. Moreover, the volume effect of the nonstem domain, which contains ~200 residues, was deduced to be a determinant of the nature of the association such as oligomerization, because the stem-forming domain is only a small part of a prion protein. Taken together, we conclude that the mechanism underlying the initial stage of amyloidogenesis is the exposure of a newly formed intramolecular β-sheet to a solvent through the partial transition of a native structure from an α-helix to a β-structure. Our results also demonstrate that prion diseases caused by major prion proteins except the prions of some fungi such as yeast are inherent only in mammals, as evidenced by a comparison of the corresponding sequences to the stem-forming regions among different animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Saiki
- School of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan
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100
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Formation of amyloid fibrils from β-amylase. FEBS Lett 2012; 586:680-5. [PMID: 22449963 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.01.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2011] [Revised: 01/24/2012] [Accepted: 01/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Fibril formation has been considered a significant feature of amyloid proteins. However, it has been proposed that fibril formation is a common property of many proteins under appropriate conditions. We studied the fibril formation of β-amylase, a non-amyloid protein rich in α-helical structure, because the secondary structure of β-amylase is similar to that of prions. With the conditions for the fibril formation of prions, β-amylase proteins were converted into amyloid fibrils. The features of β-amylase proteins and fibrils are compared to prion proteins and fibrils. Furthermore, the cause of neurotoxicity in amyloid diseases is discussed.
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