51
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Data-driven challenges and opportunities in crystallography. Emerg Top Life Sci 2019; 3:423-432. [PMID: 33523208 PMCID: PMC7289006 DOI: 10.1042/etls20180177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Structural biology is in the midst of a revolution fueled by faster and more powerful instruments capable of delivering orders of magnitude more data than their predecessors. This increased pace in data gathering introduces new experimental and computational challenges, frustrating real-time processing and interpretation of data and requiring long-term solutions for data archival and retrieval. This combination of challenges and opportunities is driving the exploration of new areas of structural biology, including studies of macromolecular dynamics and the investigation of molecular ensembles in search of a better understanding of conformational landscapes. The next generation of instruments promises to yield even greater data rates, requiring a concerted effort by institutions, centers and individuals to extract meaning from every bit and make data accessible to the community at large, facilitating data mining efforts by individuals or groups as analysis tools improve.
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52
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Kim D, Echelmeier A, Cruz Villarreal J, Gandhi S, Quintana S, Egatz-Gomez A, Ros A. Electric Triggering for Enhanced Control of Droplet Generation. Anal Chem 2019; 91:9792-9799. [PMID: 31260621 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b01449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) is a powerful technique that uses X-ray free-electron lasers (XFEL) to determine structures of biomolecular complexes. Specifically, it benefits the study of atomic resolution structures of large membrane protein complexes and time-resolved reactions with crystallography. One major drawback of SFX studies with XFELs is the consumption of large amounts of a protein crystal sample to collect a complete X-ray diffraction data set for high-resolution crystal structures. This increases the time and resources required for sample preparation and experimentation. The intrinsic pulsed nature of all current X-ray sources is a major reason why such large amounts of sample are required. Any crystal sample that is delivered in the path of the X-ray beam during its "off-time" is wasted. To address this large sample consumption issue, we developed a 3D printed microfluidic system with integrated metal electrodes for water-in-oil droplet generation to dynamically create and manipulate aqueous droplets. We demonstrate on-demand droplet generation using DC potentials and the ability to tune the frequency of droplet generation through the application of AC potentials. More importantly, to assist with the synchronization of droplets and XFEL pulses, we show that the device can induce a phase shift in the base droplet generation frequency. This novel approach to droplet generation has the potential to reduce sample waste by more than 95% for SFX experiments with XFELs performed with liquid jets and can operate under low- and high-pressure liquid injection systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daihyun Kim
- School of Molecular Sciences , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85287 , United States.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85281 , United States
| | - Austin Echelmeier
- School of Molecular Sciences , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85287 , United States.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85281 , United States
| | - Jorvani Cruz Villarreal
- School of Molecular Sciences , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85287 , United States.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85281 , United States
| | - Sahir Gandhi
- School of Molecular Sciences , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85287 , United States.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85281 , United States
| | - Sebastian Quintana
- School of Molecular Sciences , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85287 , United States.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85281 , United States
| | - Ana Egatz-Gomez
- School of Molecular Sciences , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85287 , United States.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85281 , United States
| | - Alexandra Ros
- School of Molecular Sciences , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85287 , United States.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute , Arizona State University , Tempe , Arizona 85281 , United States
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53
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Echelmeier A, Sonker M, Ros A. Microfluidic sample delivery for serial crystallography using XFELs. Anal Bioanal Chem 2019; 411:6535-6547. [PMID: 31250066 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-019-01977-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) with X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) is an emerging field for structural biology. One of its major impacts lies in the ability to reveal the structure of complex proteins previously inaccessible with synchrotron-based crystallography techniques and allowing time-resolved studies from femtoseconds to seconds. The nature of this serial technique requires new approaches for crystallization, data analysis, and sample delivery. With continued advancements in microfabrication techniques, various developments have been reported in the past decade for innovative and efficient microfluidic sample delivery for crystallography experiments using XFELs. This article summarizes the recent developments in microfluidic sample delivery with liquid injection and fixed-target approaches, which allow exciting new research with XFELs. Graphical abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Echelmeier
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Box 871604, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Box 875001, Tempe, AZ, 85287-7401, USA
| | - Mukul Sonker
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Box 871604, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA.,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Box 875001, Tempe, AZ, 85287-7401, USA
| | - Alexandra Ros
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Box 871604, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA. .,Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Box 875001, Tempe, AZ, 85287-7401, USA.
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54
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Mishin A, Gusach A, Luginina A, Marin E, Borshchevskiy V, Cherezov V. An outlook on using serial femtosecond crystallography in drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 14:933-945. [PMID: 31184514 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2019.1626822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: X-ray crystallography has made important contributions to modern drug development but its application to many important drug targets has been extremely challenging. The recent emergence of X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) and advancements in serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) have offered new opportunities to overcome limitations of traditional crystallography to accelerate the structure-based drug discovery (SBDD) process. Areas covered: In this review, the authors describe the general principles of X-ray generation and the main properties of XFEL beams, outline details of SFX data collection and processing, and summarize the progress in the development of associated instrumentation for sample delivery and X-ray detection. An overview of the SFX applications to various important drug targets such as membrane proteins is also provided. Expert opinion: While SFX has already made clear advancements toward the understanding of the structure and dynamics of several major drug targets, its robust application in SBDD still needs further developments of new high-throughput techniques for sample production, automation of crystal delivery and data collection, as well as for processing and storage of large amounts of data. The expansion of the available XFEL beamtime is a key to the success of SFX in SBDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Mishin
- a Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology , Dolgoprudny , Russia
| | - Anastasiia Gusach
- a Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology , Dolgoprudny , Russia
| | - Aleksandra Luginina
- a Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology , Dolgoprudny , Russia
| | - Egor Marin
- a Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology , Dolgoprudny , Russia
| | - Valentin Borshchevskiy
- a Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology , Dolgoprudny , Russia
| | - Vadim Cherezov
- a Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology , Dolgoprudny , Russia.,b Bridge Institute, Departments of Chemistry and Biological Sciences, University of Southern California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
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55
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Belogurov GA, Artsimovitch I. The Mechanisms of Substrate Selection, Catalysis, and Translocation by the Elongating RNA Polymerase. J Mol Biol 2019; 431:3975-4006. [PMID: 31153902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Multi-subunit DNA-dependent RNA polymerases synthesize all classes of cellular RNAs, ranging from short regulatory transcripts to gigantic messenger RNAs. RNA polymerase has to make each RNA product in just one try, even if it takes millions of successive nucleotide addition steps. During each step, RNA polymerase selects a correct substrate, adds it to a growing chain, and moves one nucleotide forward before repeating the cycle. However, RNA synthesis is anything but monotonous: RNA polymerase frequently pauses upon encountering mechanical, chemical and torsional barriers, sometimes stepping back and cleaving off nucleotides from the growing RNA chain. A picture in which these intermittent dynamics enable processive, accurate, and controllable RNA synthesis is emerging from complementary structural, biochemical, computational, and single-molecule studies. Here, we summarize our current understanding of the mechanism and regulation of the on-pathway transcription elongation. We review the details of substrate selection, catalysis, proofreading, and translocation, focusing on rate-limiting steps, structural elements that modulate them, and accessory proteins that appear to control RNA polymerase translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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56
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Kwan TOC, Reis R, Siligardi G, Hussain R, Cheruvara H, Moraes I. Selection of Biophysical Methods for Characterisation of Membrane Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E2605. [PMID: 31137900 PMCID: PMC6566885 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20102605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the years, there have been many developments and advances in the field of integral membrane protein research. As important pharmaceutical targets, it is paramount to understand the mechanisms of action that govern their structure-function relationships. However, the study of integral membrane proteins is still incredibly challenging, mostly due to their low expression and instability once extracted from the native biological membrane. Nevertheless, milligrams of pure, stable, and functional protein are always required for biochemical and structural studies. Many modern biophysical tools are available today that provide critical information regarding to the characterisation and behaviour of integral membrane proteins in solution. These biophysical approaches play an important role in both basic research and in early-stage drug discovery processes. In this review, it is not our objective to present a comprehensive list of all existing biophysical methods, but a selection of the most useful and easily applied to basic integral membrane protein research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan O C Kwan
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK.
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK.
| | - Rosana Reis
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK.
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK.
| | - Giuliano Siligardi
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Rohanah Hussain
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Harish Cheruvara
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK.
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Isabel Moraes
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK.
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK.
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57
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Górzny M, Opara N, Guzenko V, Cadarso V, Schift H, Li X, Padeste C. Microfabricated silicon chip as lipid membrane sample holder for serial protein crystallography. MICRO AND NANO ENGINEERING 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mne.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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58
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de Wijn R, Hennig O, Roche J, Engilberge S, Rollet K, Fernandez-Millan P, Brillet K, Betat H, Mörl M, Roussel A, Girard E, Mueller-Dieckmann C, Fox GC, Olieric V, Gavira JA, Lorber B, Sauter C. A simple and versatile microfluidic device for efficient biomacromolecule crystallization and structural analysis by serial crystallography. IUCRJ 2019; 6:454-464. [PMID: 31098026 PMCID: PMC6503916 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252519003622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Determining optimal conditions for the production of well diffracting crystals is a key step in every biocrystallography project. Here, a microfluidic device is described that enables the production of crystals by counter-diffusion and their direct on-chip analysis by serial crystallography at room temperature. Nine 'non-model' and diverse biomacromolecules, including seven soluble proteins, a membrane protein and an RNA duplex, were crystallized and treated on-chip with a variety of standard techniques including micro-seeding, crystal soaking with ligands and crystal detection by fluorescence. Furthermore, the crystal structures of four proteins and an RNA were determined based on serial data collected on four synchrotron beamlines, demonstrating the general applicability of this multipurpose chip concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël de Wijn
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Université de Strasbourg, 15 Rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Oliver Hennig
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Bruederstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jennifer Roche
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257 CNRS–Aix Marseille University, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France
| | | | - Kevin Rollet
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Université de Strasbourg, 15 Rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Pablo Fernandez-Millan
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Université de Strasbourg, 15 Rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Karl Brillet
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Université de Strasbourg, 15 Rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Heike Betat
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Bruederstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mario Mörl
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Bruederstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alain Roussel
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257 CNRS–Aix Marseille University, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Eric Girard
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IBS, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Gavin C. Fox
- PROXIMA 2A beamline, Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Vincent Olieric
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Swiss Light Source, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - José A. Gavira
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, IACT, CSIC–Universidad de Granada, Avenida Las Palmeras 4, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Bernard Lorber
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Université de Strasbourg, 15 Rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Claude Sauter
- Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Université de Strasbourg, 15 Rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
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59
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El Arnaout T, Soulimane T. Targeting Lipoprotein Biogenesis: Considerations towards Antimicrobials. Trends Biochem Sci 2019; 44:701-715. [PMID: 31036406 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Decades have passed without approval of a new antibiotic class. Several companies have recently halted related discovery efforts because of multiple obstacles. One promising route under research is to target the lipoprotein maturation pathway in light of major recent findings and the virulence roles of lipoproteins. To support the future design of selective drugs, considerations and priority-setting are established for the main lipoprotein processing enzymes (Lgt, LspA, and Lnt) based on microbiology, biochemistry, structural biology, chemical design, and pharmacology. Although not all bacterial species will be similarly impacted by drug candidates, several advantages make LspA a top target to pursue in the development of novel antibiotics effective against bacteria that are resistant to existing drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toufic El Arnaout
- Kappa Crystals Ltd, Dublin, Ireland; School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University (TU) Dublin City Campus, TU, Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Tewfik Soulimane
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland; Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland
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60
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Northey T, Kirrander A. Ab Initio Fragment Method for Calculating Molecular X-ray Diffraction. J Phys Chem A 2019; 123:3395-3406. [PMID: 30892904 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.9b00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A fragment-based approach for the prediction of elastic X-ray scattering is presented. The total diffraction pattern is assembled from anisotropic form factors calculated for individual molecular fragments, optionally including corrections for pairwise interactions between fragments. The approach is evaluated against full ab initio scattering calculations in the peptide diphenylalanine, and the optimal selection of fragments is examined in the ethanol molecule. The approach is found to improve significantly on the independent atom model while remaining conceptually simple and computationally efficient. It is expected to be particularly useful for macromolecules with repeated subunits, such as peptides, proteins, DNA, or RNA and other polymers, where it is straightforward to define appropriate fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Northey
- EaStCHEM, School of Chemistry , University of Edinburgh , David Brewster Road , Edinburgh EH9 3FJ , United Kingdom
| | - Adam Kirrander
- EaStCHEM, School of Chemistry , University of Edinburgh , David Brewster Road , Edinburgh EH9 3FJ , United Kingdom
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61
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Rhee SY, Birnbaum KD, Ehrhardt DW. Towards Building a Plant Cell Atlas. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 24:303-310. [PMID: 30777643 PMCID: PMC7449582 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Enormous societal challenges, such as feeding and providing energy for a growing population in a dramatically changing climate, necessitate technological advances in plant science. Plant cells are fundamental organizational units that mediate the production, transport, and storage of our primary food sources, and they sequester a significant proportion of the world's carbon. New technologies allow comprehensive descriptions of cells that could accelerate research across fields of plant science. Complementary to the efforts towards understanding the cellular diversity in human brain and immune systems, a Plant Cell Atlas (PCA) that maps molecular machineries to cellular and subcellular domains, follows their dynamic movements, and describes their interactions would accelerate discovery in plant science and help to solve imminent societal problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Y Rhee
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Plant Biology, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | | | - David W Ehrhardt
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Plant Biology, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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62
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Nam KH. Sample Delivery Media for Serial Crystallography. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E1094. [PMID: 30836596 PMCID: PMC6429298 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
X-ray crystallographic methods can be used to visualize macromolecules at high resolution. This provides an understanding of molecular mechanisms and an insight into drug development and rational engineering of enzymes used in the industry. Although conventional synchrotron-based X-ray crystallography remains a powerful tool for understanding molecular function, it has experimental limitations, including radiation damage, cryogenic temperature, and static structural information. Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) and serial millisecond crystallography (SMX) using synchrotron X-ray have recently gained attention as research methods for visualizing macromolecules at room temperature without causing or reducing radiation damage, respectively. These techniques provide more biologically relevant structures than traditional X-ray crystallography at cryogenic temperatures using a single crystal. Serial femtosecond crystallography techniques visualize the dynamics of macromolecules through time-resolved experiments. In serial crystallography (SX), one of the most important aspects is the delivery of crystal samples efficiently, reliably, and continuously to an X-ray interaction point. A viscous delivery medium, such as a carrier matrix, dramatically reduces sample consumption, contributing to the success of SX experiments. This review discusses the preparation and criteria for the selection and development of a sample delivery medium and its application for SX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Hyun Nam
- Division of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.
- Institute of Life Science and Natural Resources, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.
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63
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Muench SP, Antonyuk SV, Hasnain SS. The expanding toolkit for structural biology: synchrotrons, X-ray lasers and cryoEM. IUCRJ 2019; 6:167-177. [PMID: 30867914 PMCID: PMC6400194 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252519002422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Structural biology continues to benefit from an expanding toolkit, which is helping to gain unprecedented insight into the assembly and organization of multi-protein machineries, enzyme mechanisms and ligand/inhibitor binding. The combination of results from X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), modern synchrotron crystallographic beamlines and cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) is proving to be particularly powerful. The highly brilliant undulator beamlines at modern synchrotron facilities have empowered the crystallographic revolution of high-throughput structure determination at high resolution. The brilliance of the X-rays at these crystallographic beamlines has enabled this to be achieved using microcrystals, but at the expense of an increased absorbed X-ray dose and a consequent vulnerability to radiation-induced changes. The advent of serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) with X-ray free-electron lasers provides a new opportunity in which damage-free structures can be obtained from much smaller crystals (2 µm) and more complex macromolecules, including membrane proteins and multi-protein complexes. For redox enzymes, SFX provides a unique opportunity by providing damage-free structures at both cryogenic and ambient temperatures. The promise of being able to visualize macromolecular structures and complexes at high resolution without the need for crystals using X-rays has remained a dream, but recent technological advancements in cryoEM have made this come true and hardly a month goes by when the structure of a new/novel macromolecular assembly is not revealed. The uniqueness of cryoEM in providing structural information for multi-protein complexes, particularly membrane proteins, has been demonstrated by examples such as respirasomes. The synergistic use of cryoEM and crystallography in lead-compound optimization is highlighted by the example of the visualization of antimalarial compounds in cytochrome bc 1. In this short review, using some recent examples including our own work, we share the excitement of these powerful structural biology methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P. Muench
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, England
| | - Svetlana V. Antonyuk
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZX, England
| | - S. Samar Hasnain
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZX, England
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64
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Polyacrylamide injection matrix for serial femtosecond crystallography. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2525. [PMID: 30792457 PMCID: PMC6385504 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39020-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) provides opportunities to observe the dynamics of macromolecules without causing radiation damage at room temperature. Although SFX provides a biologically more reliable crystal structure than provided by the existing synchrotron sources, there are limitations due to the consumption of many crystal samples. A viscous medium as a carrier matrix reduces the flow rate of the crystal sample from the injector, thereby dramatically reducing sample consumption. However, the currently available media cannot be applied to specific crystal samples owing to reactions between the viscous medium and crystal sample. The discovery and characterisation of a new delivery medium for SFX can further expand its use. Herein, we report the preparation of a polyacrylamide (PAM) injection matrix to determine the crystal structure with an X-ray free-electron laser. We obtained 11,936 and 22,213 indexed images using 0.5 mg lysozyme and 1.0 mg thermolysin, respectively. We determined the crystal structures of lysozyme and thermolysin delivered in PAM at 1.7 Å and 1.8 Å resolutions. The maximum background scattering from PAM was lower than monoolein, a commonly used viscous medium. Our results show that PAM can be used as a sample delivery media in SFX studies.
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65
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Abstract
Anyone who has ever attempted to crystallise a protein or other biological macromolecule has encountered at least one, if not all of the following scenarios: No crystals at all, tiny low quality crystals; phase separation; amorphous precipitate and the most frustrating; large, beautiful crystals that do not diffract at all. In this paper we review a number of simple ways to overcome such problems, which have worked well in our hands and in other laboratories. It brings together information that has been dispersed in various publications and lectures over the years and includes further information that has not been previously published.
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66
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Provost JJ, Bell JK, Bell JE. Development and Use of CUREs in Biochemistry. ACS SYMPOSIUM SERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/bk-2019-1337.ch007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J. Provost
- Department Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of San Diego, San Diego, California 91977, United States
| | - Jessica K. Bell
- Department Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of San Diego, San Diego, California 91977, United States
| | - John E. Bell
- Department Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of San Diego, San Diego, California 91977, United States
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67
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Kopecki-Fjetland MA. Vignette #1: Introducing Active Learning to Improve Student Performance on Threshold Concepts in Biochemistry. ACS SYMPOSIUM SERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/bk-2019-1337.ch012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary A. Kopecki-Fjetland
- Department of Chemistry, St. Edward’s University, 3001 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704, United States
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68
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Loertscher J, Minderhout V. Implementing Guided Inquiry in Biochemistry: Challenges and Opportunities. ACS SYMPOSIUM SERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/bk-2019-1337.ch005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Loertscher
- Department of Chemistry, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98122, United States
| | - Vicky Minderhout
- Department of Chemistry, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98122, United States
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Accelerating pharmaceutical structure-guided drug design: a successful model. Drug Discov Today 2018; 24:377-381. [PMID: 30448353 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The impact and value of structure-based drug design to pharmaceutical discovery across the industry are now undeniable, with many break-through therapies on the market that are structure based in nature. Enabling the structural research is the Industrial Macromolecular Crystallography Association-Collaborative Access Team (IMCA-CAT), formed over 25 years ago as a world-class research facility at the synchrotron at Argonne National Laboratory. What makes IMCA-CAT unique is the strategy of the founding consortium to comprehensively provide for the evolving needs of industry in one facility. This includes year-round high-quality data, capabilities that match target portfolios, throughput and capacity that are never limiting, and unfailing security. Here, we illuminate the unique capabilities offered by IMCA-CAT and instruct how all industrial organizations can access this facility.
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70
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Li X, Zhang S, Zhang J, Sun F. In situ protein micro-crystal fabrication by cryo-FIB for electron diffraction. BIOPHYSICS REPORTS 2018; 4:339-347. [PMID: 30596142 PMCID: PMC6276065 DOI: 10.1007/s41048-018-0075-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Micro-electron diffraction (MicroED) is an emerging technique to use cryo-electron microscope to study the crystal structures of macromolecule from its micro-/nano-crystals, which are not suitable for conventional X-ray crystallography. However, this technique has been prevented for its wide application by the limited availability of producing good micro-/nano-crystals and the inappropriate transfer of crystals. Here, we developed a complete workflow to prepare suitable crystals efficiently for MicroED experiment. This workflow includes in situ on-grid crystallization, single-side blotting, cryo-focus ion beam (cryo-FIB) fabrication, and cryo-electron diffraction of crystal cryo-lamella. This workflow enables us to apply MicroED to study many small macromolecular crystals with the size of 2–10 μm, which is too large for MicroED but quite small for conventional X-ray crystallography. We have applied this method to solve 2.5 Å crystal structure of lysozyme from its micro-crystal within the size of 10 × 10 × 10 μm3. Our work will greatly expand the availability space of crystals suitable for MicroED and fill up the gap between MicroED and X-ray crystallography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmei Li
- 1National Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China.,2University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Shuangbo Zhang
- 1National Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China.,2University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Jianguo Zhang
- 3Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Fei Sun
- 1National Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China.,2University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China.,3Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
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71
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Srivastava A, Nagai T, Srivastava A, Miyashita O, Tama F. Role of Computational Methods in Going beyond X-ray Crystallography to Explore Protein Structure and Dynamics. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3401. [PMID: 30380757 PMCID: PMC6274748 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein structural biology came a long way since the determination of the first three-dimensional structure of myoglobin about six decades ago. Across this period, X-ray crystallography was the most important experimental method for gaining atomic-resolution insight into protein structures. However, as the role of dynamics gained importance in the function of proteins, the limitations of X-ray crystallography in not being able to capture dynamics came to the forefront. Computational methods proved to be immensely successful in understanding protein dynamics in solution, and they continue to improve in terms of both the scale and the types of systems that can be studied. In this review, we briefly discuss the limitations of X-ray crystallography in studying protein dynamics, and then provide an overview of different computational methods that are instrumental in understanding the dynamics of proteins and biomacromolecular complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Srivastava
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan.
| | - Tetsuro Nagai
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.
| | - Arpita Srivastava
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.
| | - Osamu Miyashita
- RIKEN-Center for Computational Science, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.
| | - Florence Tama
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan.
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.
- RIKEN-Center for Computational Science, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.
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72
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Huggins DJ, Biggin PC, Dämgen MA, Essex JW, Harris SA, Henchman RH, Khalid S, Kuzmanic A, Laughton CA, Michel J, Mulholland AJ, Rosta E, Sansom MSP, van der Kamp MW. Biomolecular simulations: From dynamics and mechanisms to computational assays of biological activity. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David J. Huggins
- TCM Group, Cavendish Laboratory University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Unilever Centre, Department of Chemistry University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics Weill Cornell Medical College New York NY
| | | | - Marc A. Dämgen
- Department of Biochemistry University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Jonathan W. Essex
- School of Chemistry University of Southampton Southampton UK
- Institute for Life Sciences University of Southampton Southampton UK
| | - Sarah A. Harris
- School of Physics and Astronomy University of Leeds Leeds UK
- Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - Richard H. Henchman
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology The University of Manchester Manchester UK
- School of Chemistry The University of Manchester Oxford UK
| | - Syma Khalid
- School of Chemistry University of Southampton Southampton UK
- Institute for Life Sciences University of Southampton Southampton UK
| | | | - Charles A. Laughton
- School of Pharmacy University of Nottingham Nottingham UK
- Centre for Biomolecular Sciences University of Nottingham Nottingham UK
| | - Julien Michel
- EaStCHEM school of Chemistry University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Adrian J. Mulholland
- Centre of Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry University of Bristol Bristol UK
| | - Edina Rosta
- Department of Chemistry King's College London London UK
| | | | - Marc W. van der Kamp
- Centre of Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry University of Bristol Bristol UK
- School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building University of Bristol Bristol UK
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73
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Opara NL, Mohacsi I, Makita M, Castano-Diez D, Diaz A, Juranić P, Marsh M, Meents A, Milne CJ, Mozzanica A, Padeste C, Panneels V, Sikorski M, Song S, Stahlberg H, Vartiainen I, Vera L, Wang M, Willmott PR, David C. Demonstration of femtosecond X-ray pump X-ray probe diffraction on protein crystals. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2018; 5:054303. [PMID: 30364211 PMCID: PMC6192410 DOI: 10.1063/1.5050618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The development of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has opened the possibility to investigate the ultrafast dynamics of biomacromolecules using X-ray diffraction. Whereas an increasing number of structures solved by means of serial femtosecond crystallography at XFELs is available, the effect of radiation damage on protein crystals during ultrafast exposures has remained an open question. We used a split-and-delay line based on diffractive X-ray optics at the Linac Coherent Light Source XFEL to investigate the time dependence of X-ray radiation damage to lysozyme crystals. For these tests, crystals were delivered to the X-ray beam using a fixed-target approach. The presented experiments provide probe signals at eight different delay times between 19 and 213 femtoseconds after a single pump event, thereby covering the time-scales relevant for femtosecond serial crystallography. Even though significant impact on the crystals was observed at long time scales after exposure with a single X-ray pulse, the collected diffraction data did not show significant signal reduction that could be assigned to beam damage on the crystals in the sampled time window and resolution range. This observation is in agreement with estimations of the applied radiation dose, which in our experiment was clearly below the values expected to cause damage on the femtosecond time scale. The experiments presented here demonstrate the feasibility of time-resolved pump-multiprobe X-ray diffraction experiments on protein crystals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ana Diaz
- Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
| | - Pavle Juranić
- Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
| | - May Marsh
- Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
| | - Alke Meents
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Aldo Mozzanica
- Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Marcin Sikorski
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - Sanghoon Song
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | | | | | - Laura Vera
- Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
| | - Meitian Wang
- Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
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74
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Banerjee S, Montaville P, Chavas LMG, Ramaswamy S. The New Era of Microcrystallography. J Indian Inst Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s41745-018-0086-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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75
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Fransson T, Chatterjee R, Fuller FD, Gul S, Weninger C, Sokaras D, Kroll T, Alonso-Mori R, Bergmann U, Kern J, Yachandra VK, Yano J. X-ray Emission Spectroscopy as an in Situ Diagnostic Tool for X-ray Crystallography of Metalloproteins Using an X-ray Free-Electron Laser. Biochemistry 2018; 57:4629-4637. [PMID: 29906115 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using the ultrashort X-ray pulses from a X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) provides a new way of collecting structural data at room temperature that allows for following the reaction in real time after initiation. XFEL experiments are conducted in a shot-by-shot mode as the sample is destroyed and replenished after each X-ray pulse, and therefore, monitoring and controlling the data quality by using in situ diagnostic tools is critical. To study metalloenzymes, we developed the use of simultaneous collection of X-ray diffraction of crystals along with X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) data that is used as a diagnostic tool for crystallography, by monitoring the chemical state of the metal catalytic center. We have optimized data analysis methods and sample delivery techniques for fast and active feedback to ensure the quality of each batch of samples and the turnover of the catalytic reaction caused by reaction triggering methods. Here, we describe this active in situ feedback system using Photosystem II as an example that catalyzes the oxidation of H2O to O2 at the Mn4CaO5 active site. We used the first moments of the Mn Kβ1,3 emission spectra, which are sensitive to the oxidation state of Mn, as the primary diagnostics. This approach is applicable to different metalloproteins to determine the integrity of samples and follow changes in the chemical states of the reaction that can be initiated by light or activated by substrates and offers a metric for determining the diffraction images that are used for the final data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Fransson
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park , California United States
| | - Ruchira Chatterjee
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley , California United States
| | - Franklin D Fuller
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park , California United States
| | - Sheraz Gul
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley , California United States
| | - Clemens Weninger
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park , California United States
| | - Dimosthenis Sokaras
- SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park , California United States
| | - Thomas Kroll
- SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park , California United States
| | - Roberto Alonso-Mori
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park , California United States
| | - Uwe Bergmann
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park , California United States
| | - Jan Kern
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley , California United States
| | - Vittal K Yachandra
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley , California United States
| | - Junko Yano
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley , California United States
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76
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Microtubule-Targeting Agents: Strategies To Hijack the Cytoskeleton. Trends Cell Biol 2018; 28:776-792. [PMID: 29871823 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 294] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) such as paclitaxel and the vinca alkaloids are among the most important medical weapons available to combat cancer. MTAs interfere with intracellular transport, inhibit eukaryotic cell proliferation, and promote cell death by suppressing microtubule dynamics. Recent advances in the structural analysis of MTAs have enabled the extensive characterization of their interactions with microtubules and their building block tubulin. We review here our current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms used by MTAs to hijack the microtubule cytoskeleton, and discuss dual inhibitors that target both kinases and microtubules. We further formulate some outstanding questions related to MTA structural biology and present possible routes for future investigations of this fascinating class of antimitotic agents.
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77
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Abstract
A recent paper in BMC Biology presents a general method for mix-and-inject serial crystallography, to facilitate the visualization of enzyme intermediates via time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (tr-SFX). They apply their method to resolve in near atomic detail the cleavage and inactivation of the antibiotic ceftriaxone by a β-lactamase enzyme from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Their work demonstrates the general applicability of time-resolved crystallography, from which dynamic structures, at atomic resolution, can be obtained.See research article: https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12915-018-0524-5 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen M Orville
- Diamond Light Source, Research Complex at Harwell, and University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, UK.
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78
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Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent a large superfamily of membrane proteins that mediate cell signaling and regulate a variety of physiological processes in the human body. Structure-function studies of this superfamily were enabled a decade ago by multiple breakthroughs in technology that included receptor stabilization, crystallization in a membrane environment, and microcrystallography. The recent emergence of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has further accelerated structural studies of GPCRs and other challenging proteins by overcoming radiation damage and providing access to high-resolution structures and dynamics using micrometer-sized crystals. Here, we summarize key technology advancements and major milestones of GPCR research using XFELs and provide a brief outlook on future developments in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Stauch
- Department of Chemistry and Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA; ,
| | - Vadim Cherezov
- Department of Chemistry and Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA; ,
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79
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Birch J, Axford D, Foadi J, Meyer A, Eckhardt A, Thielmann Y, Moraes I. The fine art of integral membrane protein crystallisation. Methods 2018; 147:150-162. [PMID: 29778646 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2018.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Integral membrane proteins are among the most fascinating and important biomolecules as they play a vital role in many biological functions. Knowledge of their atomic structures is fundamental to the understanding of their biochemical function and key in many drug discovery programs. However, over the years, structure determination of integral membrane proteins has proven to be far from trivial, hence they are underrepresented in the protein data bank. Low expression levels, insolubility and instability are just a few of the many hurdles one faces when studying these proteins. X-ray crystallography has been the most used method to determine atomic structures of membrane proteins. However, the production of high quality membrane protein crystals is always very challenging, often seen more as art than a rational experiment. Here we review valuable approaches, methods and techniques to successful membrane protein crystallisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Birch
- Membrane Protein Laboratory, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK; Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Danny Axford
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, UK
| | - James Foadi
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Arne Meyer
- XtalConcepts GmbH, Schnackenburgallee 13, 22525 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Annette Eckhardt
- XtalConcepts GmbH, Schnackenburgallee 13, 22525 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Yvonne Thielmann
- Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Molecular Membrane Biology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 3, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Isabel Moraes
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK; Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, UK; National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK.
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80
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Saladi SM, Javed N, Müller A, Clemons WM. A statistical model for improved membrane protein expression using sequence-derived features. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:4913-4927. [PMID: 29378850 PMCID: PMC5880134 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.001052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The heterologous expression of integral membrane proteins (IMPs) remains a major bottleneck in the characterization of this important protein class. IMP expression levels are currently unpredictable, which renders the pursuit of IMPs for structural and biophysical characterization challenging and inefficient. Experimental evidence demonstrates that changes within the nucleotide or amino acid sequence for a given IMP can dramatically affect expression levels, yet these observations have not resulted in generalizable approaches to improve expression levels. Here, we develop a data-driven statistical predictor named IMProve that, using only sequence information, increases the likelihood of selecting an IMP that expresses in Escherichia coli The IMProve model, trained on experimental data, combines a set of sequence-derived features resulting in an IMProve score, where higher values have a higher probability of success. The model is rigorously validated against a variety of independent data sets that contain a wide range of experimental outcomes from various IMP expression trials. The results demonstrate that use of the model can more than double the number of successfully expressed targets at any experimental scale. IMProve can immediately be used to identify favorable targets for characterization. Most notably, IMProve demonstrates for the first time that IMP expression levels can be predicted directly from sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam M Saladi
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Nauman Javed
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Axel Müller
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - William M Clemons
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125.
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81
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Thal DM, Vuckovic Z, Draper-Joyce CJ, Liang YL, Glukhova A, Christopoulos A, Sexton PM. Recent advances in the determination of G protein-coupled receptor structures. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2018; 51:28-34. [PMID: 29547818 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest superfamily of cell surface receptor proteins and are important drug targets for many human diseases. In the last decade, remarkable progress has been made in the determination of atomic structures of GPCRs with over 200 structures from 53 unique receptors having been solved. Technological advances in protein engineering and X-ray crystallography have driven much of the progress to date. However, recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy have facilitated the structural determination of three new structures of active-state GPCRs in complex with heterotrimeric G protein. These advances have led to significant breakthroughs in our understanding of GPCR biology including not only how signal transducers such as G proteins or arrestins interact with receptors, but also pave the way for future structure-based drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Thal
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Ziva Vuckovic
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher J Draper-Joyce
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yi-Lynn Liang
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alisa Glukhova
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Arthur Christopoulos
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Patrick M Sexton
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.
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82
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Xavier PL, Chandrasekaran AR. DNA-based construction at the nanoscale: emerging trends and applications. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2018; 29:062001. [PMID: 29232197 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aaa120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The field of structural DNA nanotechnology has evolved remarkably-from the creation of artificial immobile junctions to the recent DNA-protein hybrid nanoscale shapes-in a span of about 35 years. It is now possible to create complex DNA-based nanoscale shapes and large hierarchical assemblies with greater stability and predictability, thanks to the development of computational tools and advances in experimental techniques. Although it started with the original goal of DNA-assisted structure determination of difficult-to-crystallize molecules, DNA nanotechnology has found its applications in a myriad of fields. In this review, we cover some of the basic and emerging assembly principles: hybridization, base stacking/shape complementarity, and protein-mediated formation of nanoscale structures. We also review various applications of DNA nanostructures, with special emphasis on some of the biophysical applications that have been reported in recent years. In the outlook, we discuss further improvements in the assembly of such structures, and explore possible future applications involving super-resolved fluorescence, single-particle cryo-electron (cryo-EM) and x-ray free electron laser (XFEL) nanoscopic imaging techniques, and in creating new synergistic designer materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Lourdu Xavier
- Center for Free Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) and Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany. Max-Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, D-22761 Hamburg, Germany
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Awel S, Kirian RA, Wiedorn MO, Beyerlein KR, Roth N, Horke DA, Oberthür D, Knoska J, Mariani V, Morgan A, Adriano L, Tolstikova A, Xavier PL, Yefanov O, Aquila A, Barty A, Roy-Chowdhury S, Hunter MS, James D, Robinson JS, Weierstall U, Rode AV, Bajt S, Küpper J, Chapman HN. Femtosecond X-ray diffraction from an aerosolized beam of protein nanocrystals. J Appl Crystallogr 2018; 51:133-139. [PMID: 29507547 PMCID: PMC5822990 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576717018131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
High-resolution Bragg diffraction from aerosolized single granulovirus nanocrystals using an X-ray free-electron laser is demonstrated. The outer dimensions of the in-vacuum aerosol injector components are identical to conventional liquid-microjet nozzles used in serial diffraction experiments, which allows the injector to be utilized with standard mountings. As compared with liquid-jet injection, the X-ray scattering background is reduced by several orders of magnitude by the use of helium carrier gas rather than liquid. Such reduction is required for diffraction measurements of small macromolecular nanocrystals and single particles. High particle speeds are achieved, making the approach suitable for use at upcoming high-repetition-rate facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salah Awel
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Max O. Wiedorn
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kenneth R. Beyerlein
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nils Roth
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel A. Horke
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Oberthür
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Juraj Knoska
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Valerio Mariani
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andrew Morgan
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Luigi Adriano
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Tolstikova
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - P. Lourdu Xavier
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Max-Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Oleksandr Yefanov
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andrew Aquila
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Anton Barty
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Mark S. Hunter
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | | | - Joseph S. Robinson
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | | | - Andrei V. Rode
- Laser Physics Centre, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
| | - Saša Bajt
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Küpper
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Henry N. Chapman
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
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Abstract
Antibodies are protein molecules used routinely for therapeutic, diagnostic, and research purposes due to their exquisite ability to selectively recognize and bind a given antigen. The particular area of the antigen recognized by the antibody is called the epitope, and for proteinaceous antigens the epitope can be of complex nature. Information about the binding epitope of an antibody can provide important mechanistic insights and indicate for what applications an antibody might be useful. Therefore, a variety of epitope mapping techniques have been developed to localize such regions. Although the real picture is even more complex, epitopes in protein antigens are broadly grouped into linear or discontinuous epitopes depending on the positioning of the epitope residues in the antigen sequence and the requirement of structure. Specialized methods for mapping of the two different classes of epitopes, using high-throughput or high-resolution methods, have been developed. While different in their detail, all of the experimental methods rely on assessing the binding of the antibody to the antigen or a set of antigen mimics. Early approaches utilizing sets of truncated proteins, small numbers of synthesized peptides, and structural analyses of antibody-antigen complexes have been significantly refined. Current state-of-the-art methods involve combinations of mutational scanning, protein display, and high-throughput screening in conjunction with bioinformatic analyses of large datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Nilvebrant
- KTH School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Protein Engineering, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Johan Rockberg
- KTH School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Protein Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
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85
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Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are critical regulators of human physiology and make up the largest single class of therapeutic drug targets. Although GPCRs regulate highly diverse physiology, they share a common signaling mechanism whereby extracellular stimuli induce conformational changes in the receptor that enable activation of heterotrimeric G proteins and other intracellular effectors. Advances in GPCR structural biology have made it possible to examine ligand-induced GPCR activation at an unprecedented level of detail. Here, we review the structural basis for family A GPCR activation, with a focus on GPCRs for which structures are available in both active or active-like states and inactive states. Crystallographic and other biophysical data show how chemically diverse ligands stabilize highly conserved conformational changes on the intracellular side of the receptors, allowing many different extracellular stimuli to utilize shared downstream signaling molecules. Finally, we discuss the remaining challenges in understanding GPCR activation and signaling and highlight new technologies that may allow unanswered questions to be resolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aashish Manglik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco , San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Andrew C Kruse
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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