51
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Yuan Y, Deng J, Cui Q. Molecular Dynamics Simulations Establish the Molecular Basis for the Broad Allostery Hotspot Distributions in the Tetracycline Repressor. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:10870-10887. [PMID: 35675441 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c03275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
It is imperative to identify the network of residues essential to the allosteric coupling for the purpose of rationally engineering allostery in proteins. Deep mutational scanning analysis has emerged as a function-centric approach for identifying such allostery hotspots in a comprehensive and unbiased fashion, leading to observations that challenge our understanding of allostery at the molecular level. Specifically, a recent deep mutational scanning study of the tetracycline repressor (TetR) revealed an unexpectedly broad distribution of allostery hotspots throughout the protein structure. Using extensive molecular dynamics simulations (up to 50 μs) and free energy computations, we establish the molecular and energetic basis for the strong anticooperativity between the ligand and DNA binding sites. The computed free energy landscapes in different ligation states illustrate that allostery in TetR is well described by a conformational selection model, in which the apo state samples a broad set of conformations, and specific ones are selectively stabilized by either ligand or DNA binding. By examining a range of structural and dynamic properties of residues at both local and global scales, we observe that various analyses capture different subsets of experimentally identified hotspots, suggesting that these residues modulate allostery in distinct ways. These results motivate the development of a thermodynamic model that qualitatively explains the broad distribution of hotspot residues and their distinct features in molecular dynamics simulations. The multifaceted strategy that we establish here for hotspot evaluations and our insights into their mechanistic contributions are useful for modulating protein allostery in mechanistic and engineering studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Jiahua Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Qiang Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.,Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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52
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Post M, Lickert B, Diez G, Wolf S, Stock G. Cooperative Protein Allosteric Transition Mediated by a Fluctuating Transmission Network. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167679. [PMID: 35690098 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Allosteric communication between distant protein sites represents a key mechanism of biomolecular regulation and signal transduction. Compared to other processes such as protein folding, however, the dynamical evolution of allosteric transitions is still not well understood. As an example of allosteric coupling between distant protein regions, we consider the global open-closed motion of the two domains of T4 lysozyme, which is triggered by local motion in the hinge region. Combining extensive molecular dynamics simulations with a correlation analysis of interresidue contacts, we identify a network of interresidue distances that move in a concerted manner. The cooperative process originates from a cogwheel-like motion of the hydrophobic core in the hinge region, which constitutes an evolutionary conserved and flexible transmission network. Through rigid contacts and the protein backbone, the small local changes of the hydrophobic core are passed on to the distant terminal domains and lead to the emergence of a rare global conformational transition. As in an Ising-type model, the cooperativity of the allosteric transition can be explained via the interaction of local fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Post
- Biomolecular Dynamics, Institute of Physics, Albert Ludwigs University, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. https://twitter.com/@_posti
| | - Benjamin Lickert
- Biomolecular Dynamics, Institute of Physics, Albert Ludwigs University, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. https://twitter.com/@BenjaminLickert
| | - Georg Diez
- Biomolecular Dynamics, Institute of Physics, Albert Ludwigs University, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. https://twitter.com/@gegadiez
| | - Steffen Wolf
- Biomolecular Dynamics, Institute of Physics, Albert Ludwigs University, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Gerhard Stock
- Biomolecular Dynamics, Institute of Physics, Albert Ludwigs University, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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53
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Saha A, Arantes PR, Palermo G. Dynamics and mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas9 through the lens of computational methods. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 75:102400. [PMID: 35689914 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) genome-editing revolution established the beginning of a new era in life sciences. Here, we review the role of state-of-the-art computations in the CRISPR-Cas9 revolution, from the early refinement of cryo-EM data to enhanced simulations of large-scale conformational transitions. Molecular simulations reported a mechanism for RNA binding and the formation of a catalytically competent Cas9 enzyme, in agreement with subsequent structural studies. Inspired by single-molecule experiments, molecular dynamics offered a rationale for the onset of off-target effects, while graph theory unveiled the allosteric regulation. Finally, the use of a mixed quantum-classical approach established the catalytic mechanism of DNA cleavage. Overall, molecular simulations have been instrumental in understanding the dynamics and mechanism of CRISPR-Cas9, contributing to understanding function, catalysis, allostery, and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakash Saha
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 52512, United States. https://twitter.com/@aakashsahha
| | - Pablo R Arantes
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 52512, United States. https://twitter.com/@pablitoarantes
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 52512, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 52512, United States.
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54
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Barbera N, Granados ST, Vanoye CG, Abramova TV, Kulbak D, Ahn SJ, George AL, Akpa BS, Levitan I. Cholesterol-induced suppression of Kir2 channels is mediated by decoupling at the inter-subunit interfaces. iScience 2022; 25:104329. [PMID: 35602957 PMCID: PMC9120057 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is a major regulator of multiple types of ion channels. Although there is increasing information about cholesterol binding sites, the molecular mechanisms through which cholesterol binding alters channel function are virtually unknown. In this study, we used a combination of Martini coarse-grained simulations, a network theory-based analysis, and electrophysiology to determine the effect of cholesterol on the dynamic structure of the Kir2.2 channel. We found that increasing membrane cholesterol reduced the likelihood of contact between specific regions of the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains of the channel, most prominently at the subunit-subunit interfaces of the cytosolic domains. This decrease in contact was mediated by pairwise interactions of specific residues and correlated to the stoichiometry of cholesterol binding events. The predictions of the model were tested by site-directed mutagenesis of two identified residues-V265 and H222-and high throughput electrophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Barbera
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Sara T. Granados
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Carlos Guillermo Vanoye
- Department of Pharmacology; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Tatiana V. Abramova
- Department of Pharmacology; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Danielle Kulbak
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Sang Joon Ahn
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Alfred L. George
- Department of Pharmacology; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Belinda S. Akpa
- Division of Biosciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Irena Levitan
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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55
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Engineered Allosteric Regulation of Protein Function. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167620. [PMID: 35513109 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Allosteric regulation of proteins has been utilized to study various aspects of cell signaling, from unicellular events to organism-wide phenotypes. However, traditional methods of allosteric regulation, such as constitutively active mutants and inhibitors, lack tight spatiotemporal control. This often leads to unintended signaling consequences that interfere with data interpretation. To overcome these obstacles, researchers employed protein engineering approaches that enable tight control of protein function through allosteric mechanisms. These methods provide high specificity as well as spatial and temporal precision in regulation of protein activity in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we focus on the recent advancements in engineered allosteric regulation and discuss the various bioengineered allosteric techniques available now, from chimeric GPCRs to chemogenetic and optogenetic switches. We highlight the benefits and pitfalls of each of these techniques as well as areas in which future improvements can be made. Additionally, we provide a brief discussion on implementation of engineered allosteric regulation approaches, demonstrating that these tools can shed light on elusive biological events and have the potential to be utilized in precision medicine.
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56
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Calvó-Tusell C, Maria-Solano MA, Osuna S, Feixas F. Time Evolution of the Millisecond Allosteric Activation of Imidazole Glycerol Phosphate Synthase. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:7146-7159. [PMID: 35412310 PMCID: PMC9052757 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c12629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Deciphering the molecular
mechanisms of enzymatic allosteric regulation
requires the structural characterization of functional states and
also their time evolution toward the formation of the allosterically
activated ternary complex. The transient nature and usually slow millisecond
time scale interconversion between these functional states hamper
their experimental and computational characterization. Here, we combine
extensive molecular dynamics simulations, enhanced sampling techniques,
and dynamical networks to describe the allosteric activation of imidazole
glycerol phosphate synthase (IGPS) from the substrate-free form to
the active ternary complex. IGPS is a heterodimeric bienzyme complex
whose HisH subunit is responsible for hydrolyzing glutamine and delivering
ammonia for the cyclase activity in HisF. Despite significant advances
in understanding the underlying allosteric mechanism, essential molecular
details of the long-range millisecond allosteric activation of IGPS
remain hidden. Without using a priori information
of the active state, our simulations uncover how IGPS, with the allosteric
effector bound in HisF, spontaneously captures glutamine in a catalytically
inactive HisH conformation, subsequently attains a closed HisF:HisH
interface, and finally forms the oxyanion hole in HisH for efficient
glutamine hydrolysis. We show that the combined effector and substrate
binding dramatically decreases the conformational barrier associated
with oxyanion hole formation, in line with the experimentally observed
4500-fold activity increase in glutamine hydrolysis. The allosteric
activation is controlled by correlated time-evolving dynamic networks
connecting the effector and substrate binding sites. This computational
strategy tailored to describe millisecond events can be used to rationalize
the effect of mutations on the allosteric regulation and guide IGPS
engineering efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Calvó-Tusell
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, c/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Miguel A Maria-Solano
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, c/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain.,Global AI Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Ewha Womans University, 03760 Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sílvia Osuna
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, c/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ferran Feixas
- Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, c/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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57
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Bacterial Transcriptional Regulators: A Road Map for Functional, Structural, and Biophysical Characterization. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042179. [PMID: 35216300 PMCID: PMC8879271 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The different niches through which bacteria move during their life cycle require a fast response to the many environmental queues they encounter. The sensing of these stimuli and their correct response is driven primarily by transcriptional regulators. This kind of protein is involved in sensing a wide array of chemical species, a process that ultimately leads to the regulation of gene transcription. The allosteric-coupling mechanism of sensing and regulation is a central aspect of biological systems and has become an important field of research during the last decades. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art techniques applied to unravel these complex mechanisms. We introduce a roadmap that may serve for experimental design, depending on the answers we seek and the initial information we have about the system of study. We also provide information on databases containing available structural information on each family of transcriptional regulators. Finally, we discuss the recent results of research about the allosteric mechanisms of sensing and regulation involving many transcriptional regulators of interest, highlighting multipronged strategies and novel experimental techniques. The aim of the experiments discussed here was to provide a better understanding at a molecular level of how bacteria adapt to the different environmental threats they face.
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58
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Chen J, Vishweshwaraiah YL, Dokholyan NV. Design and engineering of allosteric communications in proteins. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 73:102334. [PMID: 35180676 PMCID: PMC8957532 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Allostery in proteins plays an important role in regulating protein activities and influencing many biological processes such as gene expression, enzyme catalysis, and cell signaling. The process of allostery takes place when a signal detected at a site on a protein is transmitted via a mechanical pathway to a functional site and, thus, influences its activity. The pathway of allosteric communication consists of amino acids that form a network with covalent and non-covalent bonds. By mutating residues in this allosteric network, protein engineers have successfully established novel allosteric pathways to achieve desired properties in the target protein. In this review, we highlight the most recent and state-of-the-art techniques for allosteric communication engineering. We also discuss the challenges that need to be overcome and future directions for engineering protein allostery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA. https://twitter.com/JiaxingChen18
| | - Yashavantha L Vishweshwaraiah
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA. https://twitter.com/IAmYashHegde
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA; Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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59
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Abrusán G, Ascher DB, Inouye M. Known allosteric proteins have central roles in genetic disease. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009806. [PMID: 35139069 PMCID: PMC10138267 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Allostery is a form of protein regulation, where ligands that bind sites located apart from the active site can modify the activity of the protein. The molecular mechanisms of allostery have been extensively studied, because allosteric sites are less conserved than active sites, and drugs targeting them are more specific than drugs binding the active sites. Here we quantify the importance of allostery in genetic disease. We show that 1) known allosteric proteins are central in disease networks, contribute to genetic disease and comorbidities much more than non-allosteric proteins, and there is an association between being allosteric and involvement in disease; 2) they are enriched in many major disease types like hematopoietic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, or diseases of the central nervous system; 3) variants from cancer genome-wide association studies are enriched near allosteric proteins, indicating their importance to polygenic traits; and 4) the importance of allosteric proteins in disease is due, at least partly, to their central positions in protein-protein interaction networks, and less due to their dynamical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- György Abrusán
- Cambridge Baker Systems Genomics Initiative, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - David B. Ascher
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biochemistry, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Computational Biology and Clinical Informatics, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael Inouye
- Cambridge Baker Systems Genomics Initiative, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Baker Systems Genomics Initiative, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK Cambridge, Wellcome Genome Campus and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, United Kingdom
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60
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Emerging Methods and Applications to Decrypt Allostery in Proteins and Nucleic Acids. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167518. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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61
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Chirasani VR, Popov KI, Meissner G, Dokholyan NV. Mapping co-regulatory interactions among ligand-binding sites in ryanodine receptor 1. Proteins 2022; 90:385-394. [PMID: 34455637 PMCID: PMC8738105 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1) is an intracellular calcium ion (Ca2+ ) release channel required for skeletal muscle contraction. Although cryo-electron microscopy identified binding sites of three coactivators Ca2+ , ATP, and caffeine (CFF), the mechanism of co-regulation and synergy of these activators is unknown. Here, we report allosteric connections among the three ligand-binding sites and pore region in (i) Ca2+ bound-closed, (ii) ATP/CFF bound-closed, (iii) Ca2+ /ATP/CFF bound-closed, and (iv) Ca2+ /ATP/CFF bound-open RyR1 states. We identified two dominant networks of interactions that mediate communication between the Ca2+ -binding site and pore region in Ca2+ bound-closed state, which partially overlapped with the pore communications in ATP/CFF bound-closed RyR1 state. In Ca2+ /ATP/CFF bound-closed and -open RyR1 states, co-regulatory interactions were analogous to communications in the Ca2+ bound-closed and ATP/CFF bound-closed states. Both ATP- and CFF-binding sites mediate communication between the Ca2+ -binding site and the pore region in Ca2+ /ATP/CFF bound-open RyR1 structure. We conclude that Ca2+ , ATP, and CFF propagate their effects to the pore region through a network of overlapping interactions that mediate allosteric control and molecular synergy in channel regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkat R Chirasani
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Konstantin I Popov
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gerhard Meissner
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
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62
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Abstract
Optogenetics combines light and genetics to enable precise control of living cells, tissues, and organisms with tailored functions. Optogenetics has the advantages of noninvasiveness, rapid responsiveness, tunable reversibility, and superior spatiotemporal resolution. Following the initial discovery of microbial opsins as light-actuated ion channels, a plethora of naturally occurring or engineered photoreceptors or photosensitive domains that respond to light at varying wavelengths has ushered in the next chapter of optogenetics. Through protein engineering and synthetic biology approaches, genetically-encoded photoswitches can be modularly engineered into protein scaffolds or host cells to control a myriad of biological processes, as well as to enable behavioral control and disease intervention in vivo. Here, we summarize these optogenetic tools on the basis of their fundamental photochemical properties to better inform the chemical basis and design principles. We also highlight exemplary applications of opsin-free optogenetics in dissecting cellular physiology (designated "optophysiology"), and describe the current progress, as well as future trends, in wireless optogenetics, which enables remote interrogation of physiological processes with minimal invasiveness. This review is anticipated to spark novel thoughts on engineering next-generation optogenetic tools and devices that promise to accelerate both basic and translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Tan
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, Houston, Texas, United States.,Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Lian He
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Yun Huang
- Center for Epigenetics and Disease Prevention, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Translational Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Yubin Zhou
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, Houston, Texas, United States.,Department of Translational Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, Texas, United States
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63
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Nierzwicki L, East KW, Morzan UN, Arantes PR, Batista VS, Lisi GP, Palermo G. Enhanced specificity mutations perturb allosteric signaling in CRISPR-Cas9. eLife 2021; 10:e73601. [PMID: 34908530 PMCID: PMC8741213 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat and associated Cas9 protein) is a molecular tool with transformative genome editing capabilities. At the molecular level, an intricate allosteric signaling is critical for DNA cleavage, but its role in the specificity enhancement of the Cas9 endonuclease is poorly understood. Here, multi-microsecond molecular dynamics is combined with solution NMR and graph theory-derived models to probe the allosteric role of key specificity-enhancing mutations. We show that mutations responsible for increasing the specificity of Cas9 alter the allosteric structure of the catalytic HNH domain, impacting the signal transmission from the DNA recognition region to the catalytic sites for cleavage. Specifically, the K855A mutation strongly disrupts the allosteric connectivity of the HNH domain, exerting the highest perturbation on the signaling transfer, while K810A and K848A result in more moderate effects on the allosteric communication. This differential perturbation of the allosteric signal correlates to the order of specificity enhancement (K855A > K848A ~ K810A) observed in biochemical studies, with the mutation achieving the highest specificity most strongly perturbing the signaling transfer. These findings suggest that alterations of the allosteric communication from DNA recognition to cleavage are critical to increasing the specificity of Cas9 and that allosteric hotspots can be targeted through mutational studies for improving the system's function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukasz Nierzwicki
- Department of Bioengineering and Department of Chemistry, University of California, RiversideRiversideUnited States
| | - Kyle W East
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | - Uriel N Morzan
- International Centre for Theoretical PhysicsTriesteItaly
| | - Pablo R Arantes
- Department of Bioengineering and Department of Chemistry, University of California, RiversideRiversideUnited States
| | | | - George P Lisi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering and Department of Chemistry, University of California, RiversideRiversideUnited States
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64
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Das J, Thakuri B, MohanKumar K, Roy S, Sljoka A, Sun GQ, Chakraborty A. Mutation-Induced Long-Range Allosteric Interactions in the Spike Protein Determine the Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 Emerging Variants. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:31312-31327. [PMID: 34805715 PMCID: PMC8592041 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of a variety of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants, the causative agent of COVID-19, with multiple spike mutations poses serious challenges in overcoming the ongoing deadly pandemic. It is, therefore, essential to understand how these variants gain enhanced ability to evade immune responses with a higher rate of spreading infection. To address this question, here we have individually assessed the effects of SARS-CoV-2 variant-specific spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) mutations E484K, K417N, L452Q, L452R, N501Y, and T478K that characterize and differentiate several emerging variants. Despite the hundreds of apparently neutral mutations observed in the domains other than the RBD, we have shown that each RBD mutation site is differentially engaged in an interdomain allosteric network involving mutation sites from a distant domain, affecting interactions with the human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). This allosteric network couples the residues of the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the RBD, which are modulated by the RBD-specific mutations and are capable of propagating mutation-induced perturbations between these domains through a combination of structural changes and effector-dependent modulations of dynamics. One key feature of this network is the inclusion of compensatory mutations segregated into three characteristically different clusters, where each cluster residue site is allosterically coupled with specific RBD mutation sites. Notably, each RBD mutation acted like a positive allosteric modulator; nevertheless, K417N was shown to have the largest effects among all of the mutations on the allostery and thereby holds the highest binding affinity with ACE2. This result will be useful for designing the targeted control measure and therapeutic efforts aiming at allosteric modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayanta
Kumar Das
- Department
of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Bikash Thakuri
- Department
of Mathematics, Sikkim University, Gangtok, Sikkim 737102, India
| | - Krishnan MohanKumar
- Department
of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Swarup Roy
- Department
of Computer Applications, Sikkim University, Gangtok, Sikkim 737102, India
| | - Adnan Sljoka
- RIKEN
Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, RIKEN, 1-4-1 Nihombashi, Chuo-ku Tokyo 103-0027, Japan
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Gui-Quan Sun
- Department
of Mathematics, North University of China, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030051, China
- Complex
Systems Research Center, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Amit Chakraborty
- Department
of Mathematics, Sikkim University, Gangtok, Sikkim 737102, India
- , . Phone: +91 9784811895
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65
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Vishweshwaraiah YL, Chen J, Chirasani VR, Tabdanov ED, Dokholyan NV. Two-input protein logic gate for computation in living cells. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6615. [PMID: 34785644 PMCID: PMC8595391 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26937-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in protein design have brought us within reach of developing a nanoscale programming language, in which molecules serve as operands and their conformational states function as logic gates with precise input and output behaviors. Combining these nanoscale computing agents into larger molecules and molecular complexes will allow us to write and execute "code". Here, in an important step toward this goal, we report an engineered, single protein design that is allosterically regulated to function as a 'two-input logic OR gate'. Our system is based on chemo- and optogenetic regulation of focal adhesion kinase. In the engineered FAK, all of FAK domain architecture is retained and key intramolecular interactions between the kinase and the FERM domains are externally controlled through a rapamycin-inducible uniRapR module in the kinase domain and a light-inducible LOV2 module in the FERM domain. Orthogonal regulation of protein function was possible using the chemo- and optogenetic switches. We demonstrate that dynamic FAK activation profoundly increased cell multiaxial complexity in the fibrous extracellular matrix microenvironment and decreased cell motility. This work provides proof-of-principle for fine multimodal control of protein function and paves the way for construction of complex nanoscale computing agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiaxing Chen
- Departments of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA
| | - Venkat R Chirasani
- Departments of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA
| | - Erdem D Tabdanov
- Departments of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Departments of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA.
- Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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66
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Ye CR, Wang WJ, Chen W, Xiao Y, Zhang HF, Dai BL, Chen SH, Wu XD, Li M, Huang XC. Harnessing Shape Complementarity for Upgraded Cyclohexane Purification through Adaptive Bottlenecked Pores in an Imidazole-Containing MOF. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:23590-23595. [PMID: 34463419 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202109964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Shape complementarity is a biological craft for precisely binding substrates at protein-protein interfaces. An analogy to such a function can be drawn conceptually for crystalline porous solids; yet the manifested entities are rare in reticular chemistry. The bottleneck-shaped pores carved out of a metal-organic framework, Zn(MIBA)2 (aka. MAF-stu-13), can perfectly accommodate benzene molecules. Remarkably, its framework adapts to the optimal guest binding-the enhanced host-guest interactions in the neck in turn minimize the guest-guest repulsion in the pore to the extent it turns into attraction-as demonstrated by the combined X-ray structural and DFT computational studies. This adaptive material can be used for liquid-phase production of ultrahigh-purity (≥99 %) cyclohexane, achieving a balance between uptake capacity and separation selectivity and surpassing the performances of other porous and nonporous crystals reported recently (e.g. product purity 99.4 % vs. 97.5 % to date).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Rong Ye
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Wen-Jian Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Wei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yonghong Xiao
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Hai-Feng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China.,Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Shantou, 515031, China
| | - Bing-Ling Dai
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Si-Han Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Xu-Dong Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Mian Li
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China.,Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Shantou, 515031, China
| | - Xiao-Chun Huang
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Guangdong, 515063, China.,Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Shantou, 515031, China
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67
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Tekpinar M, Neron B, Delarue M. Extracting Dynamical Correlations and Identifying Key Residues for Allosteric Communication in Proteins by correlationplus. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:4832-4838. [PMID: 34652149 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Extracting dynamical pairwise correlations and identifying key residues from large molecular dynamics trajectories or normal-mode analysis of coarse-grained models are important for explaining various processes like ligand binding, mutational effects, and long-distance interactions. Efficient and flexible tools to perform this task can provide new insights about residues involved in allosteric regulation and protein function. In addition, combining and comparing dynamical coupling information with sequence coevolution data can help to understand better protein function. To this aim, we developed a Python package called correlationplus to calculate, visualize, and analyze pairwise correlations. In this way, the package aids to identify key residues and interactions in proteins. The source code of correlationplus is available under LGPL version 3 at https://github.com/tekpinar/correlationplus. The current version of the package (0.2.0) can be installed with common installation methods like conda or pip in addition to source code installation. Moreover, docker images are also available for usage of the code without installation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Tekpinar
- Unit of Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, Pasteur Institute, UMR 3528 CNRS, 25 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Neron
- Computational Biology Department, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, 28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Marc Delarue
- Unit of Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, Pasteur Institute, UMR 3528 CNRS, 25 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
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68
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Ye C, Wang W, Chen W, Xiao Y, Zhang H, Dai B, Chen S, Wu X, Li M, Huang X. Harnessing Shape Complementarity for Upgraded Cyclohexane Purification through Adaptive Bottlenecked Pores in an Imidazole‐Containing MOF. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202109964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chun‐Rong Ye
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
| | - Wen‐Jian Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
| | - Wei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan 430071 China
| | - Yonghong Xiao
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
| | - Hai‐Feng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Shantou 515031 China
| | - Bing‐Ling Dai
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
| | - Si‐Han Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
| | - Xu‐Dong Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
| | - Mian Li
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Shantou 515031 China
| | - Xiao‐Chun Huang
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong 515063 China
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory Shantou 515031 China
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69
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Ni D, Chai Z, Wang Y, Li M, Yu Z, Liu Y, Lu S, Zhang J. Along the allostery stream: Recent advances in computational methods for allosteric drug discovery. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Duan Ni
- College of Pharmacy Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- The Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Zongtao Chai
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital Second Military Medical University Shanghai China
| | - Ying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Mingyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
| | | | - Yaqin Liu
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Shaoyong Lu
- College of Pharmacy Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Jian Zhang
- College of Pharmacy Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
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70
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Wang T, Fang X, Wen T, Liu J, Zhai Z, Wang Z, Meng J, Yang Y, Wang C, Xu H. Synthetic Neutralizing Peptides Inhibit the Host Cell Binding of Spike Protein and Block Infection of SARS-CoV-2. J Med Chem 2021; 64:14887-14894. [PMID: 34533959 PMCID: PMC8482785 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Antiviral treatments of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been extensively pursued to conquer the pandemic. To inhibit the viral entry to the host cell, we designed and obtained three peptide sequences via quartz crystal microbalance measurement screening, which showed high affinity at nanomole to the S1 subunit of the spike protein and wild-type SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. Circular dichroism spectroscopy measurements revealed significant conformation changes of the S1 protein upon encounter with the three peptides. The peptides were able to effectively block the infection of a pseudovirus to 50% by inhibiting the host cell lines binding with the S1 protein, evidenced by the results from Western blotting and pseudovirus luciferase assay. Moreover, the combination of the three peptides could increase the inhibitory rate to 75%. In conclusion, the three chemically synthetic neutralizing peptides and their combinations hold promising potential as effective therapeutics in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,
School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005,
China
| | - Xiaocui Fang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience,
National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing
100190, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tao Wen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,
School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005,
China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,
School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005,
China
| | - Zhaoyi Zhai
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience,
National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing
100190, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhiyou Wang
- School of Electric Communication and Electrical
Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha 410022,
China
| | - Jie Meng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,
School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005,
China
| | - Yanlian Yang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience,
National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing
100190, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chen Wang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience,
National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing
100190, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Haiyan Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,
School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005,
China
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71
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Colizzi F, Orozco M. Probing allosteric regulations with coevolution-driven molecular simulations. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj0786. [PMID: 34516882 PMCID: PMC8442858 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj0786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Protein-mediated allosteric regulations are essential in biology, but their quantitative characterization continues to posit formidable challenges for both experiments and computations. Here, we combine coevolutionary information, multiscale molecular simulations, and free-energy methods to interrogate and quantify the allosteric regulation of functional changes in protein complexes. We apply this approach to investigate the regulation of adenylyl cyclase (AC) by stimulatory and inhibitory G proteins—a prototypical allosteric system that has long escaped from in-depth molecular characterization. We reveal a surprisingly simple ON/OFF regulation of AC functional dynamics through multiple pathways of information transfer. The binding of G proteins reshapes the free-energy landscape of AC following the classical population-shift paradigm. The model agrees with structural and biochemical data and reveals previously unknown experimentally consistent intermediates. Our approach showcases a general strategy to explore uncharted functional space in complex biomolecular regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Colizzi
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Carrer de Baldiri Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Modesto Orozco
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Carrer de Baldiri Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 647, Barcelona 08028, Spain
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72
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An update on allosteric modulators as a promising strategy targeting histone methyltransferase. Pharmacol Res 2021; 172:105865. [PMID: 34474102 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Histone methylation is a vital post-translational modification process in epigenetic regulation. The perturbation of histone methylation accounts for many diseases, including malignant cancers. Although achieving significant advances over past decades, orthosteric inhibitors targeting histone methyltransferases still suffer from challenges on subtype selectivity and acquired drug-resistant mutations. As an alternative, new compounds targeting the evolutionarily less conserved allosteric sites, exemplified by HKMTs and PRMTs inhibitors, offer a promising strategy to address this quandary. Herein, we highlight the allosteric sites and mechanisms in histone methyltransferases along with representative allosteric modulators, expecting to facilitate the discovery of allosteric modulators in favor of epigenetic therapy.
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73
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Uyar A, Dickson A. Perturbation of ACE2 Structural Ensembles by SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Binding. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:5896-5906. [PMID: 34383488 PMCID: PMC8370119 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The human ACE2 enzyme serves as a critical first recognition point of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. In particular, the extracellular domain of ACE2 interacts directly with the S1 tailspike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virion through a broad protein-protein interface. Although this interaction has been characterized by X-ray crystallography, these structures do not reveal significant differences in the ACE2 structure upon S1 protein binding. In this work, using several all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we show persistent differences in the ACE2 structure upon binding. These differences are determined with the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) machine learning method and validated using independent training and testing datasets, including long trajectories generated by D. E. Shaw Research on the Anton 2 supercomputer. In addition, long trajectories for 78 potent ACE2-binding compounds, also generated by D. E. Shaw Research, were projected onto the LDA classification vector in order to determine whether the ligand-bound ACE2 structures were compatible with S1 protein binding. This allows us to predict which compounds are "apo-like" versus "complex-like" and to pinpoint long-range ligand-induced allosteric changes in the ACE2 structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arzu Uyar
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Alex Dickson
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing Michigan 48824, United States.,Department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing Michigan 48824, United States
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74
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Verkhivker GM. Making the invisible visible: Toward structural characterization of allosteric states, interaction networks, and allosteric regulatory mechanisms in protein kinases. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2021; 71:71-78. [PMID: 34237520 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the established view of protein kinases as dynamic and versatile allosteric regulatory machines, our knowledge of allosteric functional states, allosteric interaction networks, and the intrinsic folding energy landscapes is surprisingly limited. We discuss the latest developments in structural characterization of allosteric molecular events underlying protein kinase dynamics and functions using structural, biophysical, and computational biology approaches. The recent studies highlighted progress in making the invisible aspects of protein kinase 'life' visible, including the determination of hidden allosteric states and mapping of allosteric energy landscapes, discovery of new mechanisms underlying ligand-induced modulation of allosteric activity, evolutionary adaptation of kinase allostery, and characterization of allosteric interaction networks as the intrinsic driver of kinase adaptability and signal transmission in the regulatory assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady M Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA, 92866, USA; Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, 9401 Jeronimo Road, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA.
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75
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Muralidharan A, Samoshkin A, Convertino M, Piltonen MH, Gris P, Wang J, Jiang C, Klares R, Linton A, Ji RR, Maixner W, Dokholyan NV, Mogil JS, Diatchenko L. Identification and characterization of novel candidate compounds targeting 6- and 7-transmembrane μ-opioid receptor isoforms. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:2709-2726. [PMID: 33782947 PMCID: PMC10697213 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The μ-opioid receptor (μ receptor) is the primary target for opioid analgesics. The 7-transmembrane (TM) and 6TM μ receptor isoforms mediate inhibitory and excitatory cellular effects. Here, we developed compounds selective for 6TM- or 7TM-μ receptors to further our understanding of the pharmacodynamic properties of μ receptors. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We performed virtual screening of the ZINC Drug Now library of compounds using in silico 7TM- and 6TM-μ receptor structural models and identified potential compounds that are selective for 6TM- and/or 7TM-μ receptors. Subsequently, we characterized the most promising candidate compounds in functional in vitro studies using Be2C neuroblastoma transfected cells, behavioural in vivo pain assays using various knockout mice and in ex vivo electrophysiology studies. KEY RESULTS Our virtual screen identified 30 potential candidate compounds. Subsequent functional in vitro cellular assays shortlisted four compounds (#5, 10, 11 and 25) that demonstrated 6TM- or 7TM-μ receptor-dependent NO release. In in vivo pain assays these compounds also produced dose-dependent hyperalgesic responses. Studies using mice that lack specific opioid receptors further established the μ receptor-dependent nature of identified novel ligands. Ex vivo electrophysiological studies on spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents in isolated spinal cord slices also validated the hyperalgesic properties of the most potent 6TM- (#10) and 7TM-μ receptor (#5) ligands. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Our novel compounds represent a new class of ligands for μ receptors and will serve as valuable research tools to facilitate the development of opioids with significant analgesic efficacy and fewer side-effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Muralidharan
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alexander Samoshkin
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marino Convertino
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Marjo Hannele Piltonen
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pavel Gris
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Changyu Jiang
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Richard Klares
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alexander Linton
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ru-Rong Ji
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - William Maixner
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nikolay V. Dokholyan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Mogil
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Luda Diatchenko
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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76
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Chatzigoulas A, Cournia Z. Rational design of allosteric modulators: Challenges and successes. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexios Chatzigoulas
- Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens Athens Greece
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Athens Greece
| | - Zoe Cournia
- Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens Athens Greece
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77
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Huang Q, Song P, Chen Y, Liu Z, Lai L. Allosteric Type and Pathways Are Governed by the Forces of Protein-Ligand Binding. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:5404-5412. [PMID: 34080881 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c01253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Allostery is central to many cellular processes, by up- or down-regulating target function. However, what determines the allosteric type remains elusive and currently it is impossible to predict whether the allosteric compounds would activate or inhibit target function before experimental studies. We demonstrated that the allosteric type and allosteric pathways are governed by the forces imposed by ligand binding to target protein using the anisotropic network model and developed an allosteric type prediction method (AlloType). AlloType correctly predicted 13 of the 16 allosteric systems in the data set with experimentally determined protein and complex structures as well as verified allosteric types, which was also used to identify allosteric pathways. When applied to glutathione peroxidase 4, a protein with no complex structure information, AlloType could still be able to predict the allosteric type of the recently reported allosteric activators, demonstrating its potential application in designing specific allosteric drugs and uncovering allosteric mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaojing Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Pengbo Song
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yixin Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhirong Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Luhua Lai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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78
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D'Amico RN, Bosken YK, O'Rourke KF, Murray AM, Admasu W, Chang CEA, Boehr DD. Substitution of a Surface-Exposed Residue Involved in an Allosteric Network Enhances Tryptophan Synthase Function in Cells. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:679915. [PMID: 34124159 PMCID: PMC8187860 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.679915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Networks of noncovalent amino acid interactions propagate allosteric signals throughout proteins. Tryptophan synthase (TS) is an allosterically controlled bienzyme in which the indole product of the alpha subunit (αTS) is transferred through a 25 Å hydrophobic tunnel to the active site of the beta subunit (βTS). Previous nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamics simulations identified allosteric networks in αTS important for its function. We show here that substitution of a distant, surface-exposed network residue in αTS enhances tryptophan production, not by activating αTS function, but through dynamically controlling the opening of the indole channel and stimulating βTS activity. While stimulation is modest, the substitution also enhances cell growth in a tryptophan-auxotrophic strain of Escherichia coli compared to complementation with wild-type αTS, emphasizing the biological importance of the network. Surface-exposed networks provide new opportunities in allosteric drug design and protein engineering, and hint at potential information conduits through which the functions of a metabolon or even larger proteome might be coordinated and regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N D'Amico
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Yuliana K Bosken
- Department of Chemistry, The University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Kathleen F O'Rourke
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Alec M Murray
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Woudasie Admasu
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Chia-En A Chang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - David D Boehr
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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79
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Ducharme J, Polic V, Thibodeaux CJ, Auclair K. Combining Small-Molecule Bioconjugation and Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS) to Expose Allostery: the Case of Human Cytochrome P450 3A4. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:882-890. [PMID: 33913317 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We report a novel approach to study allostery which combines the use of carefully selected bioconjugates and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). This strategy avoids issues related to weak substrate binding and ligand relocalization. The utility of our method is demonstrated using human cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), the most important drug-metabolizing enzyme. Allosteric activation and inhibition of CYP3A4 by pharmaceuticals is an important mechanism of drug interactions. We performed HDX-MS analysis on several CYP3A4-effector bioconjugates, some of which mimic the allosteric effect of positive effectors, while others show activity enhancement even though the label does not occupy the allosteric pocket (agonistic) or do not show activation while still blocking the allosteric site (antagonistic). This allowed us to better define the position of the allosteric site, the protein structural dynamics associated with allosteric activation, and the presence of coexisting conformers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Ducharme
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3A 0B8
| | - Vanja Polic
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3A 0B8
| | - Christopher J. Thibodeaux
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3A 0B8
| | - Karine Auclair
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3A 0B8
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80
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Kutlu Y, Ben-Tal N, Haliloglu T. Global Dynamics Renders Protein Sites with High Functional Response. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:4734-4745. [PMID: 33914546 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c02511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Deep mutational scanning enables examination of the effects of many mutations at each amino acid position in a query protein, readily disclosing positions that are particularly sensitive. Mutations in these positions alter protein function the most. Here, on the premise that dynamics underlie function, we explore to what extent the measured sensitivity to mutations could be linked to-perhaps be explained by-the structural dynamics of the protein. We employ a minimalist perturbation-response approach based on the Gaussian Network Model (GNM) on a data set of seven proteins with deep mutational scanning data. The analysis shows that the mutation-sensitive positions are often of capacity to modulate the global dynamics and to intermediate allosteric interactions in the structure. With that, upon strain perturbation, these positions decrease residue fluctuations the most, affecting function via entropy changes. This is particularly relevant for positions that are distant from binding sites or other functional regions of the protein and are sensitive to mutations, nevertheless. Our results indicate that mutations in these positions allosterically manipulate protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiǧit Kutlu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Research Center, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul 34342, Turkey
| | - Nir Ben-Tal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Turkan Haliloglu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Research Center, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul 34342, Turkey
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81
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Nierzwicki Ł, Arantes PR, Saha A, Palermo G. Establishing the allosteric mechanism in CRISPR-Cas9. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2021; 11:e1503. [PMID: 34322166 PMCID: PMC8315640 DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Allostery is a fundamental property of proteins, which regulates biochemical information transfer between spatially distant sites. Here, we report on the critical role of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in discovering the mechanism of allosteric communication within CRISPR-Cas9, a leading genome editing machinery with enormous promises for medicine and biotechnology. MD revealed how allostery intervenes during at least three steps of the CRISPR-Cas9 function: affecting DNA recognition, mediating the cleavage and interfering with the off-target activity. An allosteric communication that activates concerted DNA cleavages was found to led through the L1/L2 loops, which connect the HNH and RuvC catalytic domains. The identification of these "allosteric transducers" inspired the development of novel variants of the Cas9 protein with improved specificity, opening a new avenue for controlling the CRISPR-Cas9 activity. Discussed studies also highlight the critical role of the recognition lobe in the conformational activation of the catalytic HNH domain. Specifically, the REC3 region was found to modulate the dynamics of HNH by sensing the formation of the RNA:DNA hybrid. The role of REC3 was revealed to be particularly relevant in the presence of DNA mismatches. Indeed, interference of REC3 with the RNA:DNA hybrid containing mismatched pairs at specific positions resulted in locking HNH in an inactive "conformational checkpoint" conformation, thereby hampering off-target cleavages. Overall, MD simulations established the fundamental mechanisms underlying the allosterism of CRISPR-Cas9, aiding engineering strategies to develop new CRISPR-Cas9 variants for improved genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Nierzwicki
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
| | - Pablo Ricardo Arantes
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
| | - Aakash Saha
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering and Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
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82
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Sora V, Sanchez D, Papaleo E. Bcl-xL Dynamics under the Lens of Protein Structure Networks. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:4308-4320. [PMID: 33848145 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c11562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the finely orchestrated interactions leading to or preventing programmed cell death (apoptosis) is of utmost importance in cancer research because the failure of these systems could eventually lead to the onset of the disease. In this regard, the maintenance of a delicate balance between the promoters and inhibitors of mitochondrial apoptosis is crucial, as demonstrated by the interplay among the Bcl-2 family members. In particular, B-cell lymphoma extra-large (Bcl-xL) is a target of interest due to the forefront role of its dysfunctions in cancer development. Bcl-xL prevents apoptosis by binding both the pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins, like PUMA, and the noncanonical partners, such as p53, at different sites. An allosteric communication between the BH3-only protein binding pocket and the p53 binding site, mediating the release of p53 from Bcl-xL upon PUMA binding, has been postulated and supported by nuclear magnetic resonance and other biophysical data. The molecular details of this mechanism, especially at the residue level, remain unclear. In this work, we investigated the distal communication between these two sites in Bcl-xL in its free state and when bound to PUMA. We also evaluated how missense mutations of Bcl-xL found in cancer samples might impair this communication and therefore the allosteric mechanism. We employed all-atom explicit solvent microsecond molecular dynamics simulations, analyzed through a Protein Structure Network approach and integrated with calculations of changes in free energies upon cancer-related mutations identified by genomics studies. We found a subset of candidate residues responsible for both maintaining protein stability and for conveying structural information between the two binding sites and hypothesized possible communication routes between specific residues at both sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Sora
- Computational Biology Laboratory, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Cancer Systems Biology, Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Health and Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Dionisio Sanchez
- Computational Biology Laboratory, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elena Papaleo
- Computational Biology Laboratory, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Cancer Systems Biology, Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Health and Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
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83
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Panchapakesan SSS, Breaker RR. The case of the missing allosteric ribozymes. Nat Chem Biol 2021; 17:375-382. [PMID: 33495645 PMCID: PMC8880209 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-020-00713-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The RNA World theory encompasses the hypothesis that sophisticated ribozymes and riboswitches were the primary drivers of metabolic processes in ancient organisms. Several types of catalytic RNAs and many classes of ligand-sensing RNA switches still exist in modern cells. Curiously, allosteric ribozymes formed by the merger of RNA enzyme and RNA switch components are largely absent in today's biological systems. This is true despite the striking abundances of various classes of both self-cleaving ribozymes and riboswitch aptamers. Here we present the known types of ligand-controlled ribozymes and riboswitches and discuss the possible reasons why fused ribozyme-aptamer constructs have been disfavored through evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanker S. S. Panchapakesan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental
Biology, Yale University, P.O. Box 208103, New Haven, CT 06520-8103, USA
| | - Ronald R. Breaker
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental
Biology, Yale University, P.O. Box 208103, New Haven, CT 06520-8103, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University, P.O. Box
208103, New Haven, CT 06520-8103, USA.,Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale
University, P.O. Box 208103, New Haven, CT 06520-8103, USA
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84
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Abstract
The discovery of hemoglobin allosteric properties is briefly summarized and contextualized in the frame of the main biochemical revelations that characterized the first half of the XX century. In particular, the historical background of DNA, RNA, and protein structure research is recalled and the new role that protein-protein interaction may have on allosteric regulation is discussed.
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85
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Zhang M, Chen S, Hu J, Ding Q, Li L, Lü S, Long M. Mapping the morphological identifiers of distinct conformations via the protein translocation current in nanopores. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:6053-6065. [PMID: 33683247 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr07413f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Conformational changes of proteins play a vital role in implementing their functions and revealing the underlying mechanisms in various biological processes. It is still challenging to monitor protein conformations with temporal fingerprints of current-resistance pulses in the nanopore technique. Here the low-resolution morphologies of different conformations of a typical integrin, αxβ2, were estimated via relative blockade currents simulated from all-atom molecular dynamics (MD). Distinct conformational states of αxβ2 were directly explained by the volume and shape identifiers. Protein modulation in ionic current was analyzed from the conductivity distribution inside the protein-blocked nanopore. Combining a discrete model with spheroidal approximation, a MD-based approach was developed to theoretically predict the volume and shape of the nanopore for sensing αxβ2. This method was also applicable in specifying morphological identifiers of six other proteins, and the theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. These results potentiated the validity of this method for the conformational identification of proteins in nanopores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingkun Zhang
- Center of Biomechanics and Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, and CAS Center for Excellence in Complex System Mechanics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
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86
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Dokholyan NV. Nanoscale programming of cellular and physiological phenotypes: inorganic meets organic programming. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2021; 7:15. [PMID: 33707429 PMCID: PMC7952909 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-021-00176-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of protein design in recent years has brought us within reach of developing a "nanoscale programing language," in which molecules serve as operands with their conformational states functioning as logic gates. Combining these operands into a set of operations will result in a functional program, which is executed using nanoscale computing agents (NCAs). These agents would respond to any given input and return the desired output signal. The ability to utilize natural evolutionary processes would allow code to "evolve" in the course of computation, thus enabling radically new algorithmic developments. NCAs will revolutionize the studies of biological systems, enable a deeper understanding of human biology and disease, and facilitate the development of in situ precision therapeutics. Since NCAs can be extended to novel reactions and processes not seen in biological systems, the growth of this field will spark the growth of biotechnological applications with wide-ranging impacts, including fields not typically considered relevant to biology. Unlike traditional approaches in synthetic biology that are based on the rewiring of signaling pathways in cells, NCAs are autonomous vehicles based on single-chain proteins. In this perspective, I will introduce and discuss this new field of biological computing, as well as challenges and the future of the NCA. Addressing these challenges will provide a significant leap in technology for programming living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Departments of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA.
- Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA.
- Departments of Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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87
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A novel class of selective non-nucleoside inhibitors of human DNA methyltransferase 3A. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 40:127908. [PMID: 33705897 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.127908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Screening of a small chemical library (Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box) identified two structurally related pyrazolone (inhibitor 1) and pyridazine (inhibitor 2) DNMT3A inhibitors with low micromolar inhibition constants. The uncompetitive and mixed type inhibition patterns with DNA and AdoMet suggest these molecules act through an allosteric mechanism, and thus are unlikely to bind to the enzyme's active site. Unlike the clinically used mechanism based DNMT inhibitors such as decitabine or azacitidine that act via the enzyme active site, the inhibitors described here could lead to the development of more selective drugs. Both inhibitors show promising selectivity for DNMT3A in comparison to DNMT1 and bacterial DNA cytosine methyltransferases. With further study, this could form the basis of preferential targeting of de novo DNA methylation over maintenance DNA methylation.
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88
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Liu J, Amaral L, Keten S. Conformational stability of the bacterial adhesin, FimH, with an inactivating mutation. Proteins 2021; 89:276-288. [PMID: 32989832 PMCID: PMC10623646 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Allostery governing two conformational states is one of the proposed mechanisms for catch-bond behavior in adhesive proteins. In FimH, a catch-bond protein expressed by pathogenic bacteria, separation of two domains disrupts inhibition by the pilin domain. Thus, tensile force can induce a conformational change in the lectin domain, from an inactive state to an active state with high affinity. To better understand allosteric inhibition in two-domain FimH (H2 inactive), we use molecular dynamics simulations to study the lectin domain alone, which has high affinity (HL active), and also the lectin domain stabilized in the low-affinity conformation by an Arg-60-Pro mutation (HL mutant). Because ligand-binding induces an allostery-like conformational change in HL mutant, this more experimentally tractable version has been proposed as a "minimal model" for FimH. We find that HL mutant has larger backbone fluctuations than both H2 inactive and HL active, at the binding pocket and allosteric interdomain region. We use an internal coordinate system of dihedral angles to identify protein regions with differences in backbone and side chain dynamics beyond the putative allosteric pathway sites. By characterizing HL mutant dynamics for the first time, we provide additional insight into the transmission of allosteric information across the lectin domain and build upon structural and thermodynamic data in the literature to further support the use of HL mutant as a "minimal model." Understanding how to alter protein dynamics to prevent the allosteric conformational change may guide drug development to prevent infection by blocking FimH adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Liu
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Northwestern University
| | - Luis Amaral
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University
| | - Sinan Keten
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Northwestern University
- Civil Engineering Department, Northwestern University
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89
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Abstract
Allosteric regulation in proteins is fundamental to many important biological processes. Allostery has been employed to control protein functions by regulating protein activity. Engineered allosteric regulation allows controlling protein activity in subsecond time scale and has a broad range of applications, from dissecting spatiotemporal dynamics in biochemical cascades to applications in biotechnology and medicine. Here, we review the concept of allostery in proteins and various approaches to identify allosteric sites and pathways. We then provide an overview of strategies and tools used in allosteric protein regulation and their utility in biological applications. We highlight various classes of proteins, where regulation is achieved through allostery. Finally, we analyze the current problems, critical challenges, and future prospective in achieving allosteric regulation in proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiaxing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
- Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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90
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Jernigan RL, Sankar K, Jia K, Faraggi E, Kloczkowski A. Computational Ways to Enhance Protein Inhibitor Design. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 7:607323. [PMID: 33614705 PMCID: PMC7886686 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.607323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Two new computational approaches are described to aid in the design of new peptide-based drugs by evaluating ensembles of protein structures from their dynamics and through the assessing of structures using empirical contact potential. These approaches build on the concept that conformational variability can aid in the binding process and, for disordered proteins, can even facilitate the binding of more diverse ligands. This latter consideration indicates that such a design process should be less restrictive so that multiple inhibitors might be effective. The example chosen here focuses on proteins/peptides that bind to hemagglutinin (HA) to block the large-scale conformational change for activation. Variability in the conformations is considered from sets of experimental structures, or as an alternative, from their simple computed dynamics; the set of designe peptides/small proteins from the David Baker lab designed to bind to hemagglutinin, is the large set considered and is assessed with the new empirical contact potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert L. Jernigan
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Kannan Sankar
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Kejue Jia
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Eshel Faraggi
- Research and Information Systems, LLC, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Physics, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Andrzej Kloczkowski
- Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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91
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Verkhivker GM, Di Paola L. Dynamic Network Modeling of Allosteric Interactions and Communication Pathways in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Trimer Mutants: Differential Modulation of Conformational Landscapes and Signal Transmission via Cascades of Regulatory Switches. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:850-873. [PMID: 33448856 PMCID: PMC7839160 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c10637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The rapidly growing body of structural and biochemical studies of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein has revealed a variety of distinct functional states with radically different arrangements of the receptor-binding domain, highlighting a remarkable function-driven conformational plasticity and adaptability of the spike proteins. In this study, we examined molecular mechanisms underlying conformational and dynamic changes in the SARS-CoV-2 spike mutant trimers through the lens of dynamic analysis of allosteric interaction networks and atomistic modeling of signal transmission. Using an integrated approach that combined coarse-grained molecular simulations, protein stability analysis, and perturbation-based modeling of residue interaction networks, we examined how mutations in the regulatory regions of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can differentially affect dynamics and allosteric signaling in distinct functional states. The results of this study revealed key functional regions and regulatory centers that govern collective dynamics, allosteric interactions, and control signal transmission in the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins. We found that the experimentally confirmed regulatory hotspots that dictate dynamic switching between conformational states of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein correspond to the key hinge sites and global mediating centers of the allosteric interaction networks. The results of this study provide a novel insight into allosteric regulatory mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins showing that mutations at the key regulatory positions can differentially modulate distribution of states and determine topography of signal communication pathways operating through state-specific cascades of control switch points. This analysis provides a plausible strategy for allosteric probing of the conformational equilibrium and therapeutic intervention by targeting specific hotspots of allosteric interactions and communications in the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady M. Verkhivker
- Keck
Center for Science and Engineering, Schmid College of Science and
Technology, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, California 92866, United States
- Department
of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, California 92618, United States
| | - Luisa Di Paola
- Unit
of Chemical-Physics Fundamentals in Chemical Engineering, Department
of Engineering, Università Campus
Bio-Medico di Roma, via
Álvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
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92
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Liu Y, Vashisth H. Allosteric Pathways Originating at Cysteine Residues in Regulators of G-Protein Signaling Proteins. Biophys J 2020; 120:517-526. [PMID: 33347886 PMCID: PMC7895990 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins play a central role in modulating signaling via G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Specifically, RGS proteins bind to activated Gα subunits in G-proteins, accelerate the GTP hydrolysis, and thereby rapidly dampen GPCR signaling. Therefore, covalent molecules targeting conserved cysteine residues among RGS proteins have emerged as potential candidates to inhibit the RGS/Gα protein-protein interaction and enhance GPCR signaling. Although these inhibitors bind to conserved cysteine residues among RGS proteins, we have previously suggested [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018;140:3454–3460] that their potencies and specificities are related to differential protein dynamics among RGS proteins. Using data from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal these differences in dynamics of RGS proteins by partitioning the protein structural space into a network of communities that allow allosteric signals to propagate along unique pathways originating at inhibitor binding sites and terminating at the RGS/Gα protein-protein interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire
| | - Harish Vashisth
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire.
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93
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Zhang DY, Wang J, Dokholyan NV. Prefusion spike protein stabilization through computational mutagenesis. Proteins 2020; 89:399-408. [PMID: 33231324 PMCID: PMC7753443 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)‐like coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) has emerged as a human pathogen, causing global pandemic and resulting in over 400 000 deaths worldwide. The surface spike protein of SARS‐CoV‐2 mediates the process of coronavirus entry into human cells by binding angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Due to the critical role in viral‐host interaction and the exposure of spike protein, it has been a focus of most vaccines' developments. However, the structural and biochemical studies of the spike protein are challenging because it is thermodynamically metastable. Here, we develop a new pipeline that automatically identifies mutants that thermodynamically stabilize the spike protein. Our pipeline integrates bioinformatics analysis of conserved residues, motion dynamics from molecular dynamics simulations, and other structural analysis to identify residues that significantly contribute to the thermodynamic stability of the spike protein. We then utilize our previously developed protein design tool, Eris, to predict thermodynamically stabilizing mutations in proteins. We validate the ability of our pipeline to identify protein stabilization mutants through known prefusion spike protein mutants. We finally utilize the pipeline to identify new prefusion spike protein stabilization mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Yan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.,Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
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94
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Silva SRB, de Lima Neto JX, Fuzo CA, Fulco UL, Vieira DS. A quantum biochemistry investigation of the protein-protein interactions for the description of allosteric modulation on biomass-degrading chimera. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:25936-25948. [PMID: 33164009 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp04415f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide dependence of population on fossil fuels continues to have several harmful implications for the environment. Bioethanol is an excellent option for renewable fuel to replace the current greenhouse gas emitters. In addition, its production by enzymatic route has gained space among the industrial processes because it replaces the traditional acid treatment. Due to its high versatility, the xylanase family is used in this process as an accessory enzyme for degrading the lignocellulosic substrate of biomass. A chimera built by a xylanolytic domain (Xyl) and a xylose-binding protein (XBP) showed an experimentally improved catalytic efficiency and interdomain allosteric modulation after xylose binding. In this context, we performed a quantum biochemistry characterization of the interactions between these domains and dynamic cross-correlation (DCC) analysis after performing molecular dynamics (DM) simulations of the systems in the presence and absence of xylose in the XBP active site. We used the density functional theory (DFT) within the molecular fractionation with the conjugated caps (MFCC) approach to describe the pair energies, and the corresponding energy difference between the chimera domains responsible for the allosteric effect and amino acid DCC to evaluate the interdomain coupling differences between the energy states. The detailed energetic investigation together with the related structural and dynamics counterparts revealed the molecular mechanisms of chimeric improvement of the xylanase activity observed experimentally. This mechanism was correlated with greater stability and high connectivity at the interdomain interface in the xylose bound relative to the free chimera. We identify the contributions of hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions and water-mediated interactions in the interdomain region responsible for stability together with the structural and dynamical elements related to the allosteric effect. Taken together, these observations led to a comprehensive understanding of the chimera's modulatory action that occurs through the formation of a highly connected interface that makes the essential movements related to xylanolytic activity in xylanase correlated to those of the xylose-binding protein.
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95
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Verkhivker GM. Molecular Simulations and Network Modeling Reveal an Allosteric Signaling in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Proteins. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:4587-4608. [PMID: 33006900 PMCID: PMC7640983 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The development of computational strategies for the quantitative characterization of the functional mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins is of paramount importance in efforts to accelerate the discovery of novel therapeutic agents and vaccines combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Structural and biophysical studies have recently characterized the conformational landscapes of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins in the prefusion form, revealing a spectrum of stable and more dynamic states. By employing molecular simulations and network modeling approaches, this study systematically examined functional dynamics and identified the regulatory centers of allosteric interactions for distinct functional states of the wild-type and mutant variants of the SARS-CoV-2 prefusion spike trimer. This study presents evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can function as an allosteric regulatory engine that fluctuates between dynamically distinct functional states. Perturbation-based modeling of the interaction networks revealed a key role of the cross-talk between the effector hotspots in the receptor binding domain and the fusion peptide proximal region of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The results have shown that the allosteric hotspots of the interaction networks in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can control the dynamic switching between functional conformational states that are associated with virus entry to the host receptor. This study offers a useful and novel perspective on the underlying mechanisms of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein through the lens of allosteric signaling as a regulatory apparatus of virus transmission that could open up opportunities for targeted allosteric drug discovery against SARS-CoV-2 proteins and contribute to the rapid response to the current and potential future pandemic scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady M. Verkhivker
- Graduate
Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Keck Center for Science
and Engineering, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, California 92866, United States
- Department
of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, California 92618, United States
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96
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Functional plasticity and evolutionary adaptation of allosteric regulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:25445-25454. [PMID: 32999067 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2002613117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Allostery is a fundamental regulatory mechanism of protein function. Despite notable advances, understanding the molecular determinants of allostery remains an elusive goal. Our current knowledge of allostery is principally shaped by a structure-centric view, which makes it difficult to understand the decentralized character of allostery. We present a function-centric approach using deep mutational scanning to elucidate the molecular basis and underlying functional landscape of allostery. We show that allosteric signaling exhibits a high degree of functional plasticity and redundancy through myriad mutational pathways. Residues critical for allosteric signaling are surprisingly poorly conserved while those required for structural integrity are highly conserved, suggesting evolutionary pressure to preserve fold over function. Our results suggest multiple solutions to the thermodynamic conditions of cooperativity, in contrast to the common view of a finely tuned allosteric residue network maintained under selection.
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97
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Roy P, Roy S, Sengupta N. Disulfide Reduction Allosterically Destabilizes the β-Ladder Subdomain Assembly within the NS1 Dimer of ZIKV. Biophys J 2020; 119:1525-1537. [PMID: 32946768 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Zika virus (ZIKV) was responsible for a recent debilitating epidemic that till date has no cure. A potential way to reduce ZIKV virulence is to limit the action of the nonstructural proteins involved in its viral replication. One such protein, NS1, encoded as a monomer by the viral genome, plays a major role via symmetric oligomerization. We examine the homodimeric structure of the dominant β-ladder segment of NS1 with extensive all atom molecular dynamics. We find it stably bounded by two spatially separated interaction clusters (C1 and C2) with significant differences in the nature of their interactions. Four pairs of distal, intramonomeric disulfide bonds are found to be coupled to the stability, local structure, and wettability of the interfacial region. Symmetric reduction of the intramonomeric disulfides triggers marked dynamical heterogeneity, interfacial wettability, and asymmetric salt-bridging propensity. Harnessing the model-free Lipari-Szabo based formalism for estimation of conformational entropy (Sconf), we find clear signatures of heterogeneity in the monomeric conformational entropies. The observed asymmetry, very small in the unperturbed state, expands significantly in the reduced states. This allosteric effect is most noticeable in the electrostatically bound C2 cluster that underlies the greatest stability in the unperturbed state. Allosteric induction of conformational and thermodynamic asymmetry is expected to affect the pathways leading to symmetric higher-ordered oligomerization, and thereby affect crucial replication pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priti Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Subhajit Roy
- Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CBS), University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari, Mumbai, India
| | - Neelanjana Sengupta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal, India.
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98
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Deb A, Grewal RK, Roy S, Mitra D. Residue interaction dynamics in
Vaucheria
aureochrome1 light‐oxygen‐voltage: Bridging theory and experiments. Proteins 2020; 88:1660-1674. [DOI: 10.1002/prot.25984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anwesha Deb
- Department of Life Sciences Presidency University Kolkata India
| | | | - Soumen Roy
- Department of Physics Bose Institute Kolkata India
| | - Devrani Mitra
- Department of Life Sciences Presidency University Kolkata India
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99
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Wang J, Jain A, McDonald LR, Gambogi C, Lee AL, Dokholyan NV. Mapping allosteric communications within individual proteins. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3862. [PMID: 32737291 PMCID: PMC7395124 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17618-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Allostery in proteins influences various biological processes such as regulation of gene transcription and activities of enzymes and cell signaling. Computational approaches for analysis of allosteric coupling provide inexpensive opportunities to predict mutations and to design small-molecule agents to control protein function and cellular activity. We develop a computationally efficient network-based method, Ohm, to identify and characterize allosteric communication networks within proteins. Unlike previously developed simulation-based approaches, Ohm relies solely on the structure of the protein of interest. We use Ohm to map allosteric networks in a dataset composed of 20 proteins experimentally identified to be allosterically regulated. Further, the Ohm allostery prediction for the protein CheY correlates well with NMR CHESCA studies. Our webserver, Ohm.dokhlab.org, automatically determines allosteric network architecture and identifies critical coupled residues within this network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA
| | - Abha Jain
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7363, USA
| | - Leanna R McDonald
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7363, USA
| | - Craig Gambogi
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7363, USA
| | - Andrew L Lee
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7363, USA
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA.
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100
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D'Amico RN, Murray AM, Boehr DD. Driving Protein Conformational Cycles in Physiology and Disease: "Frustrated" Amino Acid Interaction Networks Define Dynamic Energy Landscapes: Amino Acid Interaction Networks Change Progressively Along Alpha Tryptophan Synthase's Catalytic Cycle. Bioessays 2020; 42:e2000092. [PMID: 32720327 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A general framework by which dynamic interactions within a protein will promote the necessary series of structural changes, or "conformational cycle," required for function is proposed. It is suggested that the free-energy landscape of a protein is biased toward this conformational cycle. Fluctuations into higher energy, although thermally accessible, conformations drive the conformational cycle forward. The amino acid interaction network is defined as those intraprotein interactions that contribute most to the free-energy landscape. Some network connections are consistent in every structural state, while others periodically change their interaction strength according to the conformational cycle. It is reviewed here that structural transitions change these periodic network connections, which then predisposes the protein toward the next set of network changes, and hence the next structural change. These concepts are illustrated by recent work on tryptophan synthase. Disruption of these dynamic connections may lead to aberrant protein function and disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N D'Amico
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 107 Chemistry Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Alec M Murray
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 107 Chemistry Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - David D Boehr
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 107 Chemistry Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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