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Hlouchová K. Peptides En Route from Prebiotic to Biotic Catalysis. Acc Chem Res 2024. [PMID: 39016062 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
ConspectusIn the quest to understand prebiotic catalysis, different molecular entities, mainly minerals, metal ions, organic cofactors, and ribozymes, have been implied as key players. Of these, inorganic and organic cofactors have gained attention for their ability to catalyze a wide array of reactions central to modern metabolism and frequently participate in these reactions within modern enzymes. Nevertheless, bridging the gap between prebiotic and modern metabolism remains a fundamental question in the origins of life.In this Account, peptides are investigated as a potential bridge linking prebiotic catalysis by minerals/cofactors to enzymes that dominate modern life's chemical reactions. Before ribosomal synthesis emerged, peptides of random sequences were plausible on early Earth. This was made possible by different sources of amino acid delivery and synthesis, as well as their condensation under a variety of conditions. Early peptides and proteins probably exhibited distinct compositions, enriched in small aliphatic and acidic residues. An increase in abundance of amino acids with larger side chains and canonical basic groups was most likely dependent on the emergence of their more challenging (bio)synthesis. Pressing questions thus arise: how did this composition influence the early peptide properties, and to what extent could they contribute to early metabolism?Recent research from our group and colleagues shows that highly acidic peptides/proteins comprising only the presumably "early" amino acids are in fact competent at secondary structure formation and even possess adaptive folding characteristics such as spontaneous refoldability and chaperone independence to achieve soluble structures. Moreover, we showed that highly acidic proteins of presumably "early" composition can still bind RNA by utilizing metal ions as cofactors to bridge carboxylate and phosphoester functional groups. And finally, ancient organic cofactors were shown to be capable of binding to sequences from amino acids considered prebiotically plausible, supporting their folding properties and providing functional groups, which would nominate them as catalytic hubs of great prebiotic relevance.These findings underscore the biochemical plausibility of an early peptide/protein world devoid of more complex amino acids yet collaborating with other catalytic species. Drawing from the mechanistic properties of protein-cofactor catalysis, it is speculated here that the early peptide/protein-cofactor ensemble could facilitate a similar range of chemical reactions, albeit with lower catalytic rates. This hypothesis invites a systematic experimental test.Nonetheless, this Account does not exclude other scenarios of prebiotic-to-biotic catalysis or prioritize any specific pathways of prebiotic syntheses. The objective is to examine peptide availability, composition, and functional potential among the various factors involved in the emergence of early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klára Hlouchová
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 12800, Czech Republic
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 16610, Czech Republic
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2
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Kwong RWM. Trace metals in the teleost fish gill: biological roles, uptake regulation, and detoxification mechanisms. J Comp Physiol B 2024:10.1007/s00360-024-01565-1. [PMID: 38916671 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01565-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
In fish, the gill plays a vital role in regulating the absorption of trace metals and is also highly susceptible to metal toxicity. Trace metals such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) are involved in various catalytic activities and molecular binding within the gill, thereby supporting a range of physiological processes in this organ. While beneficial at normal levels, these metals can become toxic when present in excess. Conversely, nonessential metals like cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) can gain entry into gill cells through similar metal transport pathways, potentially interfering with various cellular processes. The transepithelial transport of these metals across the gill epithelium is governed by a variety of metal transport and metal binding proteins. These include the Cu transporter 1 (CTR1), divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), and members of the Zrt-/Irt-like protein (ZIP) and zinc transport (ZnT) families. Additionally, some of these metals can compete with major ions (e.g., calcium, sodium) for absorption sites in the gill. This complex crosstalk suggests an interdependent mechanism that balances metal uptake to meet physiological needs while preventing excessive accumulation. In this article, I review the roles of trace metals in proteins/enzymes that support the different functions in the gill of teleost fish. I also discuss current understanding of the pathways involved in regulating the branchial uptake of metals and their influence on ionic regulation, and the potential detoxification mechanisms in the gill. Finally, I summarize knowledge gaps and potential areas for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond W M Kwong
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.
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3
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Zheng Z, Goncearenco A, Berezovsky IN. Back in time to the Gly-rich prototype of the phosphate binding elementary function. Curr Res Struct Biol 2024; 7:100142. [PMID: 38655428 PMCID: PMC11035071 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2024.100142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Binding of nucleotides and their derivatives is one of the most ancient elementary functions dating back to the Origin of Life. We review here the works considering one of the key elements in binding of (di)nucleotide-containing ligands - phosphate binding. We start from a brief discussion of major participants, conditions, and events in prebiotic evolution that resulted in the Origin of Life. Tracing back to the basic functions, including metal and phosphate binding, and, potentially, formation of primitive protein-protein interactions, we focus here on the phosphate binding. Critically assessing works on the structural, functional, and evolutionary aspects of phosphate binding, we perform a simple computational experiment reconstructing its most ancient and generic sequence prototype. The profiles of the phosphate binding signatures have been derived in form of position-specific scoring matrices (PSSMs), their peculiarities depending on the type of the ligands have been analyzed, and evolutionary connections between them have been delineated. Then, the apparent prototype that gave rise to all relevant phosphate-binding signatures had also been reconstructed. We show that two major signatures of the phosphate binding that discriminate between the binding of dinucleotide- and nucleotide-containing ligands are GxGxxG and GxxGxG, respectively. It appears that the signature archetypal for dinucleotide-containing ligands is more generic, and it can frequently bind phosphate groups in nucleotide-containing ligands as well. The reconstructed prototype's key signature GxGGxG underlies the role of glycine residues in providing flexibility and interactions necessary for binding the phosphate groups. The prototype also contains other ancient amino acids, valine, and alanine, showing versatility towards evolutionary design and functional diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zejun Zheng
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01, Matrix, 138671, Singapore
| | | | - Igor N. Berezovsky
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01, Matrix, 138671, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences (DBS), National University of Singapore (NUS), 8 Medical Drive, 117579, Singapore
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4
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Zhao Y, Liu X, Xiao Z, Zhou J, Song X, Wang X, Hu L, Wang Y, Sun P, Wang W, He X, Lin S, Deng Z, Pan L, Jiang M. O-methyltransferase-like enzyme catalyzed diazo installation in polyketide biosynthesis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5372. [PMID: 37666836 PMCID: PMC10477347 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41062-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Diazo compounds are rare natural products possessing various biological activities. Kinamycin and lomaiviticin, two diazo natural products featured by the diazobenzofluorene core, exhibit exceptional potency as chemotherapeutic agents. Despite the extensive studies on their biosynthetic gene clusters and the assembly of their polyketide scaffolds, the formation of the characteristic diazo group remains elusive. L-Glutamylhydrazine was recently shown to be the hydrazine donor in kinamycin biosynthesis, however, the mechanism for the installation of the hydrazine group onto the kinamycin scaffold is still unclear. Here we describe an O-methyltransferase-like protein, AlpH, which is responsible for the hydrazine incorporation in kinamycin biosynthesis. AlpH catalyses a unique SAM-independent coupling of L-glutamylhydrazine and polyketide intermediate via a rare Mannich reaction in polyketide biosynthesis. Our discovery expands the catalytic diversity of O-methyltransferase-like enzymes and lays a strong foundation for the discovery and development of novel diazo natural products through genome mining and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xiangyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Zhihong Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xingyu Song
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, 200438, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaozheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Lijun Hu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, Center for Bioactive Natural Molecules and Innovative Drugs Research, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Ying Wang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, Center for Bioactive Natural Molecules and Innovative Drugs Research, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Peng Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, 325 Guo-He Road, 200433, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Wenning Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, 200438, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyi He
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Shuangjun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Zixin Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Lifeng Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200032, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China.
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5
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Dickins TE. The Role of Information in Evolutionary Biology. Acta Biotheor 2023; 71:17. [PMID: 37184719 PMCID: PMC10185631 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-023-09468-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The Modern Synthesis has received criticism for its purported gene-centrism. That criticism relies on a concept of the gene as a unit of instructional information. In this paper I discuss information concepts and endorse one, developed from Floridi, that sees information as a functional relationship between data and context. I use this concept to inspect developmental criticisms of the Modern Synthesis and argue that the instructional gene arose as an idealization practice when evolutionary biologists made comment on development. However, a closer inspection of key claims shows that at least some associated with the Modern Synthesis were in fact adopting the data led definition I favour and made clear arguments for the role of developmental processes beyond genetic input. There was no instructional gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Dickins
- Faculty of Science & Technology, Middlesex University, London, U.K..
- Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics, London, U.K..
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6
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Gutierrez-Rus LI, Gamiz-Arco G, Gavira JA, Gaucher EA, Risso VA, Sanchez-Ruiz JM. Protection of catalytic cofactors by polypeptides as a driver for the emergence of primordial enzymes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.14.532612. [PMID: 36993774 PMCID: PMC10055001 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.532612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Enzymes catalyze the chemical reactions of life. For nearly half of known enzymes, catalysis requires the binding of small molecules known as cofactors. Polypeptide-cofactor complexes likely formed at a primordial stage and became starting points for the evolution of many efficient enzymes. Yet, evolution has no foresight so the driver for the primordial complex formation is unknown. Here, we use a resurrected ancestral TIM-barrel protein to identify one potential driver. Heme binding at a flexible region of the ancestral structure yields a peroxidation catalyst with enhanced efficiency when compared to free heme. This enhancement, however, does not arise from protein-mediated promotion of catalysis. Rather, it reflects protection of bound heme from common degradation processes and a resulting longer life time and higher effective concentration for the catalyst. Protection of catalytic cofactors by polypeptides emerges as a general mechanism to enhance catalysis and may have plausibly benefited primordial polypeptide-cofactor associations.
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7
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Prebiotic Synthesis of ATP: A Terrestrial Volcanism-Dependent Pathway. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13030731. [PMID: 36983886 PMCID: PMC10053121 DOI: 10.3390/life13030731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a multifunctional small molecule, necessary for all modern Earth life, which must be a component of the last universal common ancestor (LUCA). However, the relatively complex structure of ATP causes doubts about its accessibility on prebiotic Earth. In this paper, based on previous studies on the synthesis of ATP components, a plausible prebiotic pathway yielding this key molecule is constructed, which relies on terrestrial volcanism to provide the required materials and suitable conditions.
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The Legend of ATP: From Origin of Life to Precision Medicine. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12050461. [PMID: 35629965 PMCID: PMC9148104 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12050461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) may be the most important biological small molecule. Since it was discovered in 1929, ATP has been regarded as life’s energy reservoir. However, this compound means more to life. Its legend starts at the dawn of life and lasts to this day. ATP must be the basic component of ancient ribozymes and may facilitate the origin of structured proteins. In the existing organisms, ATP continues to construct ribonucleic acid (RNA) and work as a protein cofactor. ATP also functions as a biological hydrotrope, which may keep macromolecules soluble in the primitive environment and can regulate phase separation in modern cells. These functions are involved in the pathogenesis of aging-related diseases and breast cancer, providing clues to discovering anti-aging agents and precision medicine tactics for breast cancer.
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9
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Fried SD, Fujishima K, Makarov M, Cherepashuk I, Hlouchova K. Peptides before and during the nucleotide world: an origins story emphasizing cooperation between proteins and nucleic acids. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20210641. [PMID: 35135297 PMCID: PMC8833103 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent developments in Origins of Life research have focused on substantiating the narrative of an abiotic emergence of nucleic acids from organic molecules of low molecular weight, a paradigm that typically sidelines the roles of peptides. Nevertheless, the simple synthesis of amino acids, the facile nature of their activation and condensation, their ability to recognize metals and cofactors and their remarkable capacity to self-assemble make peptides (and their analogues) favourable candidates for one of the earliest functional polymers. In this mini-review, we explore the ramifications of this hypothesis. Diverse lines of research in molecular biology, bioinformatics, geochemistry, biophysics and astrobiology provide clues about the progression and early evolution of proteins, and lend credence to the idea that early peptides served many central prebiotic roles before they were encodable by a polynucleotide template, in a putative 'peptide-polynucleotide stage'. For example, early peptides and mini-proteins could have served as catalysts, compartments and structural hubs. In sum, we shed light on the role of early peptides and small proteins before and during the nucleotide world, in which nascent life fully grasped the potential of primordial proteins, and which has left an imprint on the idiosyncratic properties of extant proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D Fried
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21212, USA.,Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21212, USA
| | - Kosuke Fujishima
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 1528550, Japan.,Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa 2520882, Japan
| | - Mikhail Makarov
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Prague 12800, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Cherepashuk
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Prague 12800, Czech Republic
| | - Klara Hlouchova
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Prague 12800, Czech Republic.,Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 16610, Czech Republic
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10
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Chu XY, Wang G, Zhang HY. ATP as an anti-aging agent: Beyond the energy reservoir. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:2783-2785. [PMID: 34634478 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yi Chu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, Zhejiang, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Hong-Yu Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
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11
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Freire MÁ. Short non-coded peptides interacting with cofactors facilitated the integration of early chemical networks. Biosystems 2021; 211:104547. [PMID: 34547425 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2021.104547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Independently developed iron-sulphur/thioester- and phosphate-driven chemical reactions would have set up two distinct reaction networks prior to coupling in a proto-metabolic system supporting a minimal organisation closure. Each chemical system assisted initially by simple catalysts and then by more complex cofactors would have provided the precursors of the small metabolites and monomer units along with their respective polymers through dehydrating template-independent assemblies. For example, acylation reactions mediated by activated thioester groups produced peptides, fatty acids and polyhydroxyalkanoates, while phosphorylation reactions by phosphorylating agents allowed the synthesis of polysaccharides, polyribonucleotides and polyphosphates. Here, we address how these independent chemical systems might fit together and shaped a proto-metabolic system, focusing specifically on cofactors as molecular fossils of metabolism. As a result, the proposed overview suggests that non-coded peptides capable of binding a variety of ligands, but in particular with a redox active versatility and/or group transfer potential could have facilitated the chemical connections that led to a minimal closure with a proto-metabolism. Later developments would have made it possible to establish a cellular organisation with more complex and interdependent metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ángel Freire
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC). Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, CC 495, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina.
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12
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Chu XY, Chen SM, Zhao KW, Tian T, Gao J, Zhang HY. Plausibility of Early Life in a Relatively Wide Temperature Range: Clues from Simulated Metabolic Network Expansion. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080738. [PMID: 34440482 PMCID: PMC8398716 DOI: 10.3390/life11080738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The debate on the temperature of the environment where life originated is still inconclusive. Metabolic reactions constitute the basis of life, and may be a window to the world where early life was born. Temperature is an important parameter of reaction thermodynamics, which determines whether metabolic reactions can proceed. In this study, the scale of the prebiotic metabolic network at different temperatures was examined by a thermodynamically constrained network expansion simulation. It was found that temperature has limited influence on the scale of the simulated metabolic networks, implying that early life may have occurred in a relatively wide temperature range.
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13
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Gamiz-Arco G, Gutierrez-Rus LI, Risso VA, Ibarra-Molero B, Hoshino Y, Petrović D, Justicia J, Cuerva JM, Romero-Rivera A, Seelig B, Gavira JA, Kamerlin SCL, Gaucher EA, Sanchez-Ruiz JM. Heme-binding enables allosteric modulation in an ancient TIM-barrel glycosidase. Nat Commun 2021; 12:380. [PMID: 33452262 PMCID: PMC7810902 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20630-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycosidases are phylogenetically widely distributed enzymes that are crucial for the cleavage of glycosidic bonds. Here, we present the exceptional properties of a putative ancestor of bacterial and eukaryotic family-1 glycosidases. The ancestral protein shares the TIM-barrel fold with its modern descendants but displays large regions with greatly enhanced conformational flexibility. Yet, the barrel core remains comparatively rigid and the ancestral glycosidase activity is stable, with an optimum temperature within the experimental range for thermophilic family-1 glycosidases. None of the ∼5500 reported crystallographic structures of ∼1400 modern glycosidases show a bound porphyrin. Remarkably, the ancestral glycosidase binds heme tightly and stoichiometrically at a well-defined buried site. Heme binding rigidifies this TIM-barrel and allosterically enhances catalysis. Our work demonstrates the capability of ancestral protein reconstructions to reveal valuable but unexpected biomolecular features when sampling distant sequence space. The potential of the ancestral glycosidase as a scaffold for custom catalysis and biosensor engineering is discussed. Family 1 glycosidases (GH1) are present in the three domains of life and share classical TIM-barrel fold. Structural and biochemical analyses of a resurrected ancestral GH1 enzyme reveal heme binding, not known in its modern descendants. Heme rigidifies the TIM-barrel and allosterically enhances catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Gamiz-Arco
- Departamento de Quimica Fisica. Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Quimica Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Luis I Gutierrez-Rus
- Departamento de Quimica Fisica. Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Quimica Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Valeria A Risso
- Departamento de Quimica Fisica. Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Quimica Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Beatriz Ibarra-Molero
- Departamento de Quimica Fisica. Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Quimica Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Yosuke Hoshino
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Dušan Petrović
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, BMC Box 576, S-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.,Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceutical R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 50, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jose Justicia
- Departamento de Quimica Organica. Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Quimica Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Cuerva
- Departamento de Quimica Organica. Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Quimica Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Adrian Romero-Rivera
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, BMC Box 576, S-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Burckhard Seelig
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America, & BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Jose A Gavira
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalograficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC, Unidad de Excelencia de Quimica Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Granada, 18100, Armilla, Spain
| | - Shina C L Kamerlin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, BMC Box 576, S-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Eric A Gaucher
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| | - Jose M Sanchez-Ruiz
- Departamento de Quimica Fisica. Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Quimica Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.
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14
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Tong XY, Quan Y, Zhang HY. NUDT5 as a novel drug target and prognostic biomarker for ER-positive breast cancer. Drug Discov Today 2020; 26:620-625. [PMID: 33276127 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BRCA) is the most common malignant tumor in women. The estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) subtype accounts for ∼70% of BRCA cases. Estrogen is a crucial hormone that directly stimulates the growth and development of mammary glands. Recent studies revealed that, as an estrogen cofactor, ATP has an important role in determining the action of estrogen by mediating phase separation. NUDT5 has been recognized as a key factor for ATP production in the nucleus of BRCA cells and, therefore, could represent a novel drug target for ER+ BRCA. Based on a survival analysis of patients with BRCA documented in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TGCA) database, we show that NUDT5 is also a potential prognostic biomarker for ER+ BRCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yu Tong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Yuan Quan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Hong-Yu Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
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