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Travis CR, Dumais RG, Treacy JW, Kean KM, Houk KN, Waters ML. Contribution of Electrostatic CH 3-π Interactions to Recognition of Histone Asymmetric Dimethylarginine by the SPIN1 Triple Tudor Domain. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:20678-20684. [PMID: 39023428 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c03463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Methylation of arginine (Arg) residues on histones creates a new binding epitope, enabling recognition by aromatic cage binding pockets in Tudor domains; these protein-protein interactions (PPIs) govern gene expression. Despite their biological importance, the molecular details of methylated Arg recognition are poorly understood. While the desolvation, hydrogen bonding, and guanidinium stacking of methylated Arg have been explored in model systems and proposed to contribute to binding, direct interactions between the methyl groups and the aromatic residues in the binding pocket have not previously been investigated. Herein, we mechanistically study the CH3-π interactions between the SPIN1 triple Tudor domain and histone asymmetric dimethylarginine. We find that these CH3-π interactions are electrostatically tunable, exhibiting cation-π character, albeit attenuated relative to cation-π interactions with quaternary ammonium ions, offering key insight into how methylation of Arg alters its binding epitope to enable new PPIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Travis
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Ryan G Dumais
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Joseph W Treacy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, United States
| | - Kelsey M Kean
- Department of Chemistry, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - K N Houk
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, United States
| | - Marcey L Waters
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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Travis CR, Kean KM, Albanese KI, Henriksen HC, Treacy JW, Chao EY, Houk KN, Waters ML. Trimethyllysine Reader Proteins Exhibit Widespread Charge-Agnostic Binding via Different Mechanisms to Cationic and Neutral Ligands. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:3086-3093. [PMID: 38266163 PMCID: PMC11140585 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
In the last 40 years, cation-π interactions have become part of the lexicon of noncovalent forces that drive protein binding. Indeed, tetraalkylammoniums are universally bound by aromatic cages in proteins, suggesting that cation-π interactions are a privileged mechanism for binding these ligands. A prominent example is the recognition of histone trimethyllysine (Kme3) by the conserved aromatic cage of reader proteins, dictating gene expression. However, two proteins have recently been suggested as possible exceptions to the conventional understanding of tetraalkylammonium recognition. To broadly interrogate the role of cation-π interactions in protein binding interactions, we report the first large-scale comparative evaluation of reader proteins for a neutral Kme3 isostere, experimental and computational mechanistic studies, and structural analysis. We find unexpected widespread binding of readers to a neutral isostere with the first examples of readers that bind the neutral isostere more tightly than Kme3. We find that no single factor dictates the charge selectivity, demonstrating the challenge of predicting such interactions. Further, readers that bind both cationic and neutral ligands differ in mechanism: binding Kme3 via cation-π interactions and the neutral isostere through the hydrophobic effect in the same aromatic cage. This discovery explains apparently contradictory results in previous studies, challenges traditional understanding of molecular recognition of tetraalkylammoniums by aromatic cages in myriad protein-ligand interactions, and establishes a new framework for selective inhibitor design by exploiting differences in charge dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R. Travis
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kelsey M. Kean
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Katherine I. Albanese
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hanne C. Henriksen
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Joseph W. Treacy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - Elaine Y. Chao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - K. N. Houk
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - Marcey L. Waters
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Bilgin N, Türkmen VA, Hammami N, Christensen NR, Hintzen JCJ, Mecinović J. Reading and erasing of histone crotonyllysine mimics by the AF9 YEATS domain and SIRT2 deacylase. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 95:117500. [PMID: 37839329 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Lysine acylations on histones and their recognition by chromatin-binding reader domains and removal by histone deacylases function as an important mechanism for eukaryotic gene regulation. Histone lysine crotonylation (Kcr) is an epigenetic mark associated with active transcription, and its installation and removal are dynamically regulated by cellular epigenetic enzymes. Here, we report binding studies and enzyme assays with histone H3K9 peptides bearing simplest Kcr analogs with varying hydrocarbon chain length, bulkiness, rigidity and polarity. We demonstrate that the AF9 YEATS domain displays selectivity for binding of different acylation modifications on histone H3K9 peptides and exhibits preference for bulkier cinnamoylated lysine over crotonylated lysine and its mimics. SIRT2 shows deacylase activity against most of acylated H3K9 peptides bearing different crotonyllysine mimics, however, it displays a poor ability for the removal of cinnamoyl and trifluorocrotonyl groups. These results demonstrate different substrate selectivities of epigenetic proteins acting on crotonyllysine and pave the way for rational design and development of AF9 YEATS and SIRT2 inhibitors for treatment of human diseases, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurgül Bilgin
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Vildan A Türkmen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Nesrin Hammami
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Nadja R Christensen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jordi C J Hintzen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jasmin Mecinović
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark.
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Bilgin N, Moesgaard L, Rahman MM, Türkmen VA, Kongsted J, Mecinović J. Molecular Recognition of Methacryllysine and Crotonyllysine by the AF9 YEATS Domain. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087002. [PMID: 37108167 PMCID: PMC10138300 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone lysine methacrylation and crotonylation are epigenetic marks that play important roles in human gene regulation. Here, we explore the molecular recognition of histone H3 peptides possessing methacryllysine and crotonyllysine at positions 18 and 9 (H3K18 and H3K9) by the AF9 YEATS domain. Our binding studies demonstrate that the AF9 YEATS domain displays a higher binding affinity for histones possessing crotonyllysine than the isomeric methacryllysine, indicating that AF9 YEATS distinguishes between the two regioisomers. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the crotonyllysine/methacryllysine-mediated desolvation of the AF9 YEATS domain provides an important contribution to the recognition of both epigenetic marks. These results provide important knowledge for the development of AF9 YEATS inhibitors, an area of biomedical interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurgül Bilgin
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Laust Moesgaard
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Mohammad M Rahman
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Vildan A Türkmen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jacob Kongsted
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jasmin Mecinović
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
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