On interpretation of protein X-ray structures: Planarity of the peptide unit

Validation of protein backbone structures calculated from NMR angular restraints using Rosetta

Multidimensional solid-state NMR spectra of oriented membrane proteins can be used to infer the backbone torsion angles and hence the overall protein fold by measuring dipolar couplings and chemical shift anisotropies, which depend on the orientation of each peptide plane with respect to the external magnetic field. However, multiple peptide plane orientations can be consistent with a given set of angular restraints. This ambiguity is further exacerbated by experimental uncertainty in obtaining and interpreting such restraints. The previously developed algorithms for structure calculations using angular restraints typically involve a sequential walkthrough along the backbone to find the torsion angles between the consecutive peptide plane orientations that are consistent with the experimental data. This method is sensitive to experimental uncertainty in interpreting the peak positions of as low as ± 10 Hz, often yielding high structural RMSDs for the calculated structures. Here we present a significantly improved version of the algorithm which includes the fitting of several peptide planes at once in order to prevent propagation of error along the backbone. In addition, a protocol has been devised for filtering the structural solutions using Rosetta scoring functions in order to find the structures that both fit the spectrum and satisfy bioinformatics restraints. The robustness of the new algorithm has been tested using synthetic angular restraints generated from the known structures for two proteins: a soluble protein 2gb1 (56 residues), chosen for its diverse secondary structure elements, i.e. an alpha-helix and two beta-sheets, and a membrane protein 4a2n, from which the first two transmembrane helices (having a total of 64 residues) have been used. Extensive simulations have been performed by varying the number of fitted planes, experimental error, and the number of NMR dimensions. It has been found that simultaneously fitting two peptide planes always shifted the distribution of the calculated structures toward lower structural RMSD values as compared to fitting a single torsion-angle pair. For each protein, irrespective of the simulation parameters, Rosetta was able to distinguish the most plausible structures, often having structural RMSDs lower than 2 Å with respect to the original structure. This study establishes a framework for de-novo protein structure prediction using a combination of solid-state NMR angular restraints and bioinformatics.

Synergistic effects of functionally distinct substitutions in β-lactamase variants shed light on the evolution of bacterial drug resistance

The CTX-M β-lactamases have emerged as the most widespread extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) in Gram-negative bacteria. These enzymes rapidly hydrolyze cefotaxime, but not the related cephalosporin, ceftazidime. ESBL variants have evolved, however, that provide enhanced ceftazidime resistance. We show here that a natural variant at a nonactive site, i.e. second-shell residue N106S, enhances enzyme stability but reduces catalytic efficiency for cefotaxime and ceftazidime and decreases resistance levels. However, when the N106S variant was combined with an active-site variant, D240G, that enhances enzyme catalytic efficiency, but decreases stability, the resultant double mutant exhibited higher resistance levels than predicted on the basis of the phenotypes of each variant. We found that this epistasis is due to compensatory effects, whereby increased stability provided by N106S overrides its cost of decreased catalytic activity. X-ray structures of the variant enzymes in complex with cefotaxime revealed conformational changes in the active-site loop spanning residues 103-106 that were caused by the N106S substitution and relieve steric strain to stabilize the enzyme, but also alter contacts with cefotaxime and thereby reduce catalytic activity. We noted that the 103-106 loop conformation in the N106S-containing variants is different from that of WT CTX-M but nearly identical to that of the non-ESBL, TEM-1 β-lactamase, having a serine at the 106 position. Therefore, residue 106 may serve as a "switch" that toggles the conformations of the 103-106 loop. When it is serine, the loop is in the non-ESBL, TEM-like conformation, and when it is asparagine, the loop is in a CTX-M-like, cefotaximase-favorable conformation.

Factors affecting the amplitude of the τ angle in proteins: a revisitation

The protein folded state is the result of the fine balance of a variety of different forces. Even minor structural perturbations may have a significant impact on the stability of these macromolecules. Studies carried out in recent decades have led to the convergent view that proteins are endowed with a flexible spine. One of the open issues related to protein local backbone geometry is the identification of the factors that influence the amplitude of the τ (N—Cα—C) angle. Here, statistical analyses performed on an updated ensemble of X-ray protein structures by dissecting the contribution of the major factors that can potentially influence the local backbone geometry of proteins are reported. The data clearly indicate that the local backbone conformation has a prominent impact on the modulation of the τ angle. Therefore, a proper assessment of the impact of the other potential factors can only be appropriately evaluated when small (φ, ψ) regions are considered. Here, it is shown that when the contribution of the backbone conformation is removed by considering small (φ, ψ) areas, an impact of secondary structure, as defined byDSSP, and/or the residue type on τ is still detectable, although to a limited extent. Indeed, distinct τ-value distributions are detected for Pro/Gly and β-branched (Ile/Val) residues. The key role of the local backbone conformation highlighted here supports the use of variable local backbone geometry in protein refinement protocols.

Stereochemistry and Validation of Macromolecular Structures

Macromolecular structure is governed by the strict rules of stereochemistry. Several approaches to the validation of the correctness of the interpretation of crystallographic and NMR data that underlie the models deposited in the PDB are utilized in practice. The stereochemical rules applicable to macromolecular structures are discussed in this chapter. Practical, computer-based methods and tools of verification of how well the models adhere to those established structural principles to assure their quality are summarized.

Removal of the Side Chain at the Active-Site Serine by a Glycine Substitution Increases the Stability of a Wide Range of Serine β-Lactamases by Relieving Steric Strain

Serine β-lactamases are bacterial enzymes that hydrolyze β-lactam antibiotics. They utilize an active-site serine residue as a nucleophile, forming an acyl-enzyme intermediate during hydrolysis. In this study, thermal denaturation experiments as well as X-ray crystallography were performed to test the effect of substitution of the catalytic serine with glycine on protein stability in serine β-lactamases. Six different enzymes comprising representatives from each of the three classes of serine β-lactamases were examined, including TEM-1, CTX-M-14, and KPC-2 of class A, P99 of class C, and OXA-48 and OXA-163 of class D. For each enzyme, the wild type and a serine-to-glycine mutant were evaluated for stability. The glycine mutants all exhibited enhanced thermostability compared to that of the wild type. In contrast, alanine substitutions of the catalytic serine in TEM-1, OXA-48, and OXA-163 did not alter stability, suggesting removal of the Cβ atom is key to the stability increase associated with the glycine mutants. The X-ray crystal structures of P99 S64G, OXA-48 S70G and S70A, and OXA-163 S70G suggest that removal of the side chain of the catalytic serine releases steric strain to improve enzyme stability. Additionally, analysis of the torsion angles at the nucleophile position indicates that the glycine mutants exhibit improved distance and angular parameters of the intrahelical hydrogen bond network compared to those of the wild-type enzymes, which is also consistent with increased stability. The increased stability of the mutants indicates that the enzyme pays a price in stability for the presence of a side chain at the catalytic serine position but that the cost is necessary in that removal of the serine drastically impairs function. These findings support the stability-function hypothesis, which states that active-site residues are optimized for substrate binding and catalysis but that the requirements for catalysis are often not consistent with the requirements for optimal stability.

On the reliability of peptide nonplanarity seen in ultra-high resolution crystal structures

Ultra-high resolution protein crystal structures have been considered as relatively reliable sources for defining details of protein geometry, such as the extent to which the peptide unit deviates from planarity. Chellapa and Rose (Proteins 2015; 83:1687) recently called this into question, reporting that for a dozen representative protein structures determined at ∼ 1 Å resolution, the diffraction data could be equally well fit with models restrained to have highly planar peptides, i.e. having a standard deviation of the ω torsion angles of only ∼ 1° instead of the typically observed value of ∼ 6°. Here, we document both conceptual and practical shortcomings of that study and show that the more tightly restrained models are demonstrably incorrect and do not fit the diffraction data equally well. We emphasize the importance of inspecting electron density maps when investigating the agreement between a model and its experimental data. Overall, this report reinforces that modern standard refinement protocols have been well-conceived and that ultra-high resolution protein crystal structures, when evaluated carefully and used with an awareness of their levels of coordinate uncertainty, are powerful sources of information for providing reliable information about the details of protein geometry.