Relationships between protein structure and dynamics from a database of NMR-derived backbone order parameters

Bromodomain Interactions with Acetylated Histone 4 Peptides in the BRD4 Tandem Domain: Effects on Domain Dynamics and Internal Flexibility

The bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) protein BRD4 regulates gene expression via recruitment of transcriptional regulatory complexes to acetylated chromatin. Like other BET proteins, BRD4 contains two bromodomains, BD1 and BD2, that can interact cooperatively with target proteins and designed ligands, with important implications for drug discovery. Here, we used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study the dynamics and interactions of the isolated bromodomains, as well as the tandem construct including both domains and the intervening linker, and investigated the effects of binding a tetra-acetylated peptide corresponding to the tail of histone 4. The peptide affinity is lower for both domains in the tandem construct than for the isolated domains. Using ¹⁵N spin relaxation, we determined the global rotational correlation times and residue-specific order parameters for BD1 and BD2. Isolated BD1 is monomeric in the apo state but apparently dimerizes upon binding the tetra-acetylated peptide. Isolated BD2 partially dimerizes in both the apo and peptide-bound states. The backbone order parameters reveal marked differences between BD1 and BD2, primarily in the acetyl-lysine binding site where the ZA loop is more flexible in BD2. Peptide binding reduces the order parameters of the ZA loop in BD1 and the ZA and BC loops in BD2. The AB loop, located distally from the binding site, shows variable dynamics that reflect the different dimerization propensities of the domains. These results provide a basis for understanding target recognition by BRD4.

Insight into the Microcosm of the Human Growth Hormone and Its Interactions with Polymers and Copolymers: A Molecular Dynamics Perspective

Therapeutic proteins nowadays have increasingly been applied for their considerable potential in treating a wide variety of diseases. The effectiveness and potency of native therapeutic proteins are limited by various factors (e.g., stability, blood circulation time, specificity). Over the past years, a great deal of effort has been devoted to developing safe and efficient protein delivery systems. Entrapment of protein into polymeric and copolymeric matrices is common among the different types of protein-based drug formulation. However, despite the massive efforts toward developing therapeutic protein delivery in experimental studies and industrial applications, there is relatively little data on the influence of polymers and copolymers on therapeutic proteins at the atomic and molecular levels. Herein, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to study the effects of biocompatible synthetic polymers including methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and poly(lactic acid) copolymers (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) PLGA and MPEG-PLA(PELA)) on the structure and dynamics of the human growth hormone (hGH), and the results are compared with previous experimental findings. Our results indicate that the hGH conformation remains stable both in pure water and in the presence of polymers, and these results are in good agreement with previous experimental data. It is shown that the MPEG chains are self-assembled and folded into a semicrystalline structure; therefore, only a small portion of the protein interacts with the polymer. The other three polymers, however, interact well with the protein and partially cover its surface. Our findings suggest that the use of these polymers for protein encapsulation has the advantage of reducing protein aggregation and thus increasing drug serum half-life. Eventually, we anticipate that the research results will expand the current knowledge about encapsulation mechanisms and the molecular interactions between hGH and the polymers.

Dynamics of proteins in solution

The dynamics of proteins in solution includes a variety of processes, such as backbone and side-chain fluctuations, interdomain motions, as well as global rotational and translational (i.e. center of mass) diffusion. Since protein dynamics is related to protein function and essential transport processes, a detailed mechanistic understanding and monitoring of protein dynamics in solution is highly desirable. The hierarchical character of protein dynamics requires experimental tools addressing a broad range of time- and length scales. We discuss how different techniques contribute to a comprehensive picture of protein dynamics, and focus in particular on results from neutron spectroscopy. We outline the underlying principles and review available instrumentation as well as related analysis frameworks.

Altered dynamics upon oligomerization corresponds to key functional sites

It is known that over half of the proteins encoded by most organisms function as oligomeric complexes. Oligomerization confers structural stability and dynamics changes in proteins. We investigate the effects of oligomerization on protein dynamics and its functional significance for a set of 145 multimeric proteins. Using coarse-grained elastic network models, we inspect the changes in residue fluctuations upon oligomerization and then compare with residue conservation scores to identify the functional significance of these changes. Our study reveals conservation of about ½ of the fluctuations, with ¼ of the residues increasing in their mobilities and ¼ having reduced fluctuations. The residues with dampened fluctuations are evolutionarily more conserved and can serve as orthosteric binding sites, indicating their importance. We also use triosephosphate isomerase as a test case to understand why certain enzymes function only in their oligomeric forms despite the monomer including all required catalytic residues. To this end, we compare the residue communities (groups of residues which are highly correlated in their fluctuations) in the monomeric and dimeric forms of the enzyme. We observe significant changes to the dynamical community architecture of the catalytic core of this enzyme. This relates to its functional mechanism and is seen only in the oligomeric form of the protein, answering why proteins are oligomeric structures. Proteins 2017; 85:1422-1434. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Negatively charged lipid membranes promote a disorder-order transition in the Yersinia YscU protein

The inner membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is negatively charged, rendering positively charged cytoplasmic proteins in close proximity likely candidates for protein-membrane interactions. YscU is a Yersinia pseudotuberculosis type III secretion system protein crucial for bacterial pathogenesis. The protein contains a highly conserved positively charged linker sequence that separates membrane-spanning and cytoplasmic (YscUC) domains. Although disordered in solution, inspection of the primary sequence of the linker reveals that positively charged residues are separated with a typical helical periodicity. Here, we demonstrate that the linker sequence of YscU undergoes a largely electrostatically driven coil-to-helix transition upon binding to negatively charged membrane interfaces. Using membrane-mimicking sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles, an NMR derived structural model reveals the induction of three helical segments in the linker. The overall linker placement in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles was identified by NMR experiments including paramagnetic relaxation enhancements. Partitioning of individual residues agrees with their hydrophobicity and supports an interfacial positioning of the helices. Replacement of positively charged linker residues with alanine resulted in YscUC variants displaying attenuated membrane-binding affinities, suggesting that the membrane interaction depends on positive charges within the linker. In vivo experiments with bacteria expressing these YscU replacements resulted in phenotypes displaying significantly reduced effector protein secretion levels. Taken together, our data identify a previously unknown membrane-interacting surface of YscUC that, when perturbed by mutations, disrupts the function of the pathogenic machinery in Yersinia.

Functional dynamics in replication protein A DNA binding and protein recruitment domains

Replication Protein A (RPA) is an essential scaffold for many DNA processing machines; its function relies on its modular architecture. Here, we report (15)N-nuclear magnetic resonance heteronuclear relaxation analysis to characterize the movements of single-stranded (ss) DNA binding and protein interaction modules in the RPA70 subunit. Our results provide direct evidence for coordination of the motion of the tandem RPA70AB ssDNA binding domains. Moreover, binding of ssDNA substrate is found to cause dramatic reorientation and full coupling of inter-domain motion. In contrast, the RPA70N protein interaction domain remains structurally and dynamically independent of RPA70AB regardless of binding of ssDNA. This autonomy of motion between the 70N and 70AB modules supports a model in which the two binding functions of RPA are mediated fully independently, but remain differentially coordinated depending on the length of their flexible tethers. A critical role for linkers between the globular domains in determining the functional dynamics of RPA is proposed.

Conformational ensembles of neuromedin C reveal a progressive coil-helix transition within a binding-induced folding mechanism

NMR has been used to elucidate the folding pathway of neuromedin C and to characterize the architecture of the NMC–SDS micelle complex. Its C-terminal region is more prone to acquire an α-helical fold than the N-terminus, and it also binds to micelles.

The metastability of human UDP-galactose 4'-epimerase (GALE) is increased by variants associated with type III galactosemia but decreased by substrate and cofactor binding

Type III galactosemia is an inherited disease caused by mutations which affect the activity of UDP-galactose 4'-epimerase (GALE). We evaluated the impact of four disease-associated variants (p.N34S, p.G90E, p.V94M and p.K161N) on the conformational stability and dynamics of GALE. Thermal denaturation studies showed that wild-type GALE denatures at temperatures close to physiological, and disease-associated mutations often reduce GALE's thermal stability. This denaturation is under kinetic control and results partly from dimer dissociation. The natural ligands, NAD(+) and UDP-glucose, stabilize GALE. Proteolysis studies showed that the natural ligands and disease-associated variations affect local dynamics in the N-terminal region of GALE. Proteolysis kinetics followed a two-step irreversible model in which the intact protein is cleaved at Ala38 forming a long-lived intermediate in the first step. NAD(+) reduces the rate of the first step, increasing the amount of undigested protein whereas UDP-glucose reduces the rate of the second step, increasing accumulation of the intermediate. Disease-associated variants affect these rates and the amounts of protein in each state. Our results also suggest communication between domains in GALE. We hypothesize that, in vivo, concentrations of natural ligands modulate GALE stability and that it should be possible to discover compounds which mimic the stabilising effects of the natural ligands overcoming mutation-induced destabilization.

From protein sequence to dynamics and disorder with DynaMine

Protein function and dynamics are closely related; however, accurate dynamics information is difficult to obtain. Here based on a carefully assembled data set derived from experimental data for proteins in solution, we quantify backbone dynamics properties on the amino-acid level and develop DynaMine--a fast, high-quality predictor of protein backbone dynamics. DynaMine uses only protein sequence information as input and shows great potential in distinguishing regions of different structural organization, such as folded domains, disordered linkers, molten globules and pre-structured binding motifs of different sizes. It also identifies disordered regions within proteins with an accuracy comparable to the most sophisticated existing predictors, without depending on prior disorder knowledge or three-dimensional structural information. DynaMine provides molecular biologists with an important new method that grasps the dynamical characteristics of any protein of interest, as we show here for human p53 and E1A from human adenovirus 5.

Comparison of experimental and theoretical data on hydrogen-deuterium exchange for ten globular proteins

The number of protons available for hydrogen-deuterium exchange was predicted for ten globular proteins using a method described elsewhere by the authors. The average number of protons replaced by deuterium was also determined by mass spectrometry of the intact proteins in their native conformations. Based on these data, we find that two models proposed earlier agree with each other in estimation of the number of protons replaced by deuterium. Using a model with a probability scale for hydrogen bond formation, we estimated a number of protons replaced by deuterium that is close to the experimental data for long-term incubation in D(2)O (24 h). Using a model based on estimations with a scale of the expected number of contacts in globular proteins there is better agreement with the experimental data obtained for a short period of incubation in D(2)O (15 min). Therefore, the former model determines weakly fluctuating parts of a protein that are in contact with solvent only for a small fraction of the time. The latter model (based on the scale of expected number of contacts) predicts either flexible parts of a protein chain exposed to interactions with solvent or disordered parts of the protein.

Separability between overall and internal motion: a protein folding problem

The separability between overall and internal motions is evaluated over multiple folding trajectories of the villin headpiece subdomain. The analysis, which relies on the Prompers-Brüschweiler separability index, offers a potentially useful perspective on protein folding. The protein is considered folded in this study, not when it reaches some static target, but rather when it tumbles as a dynamically constrained object. The analysis also demonstrates how the separability index, when applied to protein folding simulations, can facilitate the analysis of NMR relaxation data.

Mapping molecular flexibility of proteins with site-directed spin labeling: a case study of myoglobin

Site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) has potential for mapping protein flexibility under physiological conditions. The purpose of the present study was to explore this potential using 38 singly spin-labeled mutants of myoglobin distributed throughout the sequence. Correlation of the EPR spectra with protein structure provides new evidence that the site-dependent variation in line shape, and hence motion of the spin label, is due largely to differences in mobility of the helical backbone in the ns time range. Fluctuations between conformational substates, typically in the μs-ms time range, are slow on the EPR time scale, and the spectra provide a snapshot of conformational equilibria frozen in time as revealed by multiple components in the spectra. A recent study showed that osmolyte perturbation can positively identify conformational exchange as the origin of multicomponent spectra (López et al. (2009), Protein Sci. 18, 1637). In the present study, this new strategy is employed in combination with line shape analysis and pulsed-EPR interspin distance measurements to investigate the conformation and flexibility of myoglobin in three folded and partially folded states. The regions identified to be in conformational exchange in the three forms agree remarkably well with those assigned by NMR, but the faster time scale of EPR allows characterization of localized states not detected in NMR. Collectively, the results suggest that SDSL-EPR and osmolyte perturbation provide a facile means for mapping the amplitude of fast backbone fluctuations and for detecting sequences in slow conformational exchange in folded and partially folded protein sequences.

Structure and dynamics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis truncated hemoglobin N: insights from NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations

The potent nitric oxide dioxygenase (NOD) activity (trHbN-Fe²⁺-O₂ + (•)NO → trHbN-Fe³⁺-OH₂ + NO₃⁻) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis truncated hemoglobin N (trHbN) protects aerobic respiration from inhibition by (•)NO. The high activity of trHbN has been attributed in part to the presence of numerous short-lived hydrophobic cavities that allow partition and diffusion of the gaseous substrates (•)NO and O₂ to the active site. We investigated the relation between these cavities and the dynamics of the protein using solution NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD). Results from both approaches indicate that the protein is mainly rigid with very limited motions of the backbone N-H bond vectors on the picoseconds-nanoseconds time scale, indicating that substrate diffusion and partition within trHbN may be controlled by side-chains movements. Model-free analysis also revealed the presence of slow motions (microseconds-milliseconds), not observed in MD simulations, for many residues located in helices B and G including the distal heme pocket Tyr33(B10). All currently known crystal structures and molecular dynamics data of truncated hemoglobins with the so-called pre-A N-terminal extension suggest a stable α-helical conformation that extends in solution. Moreover, a recent study attributed a crucial role to the pre-A helix for NOD activity. However, solution NMR data clearly show that in near-physiological conditions these residues do not adopt an α-helical conformation and are significantly disordered and that the helical conformation seen in crystal structures is likely induced by crystal contacts. Although this lack of order for the pre-A does not disagree with an important functional role for these residues, our data show that one should not assume an helical conformation for these residues in any functional interpretation. Moreover, future molecular dynamics simulations should not use an initial α-helical conformation for these residues in order to avoid a bias based on an erroneous initial structure for the N-termini residues. This work constitutes the first study of a truncated hemoglobin dynamics performed by solution heteronuclear relaxation NMR spectroscopy.

Structural and mutational studies of a hyperthermophilic intein from DNA polymerase II of Pyrococcus abyssi

Protein splicing is a precise self-catalyzed process in which an intein excises itself from a precursor with the concomitant ligation of the flanking polypeptides (exteins). Protein splicing proceeds through a four-step reaction but the catalytic mechanism is not fully understood at the atomic level. We report the solution NMR structures of the hyperthermophilic Pyrococcus abyssi PolII intein, which has a noncanonical C-terminal glutamine instead of an asparagine. The NMR structures were determined to a backbone root mean square deviation of 0.46 Å and a heavy atom root mean square deviation of 0.93 Å. The Pab PolII intein has a common HINT (hedgehog intein) fold but contains an extra β-hairpin that is unique in the structures of thermophilic inteins. The NMR structures also show that the Pab PolII intein has a long and disordered loop in place of an endonuclease domain. The N-terminal Cys-1 amide is hydrogen bonded to the Thr-90 hydroxyl in the conserved block-B TXXH motif and the Cys-1 thiol forms a hydrogen bond with the block F Ser-166. Mutating Thr-90 to Ala dramatically slows N-terminal cleavage, supporting its pivotal role in promoting the N-S acyl shift. Mutagenesis also showed that Thr-90 and His-93 are synergistic in catalyzing the N-S acyl shift. The block F Ser-166 plays an important role in coordinating the steps of protein splicing. NMR spin relaxation indicates that the Pab PolII intein is significantly more rigid than mesophilic inteins, which may contribute to the higher optimal temperature for protein splicing.

Changes in dynamics upon oligomerization regulate substrate binding and allostery in amino acid kinase family members

Oligomerization is a functional requirement for many proteins. The interfacial interactions and the overall packing geometry of the individual monomers are viewed as important determinants of the thermodynamic stability and allosteric regulation of oligomers. The present study focuses on the role of the interfacial interactions and overall contact topology in the dynamic features acquired in the oligomeric state. To this aim, the collective dynamics of enzymes belonging to the amino acid kinase family both in dimeric and hexameric forms are examined by means of an elastic network model, and the softest collective motions (i.e., lowest frequency or global modes of motions) favored by the overall architecture are analyzed. Notably, the lowest-frequency modes accessible to the individual subunits in the absence of multimerization are conserved to a large extent in the oligomer, suggesting that the oligomer takes advantage of the intrinsic dynamics of the individual monomers. At the same time, oligomerization stiffens the interfacial regions of the monomers and confers new cooperative modes that exploit the rigid-body translational and rotational degrees of freedom of the intact monomers. The present study sheds light on the mechanism of cooperative inhibition of hexameric N-acetyl-L-glutamate kinase by arginine and on the allosteric regulation of UMP kinases. It also highlights the significance of the particular quaternary design in selectively determining the oligomer dynamics congruent with required ligand-binding and allosteric activities.

Protein function requires a three-dimensional structure with specific dynamic features for catalytic and binding events, and, in many cases, the structure results from the assembly of more than one polypeptide chain (also called monomer or subunit) to form an oligomer or multimer. Proteins such as hemoglobin or chaperonin GroEL are oligomers formed by 2 and 14 subunits, respectively, whereas virus capsids are multimers composed of hundreds of monomers. In these cases, the architecture of the interface between the subunits and the overall assembly geometry are essential in determining the functional motions that these sophisticated structures are able to perform under physiological conditions. Here we present results from our computational study of the large-amplitude motions of dimeric and hexameric proteins that belong to the Amino Acid Kinase family. Our study reveals that the monomers in these oligomeric proteins are arranged in such a way that the oligomer inherits the intrinsic dynamic features of its components. The packing geometry additionally confers the ability to perform highly cooperative conformational changes that involve all monomers and enable the biological activity of the multimer. The study highlights the significance of the quaternary design in favoring the oligomer dynamics that enables ligand-binding and allosteric regulation functions.

NMR order parameters calculated in an expanding reference frame: identifying sites of short- and long-range motion

NMR order parameters are calculated from molecular dynamics computer simulations of ubiquitin and the apo (Ca(2+)-free) state of calbindin D(9k). Calculations are performed in an expanding reference frame so as to discriminate between the effects of short- and long-range motions. This approach reveals that the dominant contributions to the order parameters are short-range. Longer-range contributions are limited to specific sites, many of which have been recognized in previous studies of correlated motions. These sites are identified on the basis of an effective reorientational number, n ( eff ). Not only does this parameter identify sites of short- and long-range motion, it also provides a way of evaluating the separability condition that is key to the Lipari-Szabo model-free method. When analyzed in conjunction with the Prompers-Brüschweiler separability index, the n ( eff ) values indicate that longer-range motions play a more prominent role in apo calbindin than they do in ubiquitin.

Interpretation of biomolecular NMR spin relaxation parameters

Biomolecular nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spin relaxation experiments provide exquisite information on the picosecond to nanosecond timescale motions of bond vectors. Spin-lattice (T1) and spin-spin (T2) relaxation times and the steady-state nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) are the first set of parameters extracted from typical 15N or 13C NMR relaxation experiments. Therefore, verifying that T1, T2, and NOE are consistent with theoretical predictions is an important step before carrying out the more detailed model-free and reduced spectral density mapping analyses commonly employed. In this mini-review, we discuss the essential motional parameters used to describe biomolecular dynamics in the context of a variety of examples of folded and intrinsically disordered proteins and peptides in aqueous and membrane mimetic environments. Estimates of these parameters can be used as input for an online interface, introduced herein, allowing plotting of trends of T1, T2, and NOE with magnetic field strength. The plots may serve as a first-check to the spectroscopist preparing to embark on a detailed NMR relaxation analysis.

Backbone dynamics and global effects of an activating mutation in minimized Mtu RecA inteins

Inteins mediate protein splicing, which has found many applications in biotechnology and protein engineering. A single valine-to-leucine mutation (V67L) can globally enhance splicing and related cleavage reactions in minimized Mycobacterium tuberculosis RecA inteins. However, V67L mutation causes little change in crystal structures. To test whether protein dynamics contribute to activity enhancement in the V67L mutation, we have studied the conformations and dynamics of the minimized and engineered intein DeltaDeltaIhh-V67CM and a single V67L mutant, DeltaDeltaIhh-L67CM, by solution NMR. Chemical shift perturbations established that the V67L mutation causes global changes, including changes at the N-terminus and C-terminus of the intein, which are active sites for protein splicing. The single V67L mutation significantly slows hydrogen-exchange rates globally, indicating a shift to more stable conformations and reduction in ensemble distribution. Whereas the V67L mutation causes little change for motions on the picosecond-to-nanosecond timescale, motions on the microsecond-to-millisecond timescale affect a region involving the conserved F-block histidine and C-terminal asparagine, which are residues important for C-terminal cleavage. The V67L mutation is proposed to activate splicing by reducing the ensemble distribution of the intein structure and by modifying the active sites.

Prediction of amino acid residues protected from hydrogen-deuterium exchange in a protein chain

We have investigated the possibility to predict protection of amino acid residues from hydrogen-deuterium exchange. A database containing experimental hydrogen-deuterium exchange data for 14 proteins for which these data are known has been compiled. Different structural parameters related to flexibility of amino acid residues and their amide groups have been analyzed to answer the question whether these parameters can be used for predicting the protection of amino acid residues from hydrogen-deuterium exchange. A method for prediction of protection of amino acid residues, which uses only the amino acid sequence of a protein, has been elaborated.

Dynamics of reassembled thioredoxin studied by magic angle spinning NMR: snapshots from different time scales

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy can be used to probe internal protein dynamics in the absence of the overall molecular tumbling. In this study, we report (15)N backbone dynamics in differentially enriched 1-73(U-(13)C,(15)N)/74-108(U-(15)N) reassembled thioredoxin on multiple time scales using a series of 2D and 3D MAS NMR experiments probing the backbone amide (15)N longitudinal relaxation, (1)H-(15)N dipolar order parameters, (15)N chemical shift anisotropy (CSA), and signal intensities in the temperature-dependent and (1)H T(2)'-filtered NCA experiments. The spin-lattice relaxation rates R(1) (R(1) = 1/T(1)) were observed in the range from 0.012 to 0.64 s(-1), indicating large site-to-site variations in dynamics on pico- to nanosecond time scales. The (1)H-(15)N dipolar order parameters, <S>, and (15)N CSA anisotropies, delta(sigma), reveal the backbone mobilities in reassembled thioredoxin, as reflected in the average <S> = 0.89 +/- 0.06 and delta(sigma) = 92.3 +/- 5.2 ppm, respectively. From the aggregate of experimental data from different dynamics methods, some degree of correlation between the motions on the different time scales has been suggested. Analysis of the dynamics parameters derived from these solid-state NMR experiments indicates higher mobilities for the residues constituting irregular secondary structure elements than for those located in the alpha-helices and beta-sheets, with no apparent systematic differences in dynamics between the alpha-helical and beta-sheet residues. Remarkably, the dipolar order parameters derived from the solid-state NMR measurements and the corresponding solution NMR generalized order parameters display similar qualitative trends as a function of the residue number. The comparison of the solid-state dynamics parameters to the crystallographic B-factors has identified the contribution of static disorder to the B-factors. The combination of longitudinal relaxation, dipolar order parameter, and CSA line shape analyses employed in this study provides snapshots of dynamics and a new insight on the correlation of these motions on multiple time scales.

Dynamics of SARS-coronavirus HR2 domain in the prefusion and transition states

The envelope glycoproteins S1 and S2 of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) mediate viral entry by conformational change from a prefusion state to a postfusion state that enables fusion of the viral and target membranes. In this work we present the characterization of the dynamic properties of the SARS-CoV S2-HR2 domain (residues 1141-1193 of S) in the prefusion and newly discovered transition states by NMR (15)N relaxation studies. The dynamic properties of the different states, which are stabilized under different experimental conditions, extend the current model of viral membrane fusion and give insight into the design of structure-based antagonists of SARS-CoV in particular, as well as other enveloped viruses such as HIV.

Prediction of Residue Status to Be Protected or Not Protected From Hy-drogen Exchange Using Amino Acid Sequence Only

We have outlined here some structural aspects of local flexibility. Important functional properties are related to flexible segments. We try to predict regions that have been shown to exhibit the highest probability of being folded in the equilibrium intermediate or native state and will be protected from hydrogen exchange using amino acid sequence only. Our approach FoldUnfold for the prediction of unstructured regions has been applied to seven different proteins. For 80% of the residues considered in this paper we can predict correctly their status: will they be protected or not from hydrogen exchange. An additional goal of our study is to assess whether properties inferred using the bioinformatics approach are easily applicable to predict behavior of proteins in solution.

Structural mobility of the monomeric C-terminal domain of the HIV-1 capsid protein

The capsid protein of HIV-1 (p24) (CA) forms the mature capsid of the human immunodeficiency virus. Capsid assembly involves hexamerization of the N-terminal domain and dimerization of the C-terminal domain of CA (CAC), and both domains constitute potential targets for anti-HIV therapy. CAC homodimerization occurs mainly through its second helix, and it is abolished when its sole tryptophan is mutated to alanine. This mutant, CACW40A, resembles a transient monomeric intermediate formed during dimerization. Its tertiary structure is similar to that of the subunits in the dimeric, non-mutated CAC, but the segment corresponding to the second helix samples different conformations. The present study comprises a comprehensive examination of the CACW40A internal dynamics. The results obtained, with movements sampling a wide time regime (from pico- to milliseconds), demonstrate the high flexibility of the whole monomeric protein. The conformational exchange phenomena on the micro-to-millisecond time scale suggest a role for internal motions in the monomer-monomer interactions and, thus, flexibility of the polypeptide chain is likely to contribute to the ability of the protein to adopt different conformational states, depending on the biological environment.

Protein conformational flexibility prediction using machine learning

Using a data set of 16 proteins, a neural network has been trained to predict backbone 15N generalized order parameters from the three-dimensional structures of proteins. The final network parameterization contains six input features. The average prediction accuracy, as measured by the Pearson's correlation coefficient between experimental and predicted values of the square of the generalized order parameter is >0.70. Predicted order parameters for non-terminal amino acid residues depends most strongly on the local packing density and the probability that the residue is located in regular secondary structure.

Modulation of cardiac troponin C function by the cardiac-specific N-terminus of troponin I: influence of PKA phosphorylation and involvement in cardiomyopathies

The cardiac-specific N-terminus of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is known to modulate the activity of troponin upon phosphorylation with protein kinase A (PKA) by decreasing its Ca(2+) affinity and increasing the relaxation rate of the thin filament. The molecular details of this modulation have not been elaborated to date. We have established that the N-terminus and the switch region of cTnI bind to cNTnC [the N-domain of cardiac troponin C (cTnC)] simultaneously and that the PKA signal is transferred via the cTnI N-terminus modulating the cNTnC affinity toward cTnI(147-163) but not toward Ca(2+). The K(d) of cNTnC for cTnI(147-163) was found to be 600 microM in the presence of cTnI(1-29) and 370 microM in the presence of cTn1(1-29)PP, which can explain the difference in muscle relaxation rates upon the phosphorylation with PKA in experiments with cardiac fibers. In the light of newly found mutations in cNTnC that are associated with cardiomyopathies, the important role played by the cTnI N-terminus in the development of heart disorders emerges. The mutants studied, L29Q (the N-domain of cTnC containing mutation L29Q) and E59D/D75Y (the N-domain of cTnC containing mutation E59D/D75Y), demonstrated unchanged Ca(2+) affinity per se and in complex with the cTnI N-terminus (cTnI(1-29) and cTnI(1-29)PP). The affinity of L29Q and E59D/D75Y toward cTnI(147-163) was significantly perturbed, both alone and in complex with cTnI(1-29) and cTnI(1-29)PP, which is likely to be responsible for the development of malfunctions.

Predicting internal protein dynamics from structures using coupled networks of hindered rotators

Internal motions in proteins, such as oscillations of internuclear vectors u(N(i)H(i) (N)) of amide bonds about their equilibrium position, can be characterized by a local order parameter. This dynamic parameter can be determined experimentally by measuring the longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates of (15)N(i) nuclei by suitable NMR methods. In this paper, it is shown that local variations of order parameters S(ii) (2) can be predicted from the knowledge of the structure. To this effect, the diffusive motion of the internuclear vector u(N(i)H(i) (N)) is described in a potential that takes into account the deviations of the angles theta(ij) between u(N(i)H(i) (N)) and neighboring vectors u(N(j)H(j) (N)) from their average value and similarly of deviations of the angles subtended between u(N(i)H(i) (N)) and u(X(j)Y(j)), where X(j) and Y(j) are heavy atoms in the vicinity of the u(N(i)H(i) (N)) vector under investigation. It is shown how the concept of vicinity can be defined by a simple cutoff threshold, i.e., by neglecting vectors u(X(j)Y(j)) with distances d(N(i),X(j))>7.5 A. The local order parameters S(ii) (2) can be predicted from the structure using a limited set of coordinates of heavy atoms. The inclusion of a larger number of heavy atoms does not improve the predictions. Applications to calmodulin, calbindin, and interleukin 4 illustrate the success and limitations of the predictions.

An overview of recent developments in the interpretation and prediction of fast internal protein dynamics

During the past decades, NMR spectroscopy has emerged as a unique tool for the study of protein dynamics. Indeed, relaxation studies on isotopically labeled proteins can provide information on the overall motions as well as the internal fast, sub-nanosecond, dynamics. Therefore, the interpretation and the prediction of spin relaxation rates in proteins are important issues that have motivated numerous theoretical and methodological developments, including the description of overall dynamics and its possible coupling to internal mobility, the introduction of models of internal dynamics, the determination of correlation functions from experimental data, and the relationship between relaxation and thermodynamical quantities. A brief account of recent developments that have proven useful in this domain are presented.

A proline to glycine mutation in the Lck SH3-domain affects conformational sampling and increases ligand binding affinity

Loop flexibility is discussed as a factor that affects ligand binding affinity of SH3 domains. To test this hypothesis, we designed a mutant in which a proline in the RT-loop of the human Lck SH3-domain is replaced by glycine. The dynamics and ligand binding properties of wild-type and mutant LckSH3 were studied by fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy as well as molecular dynamics simulations. Although the mutated residue does not form direct contacts with the ligand, the mutation increases ligand affinity by a factor of eight. The mutant exhibits increased loop flexibility and enhanced sampling of binding-competent conformations. This effect is expected to facilitate ligand binding itself and might also allow formation of tighter contacts in the complex thus resulting in an increased binding affinity.

Backbone dynamics of SDF-1alpha determined by NMR: interpretation in the presence of monomer-dimer equilibrium

SDF-1alpha is a member of the chemokine family implicated in various reactions in the immune system. The interaction of SDF-1alpha with its receptor, CXCR4, is responsible for metastasis of a variety of cancers. SDF-1alpha is also known to play a role in HIV-1 pathogenesis. The structures of SDF-1alpha determined by NMR spectroscopy have been shown to be monomeric while X-ray structures are dimeric. Biochemical data and in vivo studies suggest that dimerization is likely to be important for the function of chemokines. We report here the dynamics of SDF-1alpha determined through measurement of main chain (15)N NMR relaxation data. The data were obtained at several concentrations of SDF-1alpha and used to determine a dimerization constant of approximately 5 mM for a monomer-dimer equilibrium. The dimerization constant was subsequently used to extrapolate values for the relaxation data corresponding to monomeric SDF-1alpha. The experimental relaxation data and the extrapolated data for monomeric SDF-1alpha were analyzed using the model free approach. The model free analysis indicated that SDF-1alpha is rigid on the nano- to picosecond timescale with flexible termini. Several residues involved in the dimer interface display slow micro- to millisecond timescale motions attributable to chemical exchange such as monomer-dimer equilibrium. NMR relaxation measurements are shown to be applicable for studying oligomerization processes such as the dimerization of SDF-1alpha.

Structural Characterization of the Ribosomal P1A−P2B Protein Dimer by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and NMR Spectroscopy

The five ribosomal P-proteins, denoted P0-(P1-P2)2, constitute the stalk structure of the large subunit of eukaryotic ribosomes. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the group of P1 and P2 proteins is differentiated into subgroups that form two separate P1A-P2B and P1B-P2A heterodimers on the stalk. So far, structural studies on the P-proteins have not yielded any satisfactory information using either X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy, and the structures of the ribosomal stalk and its individual constituents remain obscure. Here we outline a first, coarse-grained view of the P1A-P2B solution structure obtained by a combination of small-angle X-ray scattering and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. The complex has an elongated shape with a length of 10 nm and a cross section of approximately 2.5 nm. 15N NMR relaxation measurements establish that roughly 30% of the residues are present in highly flexible segments, which belong primarily to the linker region and the C-terminal part of the polypeptide chain. Secondary structure predictions and NMR chemical shift analysis, together with previous results from CD spectroscopy, indicate that the structured regions involve alpha-helices. NMR relaxation data further suggest that several helices are arranged in a nearly parallel or antiparallel topology. These results provide the first structural comparison between eukaryotic P1 and P2 proteins and the prokaryotic L12 counterpart, revealing considerable differences in their overall shapes, despite similar functional roles and similar oligomeric arrangements. These results present for the first time a view of the structure of the eukaryotic stalk constituents, which is the only domain of the eukaryotic ribosome that has escaped successful structural characterization.

Conformational Flexibility of a Microcrystalline Globular Protein: Order Parameters by Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

The majority of protein structures are determined in the crystalline state, yet few methods exist for the characterization of dynamics for crystalline biomolecules. Solid-state NMR can be used to probe detailed dynamic information in crystalline biomolecules. Recent advances in high-resolution solid-state NMR have enabled the site-specific assignment of (13)C and (15)N nuclei in proteins. With the use of multidimensional separated-local-field experiments, we report the backbone and side chain conformational dynamics of ubiquitin, a globular microcrystalline protein. The measurements of molecular conformational order parameters are based on heteronuclear dipolar couplings, and they are correlated to assigned chemical shifts, to obtain a global perspective on the sub-microsecond dynamics in microcrystalline ubiquitin. A total of 38 Calpha, 35 Cbeta and multiple side chain unique order parameters are collected, and they reveal the high mobility of ubiquitin in the microcrystalline state. In general the side chains show elevated motion in comparison with the backbone sites. The data are compared to solution NMR order parameter measurements on ubiquitin. The SSNMR measurements are sensitive to motions on a broader time scale (low microsecond and faster) than solution NMR measurements (low nanosecond and faster), and the SSNMR order parameters are generally lower than the corresponding solution values. Unlike solution NMR relaxation-based order parameters, order parameters for (13)C(1)H(2) spin systems are readily measured from the powder line shape data. These results illustrate the potential for detailed, extensive, and site-specific dynamic studies of biopolymers by solid-state NMR.

Accessibility of tobacco lipid transfer protein cavity revealed by 15N NMR relaxation studies and molecular dynamics simulations

Plant LTP1 are small helical proteins stabilized by four disulfide bridges and are characterized by the presence of an internal cavity, in which various hydrophobic ligands can be inserted. Recently, we have determined the solution structure of the recombinant tobacco LTP1_1. Unexpectedly, despite a global fold very similar to the structures already known for cereal seed LTP1, its binding properties are different: Tobacco LTP1_1 is able to bind only one monoacylated lipid, whereas cereal LTP1 can bind either one or two. The 3D structure of tobacco LTP1_1 revealed the presence of a hydrophobic cluster, not observed on cereal LTP1 structures, which may hinder one of the two entrances of the cavity defined for wheat LTP1. To better understand the mechanism of lipid entrance for tobacco LTP1_1 and to define the regions of the protein monitoring the accessibility of the cavity, we have complemented our structural data by the study of the internal dynamics of tobacco LTP1_1, using (15)N magnetic relaxation rate data and MD simulations at room and high temperatures. This work allowed us to define two regions of the protein experiencing the largest motions. These two regions delineate a portal that opens up during the simulation constituting a unique entrance of the hydrophobic cavity, in contrast with wheat LTP1 where two routes were detected. The hydrophobic interactions resulting from a few point mutations are strong enough to completely block the second portal so that the accessibility of the cavity is restricted to one entrance, explaining why this particular LTP1 binds only one lipid molecule.

The effects of Ca2+ binding on the dynamic properties of a designed Ca2+-binding protein

The effects of Ca(2+) binding on the dynamic properties of Ca(2+)-binding proteins are important in Ca(2+) signaling. To understand the role of Ca(2+) binding, we have successfully designed a Ca(2+)-binding site in the domain 1 of rat CD2 (denoted as Ca.CD2) with the desired structure and retained function. In this study, the backbone dynamic properties of Ca.CD2 have been investigated using (15)N spin relaxation NMR spectroscopy to reveal the effect of Ca(2+) binding on the global and local dynamic properties without the complications of multiple interactive Ca(2+) binding and global conformational change. Like rat CD2 (rCD2) and human CD2 (hCD2), residues involved in the recognition of the target molecule CD48 exhibit high flexibility. Mutations N15D and N17D that introduce the Ca(2+) ligands increase the flexibility of the neighboring residues. Ca(2+)-induced local dynamic changes occur mainly at the residues proximate to the Ca(2+)-binding pocket or the residues in loop regions. The beta-strand B of Ca.CD2 that provides two Asp for the Ca(2+) undergoes an S(2) decrease upon the Ca(2+) binding, while the DE-loop that provides one Asn and one Asp undergoes an S(2) increase. Our study suggests that Ca(2+) binding has a differential effect on the rigidity of the residues depending on their flexibility and location within the secondary structure.

A suite of 2H NMR spin relaxation experiments for the measurement of RNA dynamics

A suite of (2)H-based spin relaxation NMR experiments is presented for the measurement of molecular dynamics in a site-specific manner in uniformly (13)C, randomly fractionally deuterated ( approximately 50%) RNA molecules. The experiments quantify (2)H R(1) and R(2) relaxation rates that can subsequently be analyzed to obtain information about dynamics on a pico- to nanosecond time scale. Sensitivity permitting, the consistency of the data can be evaluated by measuring all five rates that are accessible for a spin 1 particle and establishing that the rates obey relations that are predicted from theory. The utility of the methodology is demonstrated with studies of the dynamics of a 14-mer RNA containing the UUCG tetraloop at temperatures of 25 and 5 degrees C. The high quality of the data, even at 5 degrees C, suggests that the experiments will be of use for the study of RNA molecules that are as large as 30 nucleotides.

Compensating increases in protein backbone flexibility occur when the Dead ringer AT-rich interaction domain (ARID) binds DNA: a nitrogen-15 relaxation study

AT-rich interaction domains (ARIDs) are found in a large number of eukaryotic transcription factors that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and development. Previously we elucidated how ARIDs recognize DNA by determining the solution structure of the Drosophila melanogaster Dead ringer protein in both its DNA-free and -bound states. In order to quantitatively determine how ARIDs alter their mobility to recognize DNA, we have measured the relaxation parameters of the backbone nitrogen-15 nuclei of Dead ringer in its free and bound forms, and interpreted these data using the model-free approach. We show that Dead ringer undergoes significant changes in its mobility upon binding, with residues in the loop connecting helices H5 and H6 becoming immobilized in the major groove and contacts to the minor groove slowing down the motion of residues at the C terminus. A DNA-induced rotation and displacement of the N-terminal subdomain of the protein increases the mobility of helix H1 located distal to the DNA interface and may partially negate the entropic cost of immobilizing interfacial residues. Elevated motions on the micro- to millisecond timescale in the N-terminal domain prior to DNA binding appear to foreshadow the DNA-induced conformation change.

Solution structure and internal dynamics of NSCP, a compact calcium-binding protein

The solution structure of Nereis diversicolor sarcoplasmic calcium-binding protein (NSCP) in the calcium-bound form was determined by NMR spectroscopy, distance geometry and simulated annealing. Based on 1859 NOE restraints and 262 angular restraints, 17 structures were generated with a rmsd of 0.87 A from the mean structure. The solution structure, which is highly similar to the structure obtained by X-ray crystallography, includes two open EF-hand domains, which are in close contact through their hydrophobic surfaces. The internal dynamics of the protein backbone were determined by studying amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange rates and 15N nuclear relaxation. The two methods revealed a highly compact and rigid structure, with greatly restricted mobility at the two termini. For most of the amide protons, the free energy of exchange-compatible structural opening is similar to the free energy of structural stability, suggesting that isotope exchange of these protons takes place through global unfolding of the protein. Enhanced conformational flexibility was noted in the unoccupied Ca2+-binding site II, as well as the neighbouring helices. Analysis of the experimental nuclear relaxation and the molecular dynamics simulations give very similar profiles for the backbone generalized order parameter (S2), a parameter related to the amplitude of fast (picosecond to nanosecond) movements of N(H)-H vectors. We also noted a significant correlation between this parameter, the exchange rate, and the crystallographic B factor along the sequence.

NMR Analysis of the Transient Complex between Membrane Photosystem I and Soluble Cytochrome c6

A structural analysis of the surface areas of cytochrome c(6), responsible for the transient interaction with photosystem I, was performed by NMR transverse relaxation-optimized spectroscopy. The hemeprotein was titrated by adding increasing amounts of the chlorophyllic photosystem, and the NMR spectra of the free and bound protein were analyzed in a comparative way. The NMR signals of cytochrome c(6) residues located at the hydrophobic and electrostatic patches, which both surround the heme cleft, were specifically modified by binding. The backbones of internal residues close to the hydrophobic patch of cytochrome c(6) were also affected, a fact that is ascribed to the conformational changes taking place inside the hemeprotein when interacting with photosystem I. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first structural analysis by NMR spectroscopy of a transient complex between soluble and membrane proteins.

Effect of cofactor binding and loop conformation on side chain methyl dynamics in dihydrofolate reductase

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) has several flexible active site loops that facilitate ligand binding and catalysis. Previous studies of backbone dynamics in several complexes of DHFR indicate that the time scale and amplitude of motion depend on the conformation of the active site loops. In this study, information on dynamics is extended to methyl-containing side chains. To understand the role of side chain dynamics in ligand binding and loop conformation, methyl deuterium relaxation rates of Escherichia coli DHFR in binary folate and ternary folate:NADP+ complexes have been measured, together with chi(1) rotamer populations for threonine, isoleucine, and valine residues, determined from measurements of 3J(CgammaCO) and 3J(CgammaN) coupling constants. The results indicate that, in addition to backbone motional restriction in the adenosine-binding site, side chain flexibility in the active site and the surrounding active site loops is diminished upon binding NADP+. Resonances for several methyls in the active site and the surrounding active site loops were severely broadened in the folate:NADP+ ternary complex, suggesting the presence of motion on the chemical shift time scale. The side chains of Ile14 and Ile94, which pack against the nicotinamide and pterin rings of the cofactor and substrate, respectively, exhibit rotamer disorder in the ternary folate:NADP+ complex. Conformational fluctuations of these side chains may play a role in transition state stabilization; the observed line broadening for Ile14 suggests motions on a microsecond/millisecond time scale.

Structural and dynamic studies on ligand-free adenylate kinase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis revealed a closed conformation that can be related to the reduced catalytic activity

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death worldwide from a single infectious disease. Search of new therapeutic tools requires the discovery and biochemical characterization of new potential targets among the bacterial proteins essential for the survival and virulence. Among them are the nucleoside monophosphate kinases, involved in the nucleotide biosynthesis. In this work, we determined the solution structure of adenylate kinase (AK) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (AKmt), a protein of 181 residues that was found to be essential for bacterial survival. The structure was calculated by a simulated annealing protocol and energy minimization using experimental restraints, collected by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The final, well-defined 20 NMR structures show an average root-mean-square deviation of 0.77 A for the backbone atoms in regular secondary structure segments. The protein has a central CORE domain, composed of a five-stranded parallel beta-sheet surrounded by seven alpha-helices, and two peripheral domains, AMPbd and LID. As compared to other crystallographic structures of free form AKs, AKmt is more compact, with the AMP(bd) domain closer to the CORE of the protein. Analysis of the (15)N relaxation data enabled us to obtain the global rotational correlation time (9.19 ns) and the generalized order parameters (S(2)) of amide vectors along the polypeptide sequence. The protein exhibits restricted movements on a picosecond to nanosecond time scale in the secondary structural regions with amplitudes characterized by an average S(2)() value of 0.87. The loops beta1/alpha1, beta2/alpha2, alpha2/alpha3, alpha3/alpha4, alpha4/beta3, beta3/alpha5, alpha6/alpha7 (LID), alpha7/alpha8, and beta5/alpha9 exhibit rapid fluctuations with enhanced amplitudes. These structural and dynamic features of AKmt may be related to its low catalytic activity that is 10-fold lower than in their eukaryote counterparts.

Covariation of backbone motion throughout a small protein domain

The synchronization (correlation) of conformational fluctuations in folded proteins may influence the rates of enzyme catalysis and ligand binding as well as the stabilities of native proteins and their complexes. However, experimental detection of correlated motions remains difficult. Herein, we present an analysis of the covariation of NMR-derived backbone dynamical parameters among a family of ten mutants of a small protein. Both the spatial restriction and the time scales of backbone motions exhibit a higher degree of covariation than would be expected if the internal motions of each group were independent, providing experimental support for correlated dynamics. Application of this approach to other proteins may reveal dynamical correlations that influence catalysis, ligand-binding and/or protein stability.

Allosteric Changes in Protein Structure Computed by a Simple Mechanical Model: Hemoglobin T↔R2 Transition

Information on protein dynamics has been usually inferred from spectroscopic studies of parts of the proteins, or indirectly from the comparison of the conformations assumed in the presence of different substrates or ligands. While molecular simulations also provide information on protein dynamics, they usually suffer from incomplete sampling of conformational space, and become prohibitively expensive when exploring the collective dynamics of large macromolecular structures. Here, we explore the dynamics of a well-studied allosteric protein, hemoglobin (Hb), to show that a simple mechanical model based on Gaussian fluctuations of residues can efficiently predict the transition between the tense (T, unliganded) and relaxed (R or R2, O(2) or CO-bound) forms of Hb. The passage from T into R2 is shown to be favored by the global mode of motion, which, in turn is driven by entropic effects. The major difference between the dynamics of the T and R2 forms is the loss of the hinge-bending role of alpha(1)-beta(2) (or alpha(2)-beta(1)) interfacial residues at alpha Phe36-His45 and beta Thr87-Asn102 in the R2 form, which implies a decreased cooperativity in the higher affinity (R2) form of Hb, consistent with many experimental studies. The involvement of the proximal histidine beta His92 in this hinge region suggests that the allosteric propagation of the local structural changes (induced upon O(2) binding) into global ones occur via hinge regions. This is the first demonstration that there is an intrinsic tendency of Hb to undergo T-->R2 transition, induced by purely elastic forces of entropic origin that are uniquely defined for the particular contact topology of the T form.

Backbone dynamics of the CC-chemokine eotaxin-2 and comparison among the eotaxin group chemokines

The eotaxin group chemokines (eotaxin, eotaxin-2, and eotaxin-3) share only 35-41% sequence identity but are all agonists for the receptor CCR3. Here we present a detailed comparison between the backbone dynamics of these three chemokines. The dynamics of eotaxin-2 were determined from 15N NMR relaxation data and compared to those obtained previously for eotaxin and eotaxin-3. For all three chemokines, the majority of residues in the first two beta-strands and the alpha-helix show highly restricted motions on the subnanosecond time scale but there is dramatically higher flexibility in the N- and C-terminal regions and also substantial mobility for residues in the N-loop region and the third beta-strand. The latter two regions form a groove on the chemokine surface that is the likely binding site for the N-terminal region of the receptor. Taken together, the available data suggest a model in which conformational rearrangements of both the chemokine and the receptor are likely to occur during binding and receptor activation.

Contact model for the prediction of NMR N-H order parameters in globular proteins

An analytical relationship is presented for the estimation of NMR S2 order parameters of N-HN vectors of the protein backbone from high-resolution protein structures. The relationship solely depends on close contacts of the peptide plane to the rest of the protein. Application of the relationship to a number of proteins with high-resolution X-ray and NMR structures yields S2 values that are in good agreement with the ones determined from experimental relaxation data.

Inhibitor binding alters the directions of domain motions in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) action and drug inhibition is essential for designing effective antiretroviral therapies. Although comparisons of the different crystal forms of RT give insights into the flexibility of different domains, a direct computational assessment of the effect of inhibitor binding on the collective dynamics of RT is lacking. A structure-based approach is used here for exploring the dynamics of RT in unliganded and inhibitor-bound forms. Non-nucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTI) are shown to interfere directly with the global hinge-bending mechanism that controls the cooperative motions of the p66 fingers and thumb subdomains. The net effect of nevirapine binding is to change the direction of domain movements rather than suppress their mobilities. The second generation NNRTI, efavirenz, on the other hand, shows the stronger effect of simultaneously reorienting domain motions and obstructing the p66 thumb fluctuations. A second hinge site controlling the global rotational reorientations of the RNase H domain is identified, which could serve as a target for potential inhibitors of RNase H activity.

Characterization of binding-induced changes in dynamics suggests a model for sequence-nonspecific binding of ssDNA by replication protein A

Single-stranded-DNA-binding proteins (SSBs) are required for numerous genetic processes ranging from DNA synthesis to the repair of DNA damage, each of which requires binding with high affinity to ssDNA of variable base composition. To gain insight into the mechanism of sequence-nonspecific binding of ssDNA, NMR chemical shift and (15)N relaxation experiments were performed on an isolated ssDNA-binding domain (RPA70A) from the human SSB replication protein A. The backbone (13)C, (15)N, and (1)H resonances of RPA70A were assigned for the free protein and the d-CTTCA complex. The binding-induced changes in backbone chemical shifts were used to map out the ssDNA-binding site. Comparison to results obtained for the complex with d-C(5) showed that the basic mode of binding is independent of the ssDNA sequence, but that there are differences in the binding surfaces. Amide nitrogen relaxation rates (R(1) and R(2)) and (1)H-(15)N NOE values were measured for RPA70A in the absence and presence of d-CTTCA. Analysis of the data using the Model-Free formalism and spectral density mapping approaches showed that the structural changes in the binding site are accompanied by some significant changes in flexibility of the primary DNA-binding loops on multiple timescales. On the basis of these results and comparisons to related proteins, we propose that the mechanism of sequence-nonspecific binding of ssDNA involves dynamic remodeling of the binding surface.