1
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Mesbah I, Habermann B, Rico F. MechanoProDB: a web-based database for exploring the mechanical properties of proteins. Database (Oxford) 2024; 2024:baae047. [PMID: 38837788 DOI: 10.1093/database/baae047] [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] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The mechanical stability of proteins is crucial for biological processes. To understand the mechanical functions of proteins, it is important to know the protein structure and mechanical properties. Protein mechanics is usually investigated through force spectroscopy experiments and simulations that probe the forces required to unfold the protein of interest. While there is a wealth of data in the literature on force spectroscopy experiments and steered molecular dynamics simulations of forced protein unfolding, this information is spread and difficult to access by non-experts. Here, we introduce MechanoProDB, a novel web-based database resource for collecting and mining data obtained from experimental and computational works. MechanoProDB provides a curated repository for a wide range of proteins, including muscle proteins, adhesion molecules and membrane proteins. The database incorporates relevant parameters that provide insights into the mechanical stability of proteins and their conformational stability such as the unfolding forces, energy landscape parameters and contour lengths of unfolding steps. Additionally, it provides intuitive annotations of the unfolding pathways of each protein, allowing users to explore the individual steps during mechanical unfolding. The user-friendly interface of MechanoProDB allows researchers to efficiently navigate, search and download data pertaining to specific protein folds or experimental conditions. Users can visualize protein structures using interactive tools integrated within the database, such as Mol*, and plot available data through integrated plotting tools. To ensure data quality and reliability, we have carefully manually verified and curated the data currently available on MechanoProDB. Furthermore, the database also features an interface that enables users to contribute new data and annotations, promoting community-driven comprehensiveness. The freely available MechanoProDB aims to streamline and accelerate research in the field of mechanobiology and biophysics by offering a unique platform for data sharing and analysis. MechanoProDB is freely available at https://mechanoprodb.ibdm.univ-amu.fr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismahene Mesbah
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, DyNaMo, Turing Center of Living Systems (CENTURI), Marseille 13009, France
| | - Bianca Habermann
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM UMR7288, Turing Center of Living Systems (CENTURI), Marseille 13009, France
| | - Felix Rico
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, DyNaMo, Turing Center of Living Systems (CENTURI), Marseille 13009, France
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2
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Liu Z, van Veen E, Sánchez H, Solano B, Palmero Moya FJ, McCluskey KA, Ramírez Montero D, van Laar T, Dekker NH. A Biophysics Toolbox for Reliable Data Acquisition and Processing in Integrated Force-Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy. ACS PHOTONICS 2024; 11:1592-1603. [PMID: 38645993 PMCID: PMC11027178 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c01739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Integrated single-molecule force-fluorescence spectroscopy setups allow for simultaneous fluorescence imaging and mechanical force manipulation and measurements on individual molecules, providing comprehensive dynamic and spatiotemporal information. Dual-beam optical tweezers (OT) combined with a confocal scanning microscope form a force-fluorescence spectroscopy apparatus broadly used to investigate various biological processes, in particular, protein:DNA interactions. Such experiments typically involve imaging of fluorescently labeled proteins bound to DNA and force spectroscopy measurements of trapped individual DNA molecules. Here, we present a versatile state-of-the-art toolbox including the preparation of protein:DNA complex samples, design of a microfluidic flow cell incorporated with OT, automation of OT-confocal scanning measurements, and the development and implementation of a streamlined data analysis package for force and fluorescence spectroscopy data processing. Its components can be adapted to any commercialized or home-built dual-beam OT setup equipped with a confocal scanning microscope, which will facilitate single-molecule force-fluorescence spectroscopy studies on a large variety of biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaowei Liu
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Edo van Veen
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Humberto Sánchez
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Belén Solano
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Francisco J. Palmero Moya
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Kaley A. McCluskey
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Ramírez Montero
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Theo van Laar
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Nynke H. Dekker
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
- Clarendon
Laboratory, Department of Physics, University
of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, U.K.
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience Discovery, University
of Oxford, Dorothy Crowfoot
Hodgkin Building, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
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3
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Cheirdaris D, Krokidis MG, Kasti M, Vrahatis AG, Exarchos T, Vlamos P. Setting Up a Bio-AFM to Study Protein Misfolding in Neurodegenerative Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1423:1-10. [PMID: 37525028 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-31978-5_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
The clinical pathology of neurodegenerative diseases suggests that earlier onset and progression are related to the accumulation of protein aggregates due to misfolding. A prominent way to extract useful information regarding single-molecule studies of protein misfolding at the nanoscale is by capturing the unbinding molecular forces through forced mechanical tension generated and monitored by an atomic force microscopy-based single-molecule force spectroscopy (AFM-SMFS). This AFM-driven process results in an amount of data in the form of force versus molecular extension plots (force-distance curves), the statistical analysis of which can provide insights into the underlying energy landscape and assess a number of characteristic elastic and kinetic molecular parameters of the investigated sample. This chapter outlines the setup of a bio-AFM-based SMFS technique for single-molecule probing. The infrastructure used as a reference for this presentation is the Bruker ForceRobot300.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dionysios Cheirdaris
- Bioinformatics and Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Marios G Krokidis
- Bioinformatics and Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Marianne Kasti
- Bioinformatics and Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Aristidis G Vrahatis
- Bioinformatics and Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Themistoklis Exarchos
- Bioinformatics and Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Vlamos
- Bioinformatics and Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
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4
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Santos MS, Liu H, Schittny V, Vanella R, Nash MA. Correlating single-molecule rupture mechanics with cell population adhesion by yeast display. BIOPHYSICAL REPORTS 2022; 2:None. [PMID: 35284851 PMCID: PMC8904261 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpr.2021.100035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Sá Santos
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
- Systems Biology PhD program, Life Science Zurich Graduate School, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Haipei Liu
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Valentin Schittny
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rosario Vanella
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael A. Nash
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
- Corresponding author
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5
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Su H, Brockman JM, Duan Y, Sen N, Chhabra H, Bazrafshan A, Blanchard AT, Meyer T, Andrews B, Doye JPK, Ke Y, Dyer RB, Salaita K. Massively Parallelized Molecular Force Manipulation with On-Demand Thermal and Optical Control. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:19466-19473. [PMID: 34762807 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c08796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS), a tethered molecule is stretched using a specialized instrument to study how macromolecules extend under force. One problem in SMFS is the serial and slow nature of the measurements, performed one molecule at a time. To address this long-standing challenge, we report on the origami polymer force clamp (OPFC) which enables parallelized manipulation of the mechanical forces experienced by molecules without the need for dedicated SMFS instruments or surface tethering. The OPFC positions target molecules between a rigid nanoscale DNA origami beam and a responsive polymer particle that shrinks on demand. As a proof-of-concept, we record the steady state and time-resolved mechanical unfolding dynamics of DNA hairpins using the fluorescence signal from ensembles of molecules and confirm our conclusion using modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanquan Su
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Joshua M Brockman
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Navoneel Sen
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Hemani Chhabra
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Alisina Bazrafshan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Aaron T Blanchard
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Travis Meyer
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Brooke Andrews
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Jonathan P K Doye
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Yonggang Ke
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - R Brian Dyer
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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6
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Math RK, Bharatham N, Javaregowda PK, Yun HD. Role of Cel5H protein surface amino acids in binding with clay minerals and measurements of its forces. Appl Microsc 2021; 51:17. [PMID: 34762191 PMCID: PMC8586110 DOI: 10.1186/s42649-021-00066-7] [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: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Our previous study on the binding activity between Cel5H and clay minerals showed highest binding efficiency among other cellulase enzymes cloned. Here, based on previous studies, we hypothesized that the positive amino acids on the surface of Cel5H protein may play an important role in binding to clay surfaces. To examine this, protein sequences of Bacillus licheniformis Cel5H (BlCel5H) and Paenibacillus polymyxa Cel5A (PpCel5A) were analyzed and then selected amino acids were mutated. These mutated proteins were investigated for binding activity and force measurement via atomic force microscopy (AFM). A total of seven amino acids which are only present in BlCel5H but not in PpCel5A were selected for mutational studies and the positive residues which are present in both were omitted. Of the seven selected surface lysine residues, only three mutants K196A(M2), K54A(M3) and K157T(M4) showed 12%, 7% and 8% less clay mineral binding ability, respectively compared with wild-type. The probable reason why other mutants did not show altered binding efficiency might be due to relative location of amino acids on the protein surface. Meanwhile, measurement of adhesion forces on mica sheets showed a well-defined maximum at 69 ± 19 pN for wild-type, 58 ± 19 pN for M2, 53 ± 19 pN for M3, and 49 ± 19 pN for M4 proteins. Hence, our results demonstrated that relative location of surface amino acids of Cel5H protein especially positive charged amino acids are important in the process of clay mineral-protein binding interaction through electrostatic exchange of charges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renukaradhya K Math
- SDM Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, 5th Floor, Manjushree Building, SDM College of Medical Sciences & Hospital Campus, Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University, Dharwad, Sattur, 580009, India. .,Division of Applied Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Chinju, 660701, Republic of Korea.
| | - Nagakumar Bharatham
- The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560064, India
| | - Palaksha K Javaregowda
- SDM Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, 5th Floor, Manjushree Building, SDM College of Medical Sciences & Hospital Campus, Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University, Dharwad, Sattur, 580009, India
| | - Han Dae Yun
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Chinju, 660701, Republic of Korea
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7
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Kolimi N, Pabbathi A, Saikia N, Ding F, Sanabria H, Alper J. Out-of-Equilibrium Biophysical Chemistry: The Case for Multidimensional, Integrated Single-Molecule Approaches. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:10404-10418. [PMID: 34506140 PMCID: PMC8474109 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c02424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Out-of-equilibrium
processes are ubiquitous across living organisms
and all structural hierarchies of life. At the molecular scale, out-of-equilibrium
processes (for example, enzyme catalysis, gene regulation, and motor
protein functions) cause biological macromolecules to sample an ensemble
of conformations over a wide range of time scales. Quantifying and
conceptualizing the structure–dynamics to function relationship
is challenging because continuously evolving multidimensional energy
landscapes are necessary to describe nonequilibrium biological processes
in biological macromolecules. In this perspective, we explore the
challenges associated with state-of-the-art experimental techniques
to understanding biological macromolecular function. We argue that
it is time to revisit how we probe and model functional out-of-equilibrium
biomolecular dynamics. We suggest that developing integrated single-molecule
multiparametric force–fluorescence instruments and using advanced
molecular dynamics simulations to study out-of-equilibrium biomolecules
will provide a path towards understanding the principles of and mechanisms
behind the structure–dynamics to function paradigm in biological
macromolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narendar Kolimi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Ashok Pabbathi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Nabanita Saikia
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Hugo Sanabria
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Joshua Alper
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States.,Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
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8
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Cheirdaris DG. Force Spectroscopy in Mechanical Protein Domains Unfolding. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1339:187-193. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-78787-5_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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9
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Liu Z, Liu H, Vera AM, Bernardi RC, Tinnefeld P, Nash MA. High force catch bond mechanism of bacterial adhesion in the human gut. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4321. [PMID: 32859904 PMCID: PMC7456326 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18063-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial colonization of the human intestine requires firm adhesion of bacteria to insoluble substrates under hydrodynamic flow. Here we report the molecular mechanism behind an ultrastable protein complex responsible for resisting shear forces and adhering bacteria to cellulose fibers in the human gut. Using single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS), single-molecule FRET (smFRET), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we resolve two binding modes and three unbinding reaction pathways of a mechanically ultrastable R. champanellensis (Rc) Dockerin:Cohesin (Doc:Coh) complex. The complex assembles in two discrete binding modes with significantly different mechanical properties, with one breaking at ~500 pN and the other at ~200 pN at loading rates from 1-100 nN s-1. A neighboring X-module domain allosterically regulates the binding interaction and inhibits one of the low-force pathways at high loading rates, giving rise to a catch bonding mechanism that manifests under force ramp protocols. Multi-state Monte Carlo simulations show strong agreement with experimental results, validating the proposed kinetic scheme. These results explain mechanistically how gut microbes regulate cell adhesion strength at high shear stress through intricate molecular mechanisms including dual-binding modes, mechanical allostery and catch bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaowei Liu
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Haipei Liu
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrés M Vera
- Faculty of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Rafael C Bernardi
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 61801, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Physics, Auburn University, 36849, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Philip Tinnefeld
- Faculty of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael A Nash
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
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10
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Mykuliak VV, Sikora M, Booth JJ, Cieplak M, Shalashilin DV, Hytönen VP. Mechanical Unfolding of Proteins-A Comparative Nonequilibrium Molecular Dynamics Study. Biophys J 2020; 119:939-949. [PMID: 32822586 PMCID: PMC7474207 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanical signals regulate functions of mechanosensitive proteins by inducing structural changes that are determinant for force-dependent interactions. Talin is a focal adhesion protein that is known to extend under mechanical load, and it has been shown to unfold via intermediate states. Here, we compared different nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study unfolding of the talin rod. We combined boxed MD (BXD), steered MD, and umbrella sampling (US) techniques and provide free energy profiles for unfolding of talin rod subdomains. We conducted BXD, steered MD, and US simulations at different detail levels and demonstrate how these different techniques can be used to study protein unfolding under tension. Unfolding free energy profiles determined by BXD suggest that the intermediate states in talin rod subdomains are stabilized by force during unfolding, and US confirmed these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasyl V Mykuliak
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology and BioMediTech, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mateusz Sikora
- Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Marek Cieplak
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Vesa P Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology and BioMediTech, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland.
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11
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Franz F, Daday C, Gräter F. Advances in molecular simulations of protein mechanical properties and function. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 61:132-138. [PMID: 31954324 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule force spectroscopy and classical molecular dynamics are natural allies. Recent advances in both experiments and simulations have increasingly facilitated a direct comparison of SMFS and MD data, most importantly by closing the gap between time scales, which has been traditionally at least 5 orders of magnitudes wide. In this review, we will explore these advances chiefly on the computational side. We focus on protein dynamics under force and highlight recent studies that showcase how lower loading rates and more statistics help to better interpret previous experiments and to also motivate new ones. At the same time, steadily increasing system sizes are used to mimic more closely the mechanical environment in the biological context. We showcase some of these advances on atomistic and coarse-grained scale, from asymmetric membrane tension to larger (multidomain/multimeric) protein assemblies under force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Franz
- Molecular Biomechanics Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Csaba Daday
- Biomolecular Dynamics Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Frauke Gräter
- Molecular Biomechanics Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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12
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d'Angelo M, Benedetti E, Tupone MG, Catanesi M, Castelli V, Antonosante A, Cimini A. The Role of Stiffness in Cell Reprogramming: A Potential Role for Biomaterials in Inducing Tissue Regeneration. Cells 2019; 8:E1036. [PMID: 31491966 PMCID: PMC6770247 DOI: 10.3390/cells8091036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanotransduction is the process by which cells sense mechanical stimuli such as elasticity, viscosity, and nanotopography of extracellular matrix and translate them into biochemical signals. The mechanotransduction regulates several aspects of the cell behavior, including migration, proliferation, and differentiation in a time-dependent manner. Several reports have indicated that cell behavior and fate are not transmitted by a single signal, but rather by an intricate network of many signals operating on different length and timescales that determine cell fate. Since cell biology and biomaterial technology are fundamentals in cell-based regenerative therapies, comprehending the interaction between cells and biomaterials may allow the design of new biomaterials for clinical therapeutic applications in tissue regeneration. In this work, we present the most relevant mechanism by which the biomechanical properties of extracellular matrix (ECM) influence cell reprogramming, with particular attention on the new technologies and materials engineering, in which are taken into account not only the biochemical and biophysical signals patterns but also the factor time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele d'Angelo
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Benedetti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Tupone
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Mariano Catanesi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Vanessa Castelli
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Andrea Antonosante
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Annamaria Cimini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
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