1
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Chang CY, Wang SSS, Lai YR, Koh WG, Wu JW, Chiang YH. Ophthalmic drug effects on the amyloidogenesis of a transforming growth factor β-induced protein (TGFBIp) peptide fragment. Exp Eye Res 2024; 244:109932. [PMID: 38762008 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Drugs that can treat one disease may either be detrimental or beneficial toward another due to possible cross-interactions. Therefore, care in choosing a suitable drug for patients with multiple diseases is crucial in successful patient management. This study explores several currently available ophthalmic drugs used to treat common ocular diseases to understand how they can affect the amyloidogenesis of a transforming growth factor β-induced protein (TGFBIp) peptide fragment found in abundance in the corneal protein aggregation deposits of lattice corneal dystrophy (LCD) patients. Results from this study provided supporting evidence that some drugs intended to treat other diseases can enhance or inhibit fibrillar aggregation of TGFBIp peptide, which may have potential implication of affecting the disease progression of LCD by either worsening or ameliorating it. Comparisons of the different properties of ophthalmic compounds explored in this study may also provide some guidance for future design of drugs geared toward the treatment of LCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Yu Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Steven S-S Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - You-Ren Lai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Won-Gun Koh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, South Korea
| | - Josephine W Wu
- Department of Optometry, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, Hsinchu City, 30015, Taiwan; Department of Optometry, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, 252, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Hui Chiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City, 237, Taiwan.
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2
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Louros N, Schymkowitz J, Rousseau F. Mechanisms and pathology of protein misfolding and aggregation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:912-933. [PMID: 37684425 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00647-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in machine learning-based protein structure prediction, we are still far from fully understanding how proteins fold into their native conformation. The conventional notion that polypeptides fold spontaneously to their biologically active states has gradually been replaced by our understanding that cellular protein folding often requires context-dependent guidance from molecular chaperones in order to avoid misfolding. Misfolded proteins can aggregate into larger structures, such as amyloid fibrils, which perpetuate the misfolding process, creating a self-reinforcing cascade. A surge in amyloid fibril structures has deepened our comprehension of how a single polypeptide sequence can exhibit multiple amyloid conformations, known as polymorphism. The assembly of these polymorphs is not a random process but is influenced by the specific conditions and tissues in which they originate. This observation suggests that, similar to the folding of native proteins, the kinetics of pathological amyloid assembly are modulated by interactions specific to cells and tissues. Here, we review the current understanding of how intrinsic protein conformational propensities are modulated by physiological and pathological interactions in the cell to shape protein misfolding and aggregation pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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3
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Hodges ED, Chrystal PW, Footz T, Doucette LP, Noel NCL, Li Z, Walter MA, Allison WT. Disrupting the Repeat Domain of Premelanosome Protein (PMEL) Produces Dysamyloidosis and Dystrophic Ocular Pigment Reflective of Pigmentary Glaucoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14423. [PMID: 37833870 PMCID: PMC10572516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pigmentary glaucoma has recently been associated with missense mutations in PMEL that are dominantly inherited and enriched in the protein's fascinating repeat domain. PMEL pathobiology is intriguing because PMEL forms functional amyloid in healthy eyes, and this PMEL amyloid acts to scaffold melanin deposition. This is an informative contradistinction to prominent neurodegenerative diseases where amyloid formation is neurotoxic and mutations cause a toxic gain of function called "amyloidosis". Preclinical animal models have failed to model this PMEL "dysamyloidosis" pathomechanism and instead cause recessively inherited ocular pigment defects via PMEL loss of function; they have not addressed the consequences of disrupting PMEL's repetitive region. Here, we use CRISPR to engineer a small in-frame mutation in the zebrafish homolog of PMEL that is predicted to subtly disrupt the protein's repetitive region. Homozygous mutant larvae displayed pigmentation phenotypes and altered eye morphogenesis similar to presumptive null larvae. Heterozygous mutants had disrupted eye morphogenesis and disrupted pigment deposition in their retinal melanosomes. The deficits in the pigment deposition of these young adult fish were not accompanied by any detectable glaucomatous changes in intraocular pressure or retinal morphology. Overall, the data provide important in vivo validation that subtle PMEL mutations can cause a dominantly inherited pigment pathology that aligns with the inheritance of pigmentary glaucoma patient pedigrees. These in vivo observations help to resolve controversy regarding the necessity of PMEL's repeat domain in pigmentation. The data foster an ongoing interest in an antithetical dysamyloidosis mechanism that, akin to the amyloidosis of devastating dementias, manifests as a slow progressive neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D. Hodges
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; (E.D.H.); (P.W.C.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Paul W. Chrystal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; (E.D.H.); (P.W.C.)
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Tim Footz
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada (M.A.W.)
| | - Lance P. Doucette
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; (E.D.H.); (P.W.C.)
| | - Nicole C. L. Noel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; (E.D.H.); (P.W.C.)
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada (M.A.W.)
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Zixuan Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; (E.D.H.); (P.W.C.)
| | - Michael A. Walter
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada (M.A.W.)
| | - W. Ted Allison
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; (E.D.H.); (P.W.C.)
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada (M.A.W.)
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada
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4
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Buchanan JA, Varghese NR, Johnston CL, Sunde M. Functional Amyloids: Where Supramolecular Amyloid Assembly Controls Biological Activity or Generates New Functionality. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167919. [PMID: 37330295 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Functional amyloids are a rapidly expanding class of fibrillar protein structures, with a core cross-β scaffold, where novel and advantageous biological function is generated by the assembly of the amyloid. The growing number of amyloid structures determined at high resolution reveal how this supramolecular template both accommodates a wide variety of amino acid sequences and also imposes selectivity on the assembly process. The amyloid fibril can no longer be considered a generic aggregate, even when associated with disease and loss of function. In functional amyloids the polymeric β-sheet rich structure provides multiple different examples of unique control mechanisms and structures that are finely tuned to deliver assembly or disassembly in response to physiological or environmental cues. Here we review the range of mechanisms at play in natural, functional amyloids, where tight control of amyloidogenicity is achieved by environmental triggers of conformational change, proteolytic generation of amyloidogenic fragments, or heteromeric seeding and amyloid fibril stability. In the amyloid fibril form, activity can be regulated by pH, ligand binding and higher order protofilament or fibril architectures that impact the arrangement of associated domains and amyloid stability. The growing understanding of the molecular basis for the control of structure and functionality delivered by natural amyloids in nearly all life forms should inform the development of therapies for amyloid-associated diseases and guide the design of innovative biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Buchanan
- School of Medical Sciences and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Nikhil R Varghese
- School of Medical Sciences and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Caitlin L Johnston
- School of Medical Sciences and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Margaret Sunde
- School of Medical Sciences and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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5
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Smoak RA, Snyder LF, Fassler JS, He BZ. Parallel expansion and divergence of an adhesin family in pathogenic yeasts. Genetics 2023; 223:iyad024. [PMID: 36794645 PMCID: PMC10319987 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Opportunistic yeast pathogens arose multiple times in the Saccharomycetes class, including the recently emerged, multidrug-resistant (MDR) Candida auris. We show that homologs of a known yeast adhesin family in Candida albicans, the Hyr/Iff-like (Hil) family, are enriched in distinct clades of Candida species as a result of multiple, independent expansions. Following gene duplication, the tandem repeat-rich region in these proteins diverged extremely rapidly and generated large variations in length and β-aggregation potential, both of which are known to directly affect adhesion. The conserved N-terminal effector domain was predicted to adopt a β-helical fold followed by an α-crystallin domain, making it structurally similar to a group of unrelated bacterial adhesins. Evolutionary analyses of the effector domain in C. auris revealed relaxed selective constraint combined with signatures of positive selection, suggesting functional diversification after gene duplication. Lastly, we found the Hil family genes to be enriched at chromosomal ends, which likely contributed to their expansion via ectopic recombination and break-induced replication. Combined, these results suggest that the expansion and diversification of adhesin families generate variation in adhesion and virulence within and between species and are a key step toward the emergence of fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Smoak
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Lindsey F Snyder
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Jan S Fassler
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Bin Z He
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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6
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Housmans JAJ, Wu G, Schymkowitz J, Rousseau F. A guide to studying protein aggregation. FEBS J 2023; 290:554-583. [PMID: 34862849 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Disrupted protein folding or decreased protein stability can lead to the accumulation of (partially) un- or misfolded proteins, which ultimately cause the formation of protein aggregates. Much of the interest in protein aggregation is associated with its involvement in a wide range of human diseases and the challenges it poses for large-scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing and formulation of therapeutic proteins and peptides. On the other hand, protein aggregates can also be functional, as observed in nature, which triggered its use in the development of biomaterials or therapeutics as well as for the improvement of food characteristics. Thus, unmasking the various steps involved in protein aggregation is critical to obtain a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of amyloid formation. This knowledge will allow a more tailored development of diagnostic methods and treatments for amyloid-associated diseases, as well as applications in the fields of new (bio)materials, food technology and therapeutics. However, the complex and dynamic nature of the aggregation process makes the study of protein aggregation challenging. To provide guidance on how to analyse protein aggregation, in this review we summarize the most commonly investigated aspects of protein aggregation with some popular corresponding methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joëlle A J Housmans
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Guiqin Wu
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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7
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Housmans JAJ, Houben B, Monge-Morera M, Asvestas D, Nguyen HH, Tsaka G, Louros N, Carpentier S, Delcour JA, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. Investigating the Sequence Determinants of the Curling of Amyloid Fibrils Using Ovalbumin as a Case Study. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:3779-3797. [PMID: 36027608 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Highly ordered, straight amyloid fibrils readily lend themselves to structure determination techniques and have therefore been extensively characterized. However, the less ordered curly fibrils remain relatively understudied, and the structural organization underlying their specific characteristics remains poorly understood. We found that the exemplary curly fibril-forming protein ovalbumin contains multiple aggregation prone regions (APRs) that form straight fibrils when isolated as peptides or when excised from the full-length protein through hydrolysis. In the context of the intact full-length protein, however, the regions separating the APRs facilitate curly fibril formation. In fact, a meta-analysis of previously reported curly fibril-forming proteins shows that their inter-APRs are significantly longer and more hydrophobic when compared to straight fibril-forming proteins, suggesting that they may cause strain in the amyloid state. Hence, inter-APRs driving curly fibril formation may not only apply to our model protein but rather constitute a more general mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joëlle A J Housmans
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert Houben
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Margarita Monge-Morera
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Diego Asvestas
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hung Huy Nguyen
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Grigoria Tsaka
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sebastien Carpentier
- Facility for Systems Biology Based Mass Spectrometry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan A Delcour
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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8
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Matiiv AB, Trubitsina NP, Matveenko AG, Barbitoff YA, Zhouravleva GA, Bondarev SA. Structure and Polymorphism of Amyloid and Amyloid-Like Aggregates. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:450-463. [PMID: 35790379 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922050066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Amyloids are protein aggregates with the cross-β structure. The interest in amyloids is explained, on the one hand, by their role in the development of socially significant human neurodegenerative diseases, and on the other hand, by the discovery of functional amyloids, whose formation is an integral part of cellular processes. To date, more than a hundred proteins with the amyloid or amyloid-like properties have been identified. Studying the structure of amyloid aggregates has revealed a wide variety of protein conformations. In the review, we discuss the diversity of protein folds in the amyloid-like aggregates and the characteristic features of amyloid aggregates that determine their unusual properties, including stability and interaction with amyloid-specific dyes. The review also describes the diversity of amyloid aggregates and its significance for living organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton B Matiiv
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Nina P Trubitsina
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Andrew G Matveenko
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Yury A Barbitoff
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
- Bioinformatics Institute, Saint Petersburg, 197342, Russia
| | - Galina A Zhouravleva
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Stanislav A Bondarev
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
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9
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Louros N, Ramakers M, Michiels E, Konstantoulea K, Morelli C, Garcia T, Moonen N, D'Haeyer S, Goossens V, Thal DR, Audenaert D, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. Mapping the sequence specificity of heterotypic amyloid interactions enables the identification of aggregation modifiers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1351. [PMID: 35292653 PMCID: PMC8924238 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28955-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterotypic amyloid interactions between related protein sequences have been observed in functional and disease amyloids. While sequence homology seems to favour heterotypic amyloid interactions, we have no systematic understanding of the structural rules determining such interactions nor whether they inhibit or facilitate amyloid assembly. Using structure-based thermodynamic calculations and extensive experimental validation, we performed a comprehensive exploration of the defining role of sequence promiscuity in amyloid interactions. Using tau as a model system we demonstrate that proteins with local sequence homology to tau amyloid nucleating regions can modify fibril nucleation, morphology, assembly and spreading of aggregates in cultured cells. Depending on the type of mutation such interactions inhibit or promote aggregation in a manner that can be predicted from structure. We find that these heterotypic amyloid interactions can result in the subcellular mis-localisation of these proteins. Moreover, equilibrium studies indicate that the critical concentration of aggregation is altered by heterotypic interactions. Our findings suggest a structural mechanism by which the proteomic background can modulate the aggregation propensity of amyloidogenic proteins and we discuss how such sequence-specific proteostatic perturbations could contribute to the selective cellular susceptibility of amyloid disease progression. In this work, Louros et al. uncover a rule book for interactions of amyloids with other proteins. This grammar was shown to promote cellular spreading of tau aggregates in cells, but can also be harvested to develop structure-based aggregation blockers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Meine Ramakers
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emiel Michiels
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katerina Konstantoulea
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chiara Morelli
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Teresa Garcia
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nele Moonen
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sam D'Haeyer
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Vera Goossens
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for Neuropathology, KU Leuven, and Department of Pathology, UZ Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dominique Audenaert
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium.,Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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10
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Konstantoulea K, Louros N, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. Heterotypic interactions in amyloid function and disease. FEBS J 2021; 289:2025-2046. [PMID: 33460517 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation results from the self-assembly of identical aggregation-prone sequences into cross-beta-sheet structures. The process is best known for its association with a wide range of human pathologies but also as a functional mechanism in all kingdoms of life. Less well elucidated is the role of heterotypic interactions between amyloids and other proteins and macromolecules and how this contributes to disease. We here review current data with a focus on neurodegenerative amyloid-associated diseases. Evidence indicates that heterotypic interactions occur in a wide range of amyloid processes and that these interactions modify fundamental aspects of amyloid aggregation including seeding, aggregation rates and toxicity. More work is required to understand the mechanistic origin of these interactions, but current understanding suggests that both supersaturation and sequence-specific binding can contribute to heterotypic amyloid interactions. Further unravelling these mechanisms may help to answer outstanding questions in the field including the selective vulnerability of cells types and tissues and the stereotypical spreading patterns of amyloids in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Konstantoulea
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nikolaos Louros
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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11
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González-Alemán R, Hernández-Castillo D, Caballero J, Montero-Cabrera LA. Quality Threshold Clustering of Molecular Dynamics: A Word of Caution. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 60:467-472. [PMID: 31532987 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Clustering Molecular Dynamics trajectories is a common analysis that allows grouping together similar conformations. Several algorithms have been designed and optimized to perform this routine task, and among them, Quality Threshold stands as a very attractive option. This algorithm guarantees that in retrieved clusters no pair of frames will have a similarity value greater than a specified threshold, and hence, a set of strongly correlated frames are obtained for each cluster. In this work, it is shown that various commonly used software implementations are flawed by confusing Quality Threshold with another simplistic well-known clustering algorithm published by Daura et al. (Daura, X.; van Gunsteren, W. F.; Jaun, B.; Mark, A. E.; Gademann, K.; Seebach, D. Peptide Folding: When Simulation Meets Experiment. Angew. Chemie Int. Ed. 1999, 38 (1/2), 236-240). Daura's algorithm does not impose any quality threshold for the frames contained in retrieved clusters, bringing unrelated structural configurations altogether. The advantages of using Quality Threshold whenever possible to explore Molecular Dynamic trajectories is exemplified. An in-house implementation of the original Quality Threshold algorithm has been developed in order to illustrate our comments, and its code is freely available for further use by the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy González-Alemán
- Laboratorio de Química Computacional y Teórica, Facultad de Química , Universidad de La Habana , 10400 La Habana , Cuba
| | - David Hernández-Castillo
- Laboratorio de Química Computacional y Teórica, Facultad de Química , Universidad de La Habana , 10400 La Habana , Cuba
| | - Julio Caballero
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería en Bioinformática , Universidad de Talca , 2 Norte 685, Casilla 721 , Talca , Chile
| | - Luis A Montero-Cabrera
- Laboratorio de Química Computacional y Teórica, Facultad de Química , Universidad de La Habana , 10400 La Habana , Cuba
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12
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Graham M, Tzika AC, Mitchell SM, Liu X, Leonhardt RM. Repeat domain-associated O-glycans govern PMEL fibrillar sheet architecture. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6101. [PMID: 30988362 PMCID: PMC6465243 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42571-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PMEL is a pigment cell-specific protein that forms a functional amyloid matrix in melanosomes. The matrix consists of well-separated fibrillar sheets on which the pigment melanin is deposited. Using electron tomography, we demonstrate that this sheet architecture is governed by the PMEL repeat (RPT) domain, which associates with the amyloid as an accessory proteolytic fragment. Thus, the RPT domain is dispensable for amyloid formation as such but shapes the morphology of the matrix, probably in order to maximize the surface area available for pigment adsorption. Although the primary amino acid sequence of the RPT domain differs vastly among various vertebrates, we show that it is a functionally conserved, interchangeable module. RPT domains of all species are predicted to be very highly O-glycosylated, which is likely the common defining feature of this domain. O-glycosylation is indeed essential for RPT domain function and the establishment of the PMEL sheet architecture. Thus, O-glycosylation, not amino acid sequence, appears to be the major factor governing the characteristic PMEL amyloid morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morven Graham
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Athanasia C Tzika
- Department of Genetics & Evolution, Laboratory of Artificial & Natural Evolution (LANE), Sciences III Building, 1211, Geneva, 4, Switzerland
| | - Susan M Mitchell
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Xinran Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Ralf M Leonhardt
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA.
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13
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Bacterial Amyloids: Biogenesis and Biomaterials. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1174:113-159. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-9791-2_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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14
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Hexapeptide Tandem Repeats Dictate the Formation of Silkmoth Chorion, a Natural Protective Amyloid. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:3774-3783. [PMID: 29964045 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.06.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Silkmoth chorion is a fibrous structure composed mainly of two major protein classes, families A and B. Both families of silkmoth chorion proteins present a highly conserved, in sequence and in length, central domain, consisting of Gly-rich tandem hexapeptide repetitive segments, flanked by two more variable N-terminal and C-terminal arms. Primary studies identified silkmoth chorion as a functional protective amyloid by unveiling the amyloidogenic properties of the central domain of both protein families. In this work, we attempt to detect the principal source of amyloidogenicity of the central domain by focusing on the role of the tandem hexapeptide sequence repeats. Concurrently, we discuss a possible mechanism for the self-assembly of class A protofilaments, suggesting that the aggregation-prone hexapeptide building blocks may fold into a triangle-shaped β-helical structure.
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15
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Why Study Functional Amyloids? Lessons from the Repeat Domain of Pmel17. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:3696-3706. [PMID: 29886018 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
One of the current challenges facing biomedical researchers is the need to develop new approaches in preventing amyloid formation that is associated with disease. While amyloid is generally considered detrimental to the cell, examples of amyloids that maintain a benign nature and serve a specific function exist. Here, we review our work on the repeat domain (RPT) of the functional amyloid Pmel17. Specifically, the RPT domain contributes in generating amyloid fibrils in melanosomes upon which melanin biosynthesis occurs. Amyloid formation of RPT was shown to be pH sensitive, aggregating only under acidic conditions associated with melanosomal pH. Furthermore, preformed fibrils rapidly dissolved at neutral pH to generate benign monomeric species. From a biological perspective, this unique reversible aggregation/disaggregation is a safeguard against an event of releasing RPT fibrils in the cytosol, resulting in rapid fibril unfolding and circumventing cytotoxicity. Understanding how melanosomes preserve a safe environment will address vital questions that remain unanswered with pathological amyloids.
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16
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Louros NN, Bolas GMP, Tsiolaki PL, Hamodrakas SJ, Iconomidou VA. Intrinsic aggregation propensity of the CsgB nucleator protein is crucial for curli fiber formation. J Struct Biol 2016; 195:179-189. [PMID: 27245712 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Several organisms exploit the extraordinary physical properties of amyloid fibrils forming natural protective amyloids, in an effort to support complex biological functions. Curli amyloid fibers are a major component of mature biofilms, which are produced by many Enterobacteriaceae species and are responsible, among other functions, for the initial adhesion of bacteria to surfaces or cells. The main axis of curli fibers is formed by a major structural subunit, known as CsgA. CsgA self-assembly is promoted by oligomeric nuclei formed by a minor curli subunit, known as the CsgB nucleator protein. Here, by implementing AMYLPRED2, a consensus prediction method for the identification of 'aggregation-prone' regions in protein sequences, developed in our laboratory, we have successfully identified potent amyloidogenic regions of the CsgB subunit. Peptide-analogues corresponding to the predicted 'aggregation-prone' segments of CsgB were chemically synthesized and studied, utilizing several biophysical techniques. Our experimental data indicate that these peptides self-assemble in solution, forming fibrils with characteristic amyloidogenic properties. Using comparative modeling techniques, we have developed three-dimensional models of both CsgA and CsgB subunits. Structural analysis revealed that the identified 'aggregation-prone' segments may promote gradual polymerization of CsgB. Briefly, our results indicate that the intrinsic self-aggregation propensity of the CsgB subunit, most probably has a pivotal role in initiating the formation of curli amyloid fibers by promoting the self-assembly process of the CsgB nucleator protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos N Louros
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 157 01, Greece
| | - Georgios M P Bolas
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 157 01, Greece
| | - Paraskevi L Tsiolaki
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 157 01, Greece
| | - Stavros J Hamodrakas
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 157 01, Greece
| | - Vassiliki A Iconomidou
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 157 01, Greece.
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