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Walker AA, Weirauch C, Fry BG, King GF. Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological Toolkits. Toxins (Basel) 2016; 8:43. [PMID: 26907342 PMCID: PMC4773796 DOI: 10.3390/toxins8020043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The piercing-sucking mouthparts of the true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) have allowed diversification from a plant-feeding ancestor into a wide range of trophic strategies that include predation and blood-feeding. Crucial to the success of each of these strategies is the injection of venom. Here we review the current state of knowledge with regard to heteropteran venoms. Predaceous species produce venoms that induce rapid paralysis and liquefaction. These venoms are powerfully insecticidal, and may cause paralysis or death when injected into vertebrates. Disulfide-rich peptides, bioactive phospholipids, small molecules such as N,N-dimethylaniline and 1,2,5-trithiepane, and toxic enzymes such as phospholipase A2, have been reported in predatory venoms. However, the detailed composition and molecular targets of predatory venoms are largely unknown. In contrast, recent research into blood-feeding heteropterans has revealed the structure and function of many protein and non-protein components that facilitate acquisition of blood meals. Blood-feeding venoms lack paralytic or liquefying activity but instead are cocktails of pharmacological modulators that disable the host haemostatic systems simultaneously at multiple points. The multiple ways venom is used by heteropterans suggests that further study will reveal heteropteran venom components with a wide range of bioactivities that may be recruited for use as bioinsecticides, human therapeutics, and pharmacological tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Christiane Weirauch
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Bryan G Fry
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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He C, Howes BD, Smulevich G, Rumpel S, Reijerse EJ, Lubitz W, Cox N, Knipp M. Nitrite Dismutase Reaction Mechanism: Kinetic and Spectroscopic Investigation of the Interaction between Nitrophorin and Nitrite. J Am Chem Soc 2015; 137:4141-50. [DOI: 10.1021/ja512938u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chunmao He
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Barry D. Howes
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino(Fi), Italy
| | - Giulietta Smulevich
- Department
of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino(Fi), Italy
| | - Sigrun Rumpel
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Edward J. Reijerse
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Lubitz
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Nicholas Cox
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Markus Knipp
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University, Universitätsstrasse 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
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Knipp M, Ogata H, Soavi G, Cerullo G, Allegri A, Abbruzzetti S, Bruno S, Viappiani C, Bidon-Chanal A, Luque FJ. Structure and dynamics of the membrane attaching nitric oxide transporter nitrophorin 7. F1000Res 2015; 4:45. [PMID: 26167269 PMCID: PMC4482215 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6060.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrophorins represent a unique class of heme proteins that are able to perform the delicate transportation and release of the free-radical gaseous messenger nitric oxide (NO) in a pH-triggered manner. Besides its ability to bind to phospholipid membranes, the N-terminus contains an additional Leu-Pro-Gly stretch, which is a unique sequence trait, and the heme cavity is significantly altered with respect to other nitrophorins. These distinctive features encouraged us to solve the X-ray crystallographic structures of NP7 at low and high pH and bound with different heme ligands (nitric oxide, histamine, imidazole). The overall fold of the lipocalin motif is well preserved in the different X-ray structures and resembles the fold of other nitrophorins. However, a chain-like arrangement in the crystal lattice due to a number of head-to-tail electrostatic stabilizing interactions is found in NP7. Furthermore, the X-ray structures also reveal ligand-dependent changes in the orientation of the heme, as well as in specific interactions between the A-B and G-H loops, which are considered to be relevant for the biological function of nitrophorins. Fast and ultrafast laser triggered ligand rebinding experiments demonstrate the pH-dependent ligand migration within the cavities and the exit route. Finally, the topological distribution of pockets located around the heme as well as from inner cavities present at the rear of the protein provides a distinctive feature in NP7, so that while a loop gated exit mechanism to the solvent has been proposed for most nitrophorins, a more complex mechanism that involves several interconnected gas hosting cavities is proposed for NP7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Knipp
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr, 45470, Germany
| | - Hideaki Ogata
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr, 45470, Germany
| | - Giancarlo Soavi
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, 20133, Italy
| | - Giulio Cerullo
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, 20133, Italy
| | - Alessandro Allegri
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università di Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Stefania Abbruzzetti
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università di Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy ; NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa, 56127, Italy
| | - Stefano Bruno
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Cristiano Viappiani
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università di Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy ; NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa, 56127, Italy
| | - Axel Bidon-Chanal
- Departament de Fisicoquímica, Facultat de Farmàcia and Institute of Biomedicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, E-08921, Spain
| | - F Javier Luque
- Departament de Fisicoquímica, Facultat de Farmàcia and Institute of Biomedicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, E-08921, Spain
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Risse C, Taing JJ, Knipp M. Preparation of nitrophorin 7(Δ1-3) from Rhodnius prolixus without start-methionine using recombinant expression in Escherichia coli. Anal Biochem 2014; 451:28-30. [PMID: 24463016 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2014.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Revised: 01/04/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The heterologous recombinant expression of proteins in Escherichia coli without start-methionine is a common problem. The nitrophorin 7 heme properties and function strongly depend on the accurate N-terminal amino acid sequence. Leading protein expression into the periplasm by fusion with the leader peptide pelB yields functional protein; however, the folded protein sticks to the cell debris. Therefore, the periplasmic fraction was dissolved in guanidinium chloride and folded by a drop-in method. Separation from impurities including residual pelB-nitrophorin 7 required establishing an unconventional chromatographic technique using calcium-loaded Chelating Sepharose as cation exchanger and elution by a linear CaCl2 gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Risse
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Johanna J Taing
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Markus Knipp
- Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany; Fakultät für Chemie und Biochemie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany.
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Varghese S, Yang F, Pacheco V, Wrede K, Medvedev A, Ogata H, Knipp M, Heise H. Expression, purification, and solid-state NMR characterization of the membrane binding heme protein nitrophorin 7 in two electronic spin states. Biochemistry 2013; 52:7031-40. [PMID: 24033104 DOI: 10.1021/bi401020t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The nitrophorins (NPs) comprise a group of NO transporting ferriheme b proteins found in the saliva of the blood sucking insect Rhodnius prolixus . In contrast to other nitrophorins (NP1-4), the recently identified membrane binding isoform NP7 tends to form oligomers and precipitates at higher concentrations in solution. Hence, solid-state NMR (ssNMR) was employed as an alternative method to gain structural insights on the precipitated protein. We report the expression and purification of (13)C,(15)N isotopically labeled protein together with the first ssNMR characterization of NP7. Because the size of NP7 (21 kDa) still provides a challenge for ssNMR, the samples were reverse labeled with Lys and Val to reduce the number of crosspeaks in two-dimensional spectra. The two electronic spin states with S = 1/2 and S = 0 at the ferriheme iron were generated by the complexation with imidazole and NO, respectively. ssNMR spectra of both forms are well resolved, which allows for sequential resonance assignments of 22 residues. Importantly, the ssNMR spectra demonstrate that aggregation does not affect the protein fold. Comparison of the spectra of the two electronic spin states allows the determination of paramagnetically shifted cross peaks due to pseudocontact shifts, which assists the assignment of residues close to the heme center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabu Varghese
- ICS-6 Institute of Complex Systems-Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich , D-2425 Jülich, Germany
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Complexes of ferriheme nitrophorin 4 with low-molecular weight thiol(ate)s occurring in blood plasma. J Inorg Biochem 2013; 122:38-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2013.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2012] [Revised: 01/14/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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7
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Oliveira A, Allegri A, Bidon-Chanal A, Knipp M, Roitberg AE, Abbruzzetti S, Viappiani C, Luque FJ. Kinetics and computational studies of ligand migration in nitrophorin 7 and its Δ1-3 mutant. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2013; 1834:1711-21. [PMID: 23624263 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2013.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Revised: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Nitrophorins (NPs) are nitric oxide (NO)-carrying heme proteins found in the saliva of the blood-sucking insect Rhodnius prolixus. Though NP7 exhibits a large sequence resemblance with other NPs, two major differential features are the ability to interact with negatively charged cell surfaces and the presence of a specific N-terminus composed of three extra residues (Leu1-Pro2-Gly3). The aim of this study is to examine the influence of the N-terminus on the ligand binding, and the topological features of inner cavities in closed and open states of NP7, which can be associated to the protein structure at low and high pH, respectively. Laser flash photolysis measurements of the CO rebinding kinetics to NP7 and its variant NP7(Δ1-3), which lacks the three extra residues at the N-terminus, exhibit a similar pattern and support the existence of a common kinetic mechanism for ligand migration and binding. This is supported by the existence of a common topology of inner cavities, which consists of two docking sites in the heme pocket and a secondary site at the back of the protein. The ligand exchange between these cavities is facilitated by an additional site, which can be transiently occupied by the ligand in NP7, although it is absent in NP4. These features provide a basis to explain the enhanced internal gas hosting capacity found experimentally in NP7 and the absence of ligand rebinding from secondary sites in NP4. The current data allow us to speculate that the processes of docking to cell surfaces and NO release may be interconnected in NP7, thereby efficiently releasing NO into a target cell. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Oxygen Binding and Sensing Proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Oliveira
- Departament de Fisicoquímica and Institut de Biomedicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
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Abbruzzetti S, He C, Ogata H, Bruno S, Viappiani C, Knipp M. Heterogeneous kinetics of the carbon monoxide association and dissociation reaction to nitrophorin 4 and 7 coincide with structural heterogeneity of the gate-loop. J Am Chem Soc 2012; 134:9986-98. [PMID: 22594621 DOI: 10.1021/ja2121662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
NO is an important signaling molecule in human tissue. However, the mechanisms by which this molecule is controlled and directed are currently little understood. Nitrophorins (NPs) comprise a group of ferriheme proteins originating from blood-sucking insects that are tailored to protect and deliver NO via coordination to and release from the heme iron. Therefore, the kinetics of the association and dissociation reactions were studied in this work using the ferroheme-CO complexes of NP4, NP4(D30N), and NP7 as isoelectronic models for the ferriheme-NO complexes. The kinetic measurements performed by nanosecond laser-flash-photolysis and stopped-flow are accompanied by resonance Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy to characterize the carbonyl species. Careful analysis of the CO rebinding kinetics reveals that in NP4 and, to a larger extent, NP7 internal gas binding cavities are located, which temporarily trap photodissociated ligands. Moreover, changes in the free energy barriers throughout the rebinding and release pathway upon increase of the pH are surprisingly small in case of NP4. Also in case of NP4, a heterogeneous kinetic trace is obtained at pH 7.5, which corresponds to the presence of two carbonyl species in the heme cavity that are seen in vibrational spectroscopy and that are due to the change of the distal heme pocket polarity. Quantification of the two species from FT-IR spectra allowed the fitting of the kinetic traces as two processes, corresponding to the previously reported open and closed conformation of the A-B and G-H loops. With the use of the A-B loop mutant NP4(D30N), it was confirmed that the kinetic heterogeneity is controlled by pH through the disruption of the H-bond between the Asp30 side chain and the Leu130 backbone carbonyl. Overall, this first study on the slow phase of the dynamics of diatomic gas molecule interaction with NPs comprises an important experimental contribution for the understanding of the dynamics involved in the binding/release processes of NO/CO in NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Abbruzzetti
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Parma, viale delle Scienze 7A, I-43124, Parma, Italy
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