Identification of potential binding sites for the FHA domain of human Chk2 by in vitro binding studies

Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensing of Biorecognition Interactions within the Tumor Suppressor p53 Network

Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) is a powerful technique to study the kinetics of biomolecules undergoing biorecognition processes, particularly suited for protein-protein interactions of biomedical interest. The potentiality of SPR was exploited to sense the interactions occurring within the network of the tumor suppressor p53, which is crucial for maintaining genome integrity and whose function is inactivated, mainly by down regulation or by mutation, in the majority of human tumors. This study includes p53 down-regulators, p53 mutants and also the p53 family members, p63 and p73, which could vicariate p53 protective function. Furthermore, the application of SPR was extended to sense the interaction of p53 with anti-cancer drugs, which might restore p53 function. An extended review of previous published work and unpublished kinetic data is provided, dealing with the interaction between the p53 family members, or their mutants and two anticancer molecules, Azurin and its cell-penetrating peptide, p28. All the kinetic results are discussed in connection with those obtained by a complementary approach operating at the single molecule level, namely Atomic Force Spectroscopy and the related literature data. The overview of the SPR kinetic results may significantly contribute to a deeper understanding of the interactions within p53 network, also in the perspective of designing suitable anticancer drugs.

Structure and function of the phosphothreonine-specific FHA domain

The forkhead-associated (FHA) domain is the only known phosphoprotein-binding domain that specifically recognizes phosphothreonine (pThr) residues, distinguishing them from phosphoserine (pSer) residues. In contrast to its very strict specificity toward pThr, the FHA domain recognizes very diverse patterns in the residues surrounding the pThr residue. For example, the FHA domain of Ki67, a protein associated with cellular proliferation, binds to an extended target surface involving residues remote from the pThr, whereas the FHA domain of Dun1, a DNA damage-response kinase, specifically recognizes a doubly phosphorylated Thr-Gln (TQ) cluster by virtue of its possessing two pThr-binding sites. The FHA domain exists in various proteins with diverse functions and is particularly prevalent among proteins involved in the DNA damage response. Despite a very short history, a number of unique structural and functional properties of the FHA domain have been uncovered. This review highlights the diversity of biological functions of the FHA domain-containing proteins and the structural bases for the novel binding specificities and multiple binding modes of FHA domains.

Chk2 oligomerization studied by phosphopeptide ligation: implications for regulation and phosphodependent interactions

Chk2/CHEK2/hCds1 is a modular serine-threonine kinase involved in transducing DNA damage signals. Phosphorylation by ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase (ATM) promotes Chk2 self-association, autophosphorylation, and activation. Here we use expressed protein ligation to generate a Chk2 N-terminal regulatory region encompassing a fork-head-associated (FHA) domain, a stoichiometrically phosphorylated Thr-68 motif and intervening linker. Hydrodynamic analysis reveals that Thr-68 phosphorylation stabilizes weak FHA-FHA interactions that occur in the unphosphorylated species to form a high affinity dimer. Although clearly a prerequisite for Chk2 activation in vivo, we show that dimerization modulates potential phosphodependent interactions with effector proteins and substrates through either the pThr-68 site, or the canonical FHA phosphobinding surface with which it is tightly associated. We further show that the dimer-occluded pThr-68 motif is released by intra-dimer autophosphorylation of the FHA domain at the highly conserved Ser-140 position, a major pThr contact in all FHA-phosphopeptide complex structures, revealing a mechanism of Chk2 dimer dissociation following kinase domain activation.

The Chk2 protein kinase

Checkpoint kinase 2 (Chk2) is a multifunctional enzyme whose functions are central to the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by DNA damage. Insight into Chk2 has derived from multiple approaches. Biochemical studies have addressed Chk2 structure, domain organization and regulation by phosphorylation. Extensive work has been done to identify factors that recognize and respond to DNA damage in order to activate Chk2. In turn a number of substrates and targets of Chk2 have been identified that play roles in the checkpoint response. The roles and regulation of Chk2 have been elucidated by studies in model genetic systems extending from worms and flies to mice and humans. The relationship of Chk2 to human cancer studies is developing rapidly with increasing evidence that Chk2 plays a role in tumor suppression.

Survey of the year 2003 commercial optical biosensor literature

In the year 2003 there was a 17% increase in the number of publications citing work performed using optical biosensor technology compared with the previous year. We collated the 962 total papers for 2003, identified the geographical regions where the work was performed, highlighted the instrument types on which it was carried out, and segregated the papers by biological system. In this overview, we spotlight 13 papers that should be on everyone's 'must read' list for 2003 and provide examples of how to identify and interpret high-quality biosensor data. Although we still find that the literature is replete with poorly performed experiments, over-interpreted results and a general lack of understanding of data analysis, we are optimistic that these shortcomings will be addressed as biosensor technology continues to mature.