Cotranslational folding increases GFP folding yield

The importance of the location of the N-terminus in successful protein folding in vivo and in vitro

Protein folding in the cell often begins during translation. Many proteins fold more efficiently cotranslationally than when refolding from a denatured state. Changing the vectorial synthesis of the polypeptide chain through circular permutation could impact functional, soluble protein expression and interactions with cellular proteostasis factors. Here, we measure the solubility and function of every possible circular permutant (CP) of HaloTag in Escherichia coli cell lysate using a gel-based assay, and in living E. coli cells via FACS-seq. We find that 78% of HaloTag CPs retain protein function, though a subset of these proteins are also highly aggregation-prone. We examine the function of each CP in E. coli cells lacking the cotranslational chaperone trigger factor and the intracellular protease Lon and find no significant changes in function as a result of modifying the cellular proteostasis network. Finally, we biophysically characterize two topologically interesting CPs in vitro via circular dichroism and hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry to reveal changes in global stability and folding kinetics with circular permutation. For CP33, we identify a change in the refolding intermediate as compared to wild-type (WT) HaloTag. Finally, we show that the strongest predictor of aggregation-prone expression in cells is the introduction of termini within the refolding intermediate. These results, in addition to our finding that termini insertion within the conformationally restrained core is most disruptive to protein function, indicate that successful folding of circular permutants may depend more on changes in folding pathway and termini insertion in flexible regions than on the availability of proteostasis factors.

A small molecule high throughput screening platform to profile conformational properties of nascent, ribosome-bound proteins

Genetic mutations cause a wide spectrum of human disease by disrupting protein folding, both during and after synthesis. Transient de-novo folding intermediates therefore represent potential drug targets for pharmacological correction of protein folding disorders. Here we develop a FRET-based high-throughput screening (HTS) assay in 1,536-well format capable of identifying small molecules that interact with nascent polypeptides and correct genetic, cotranslational folding defects. Ribosome nascent chain complexes (RNCs) containing donor and acceptor fluorophores were isolated from cell free translation reactions, immobilized on Nickel-NTA/IDA beads, and imaged by high-content microscopy. Quantitative FRET measurements obtained from as little as 0.4 attomole of protein/bead enabled rapid assessment of conformational changes with a high degree of reproducibility. Using this assay, we performed a pilot screen of ~ 50,000 small molecules to identify compounds that interact with RNCs containing the first nucleotide-binding domain (NBD1) of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) harboring a disease-causing mutation (A455E). Screen results yielded 133 primary hits and 1 validated hit that normalized FRET values of the mutant nascent peptide. This system provides a scalable, tractable, structure-based discovery platform for screening small molecules that bind to or impact the folding of protein substrates that are not amenable to traditional biochemical analyses.

Engineering a Fluorescent Protein Color Switch Using Entropy-Driven β-Strand Exchange

Protein conformational switches are widely used in biosensing. They are often composed of an input domain (which binds a target ligand) fused to an output domain (which generates an optical readout). A central challenge in designing such switches is to develop mechanisms for coupling the input and output signals via conformational changes. Here, we create a biosensor in which binding-induced folding of the input domain drives a conformational shift in the output domain that results in a sixfold green-to-yellow ratiometric fluorescence change in vitro and a 35-fold intensiometric fluorescence increase in cultured cells. The input domain consists of circularly permuted FK506 binding protein (cpFKBP) that folds upon binding its target ligand (FK506 or rapamycin). cpFKBP folding induces the output domain, an engineered green fluorescent protein (GFP) variant, to replace one of its β-strands (containing T203 and specifying green fluorescence) with a duplicate β-strand (containing Y203 and specifying yellow fluorescence) in an intramolecular exchange reaction. This mechanism employs the loop-closure entropy principle, embodied by the folding of the partially disordered cpFKBP domain, to couple ligand binding to the GFP color shift. This study highlights the high-energy barriers present in GFP folding which cause β-strand exchange to be slow and are also likely responsible for the shift from the β-strand exchange mechanism in vitro to ligand-induced chromophore maturation in cells. The proof-of-concept design has the advantages of full genetic encodability and potential for modularity. The latter attribute is enabled by the natural coupling of binding and folding and circular permutation of the input domain, which theoretically allows different binding domains to be compatible for insertion into the GFP surface loop.

β-Barrels and Amyloids: Structural Transitions, Biological Functions, and Pathogenesis

Insoluble protein aggregates with fibrillar morphology called amyloids and β-barrel proteins both share a β-sheet-rich structure. Correctly folded β-barrel proteins can not only function in monomeric (dimeric) form, but also tend to interact with one another-followed, in several cases, by formation of higher order oligomers or even aggregates. In recent years, findings proving that β-barrel proteins can adopt cross-β amyloid folds have emerged. Different β-barrel proteins were shown to form amyloid fibrils in vitro. The formation of functional amyloids in vivo by β-barrel proteins for which the amyloid state is native was also discovered. In particular, several prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins with β-barrel domains were demonstrated to form amyloids in vivo, where they participate in interspecies interactions and nutrient storage, respectively. According to recent observations, despite the variety of primary structures of amyloid-forming proteins, most of them can adopt a conformational state with the β-barrel topology. This state can be intermediate on the pathway of fibrillogenesis ("on-pathway state"), or can be formed as a result of an alternative assembly of partially unfolded monomers ("off-pathway state"). The β-barrel oligomers formed by amyloid proteins possess toxicity, and are likely to be involved in the development of amyloidoses, thus representing promising targets for potential therapy of these incurable diseases. Considering rapidly growing discoveries of the amyloid-forming β-barrels, we may suggest that their real number and diversity of functions are significantly higher than identified to date, and represent only "the tip of the iceberg". Here, we summarize the data on the amyloid-forming β-barrel proteins, their physicochemical properties, and their biological functions, and discuss probable means and consequences of the amyloidogenesis of these proteins, along with structural relationships between these two widespread types of β-folds.

Opposing Effects of Cohesin and Transcription on CTCF Organization Revealed by Super-resolution Imaging

CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and cohesin play critical roles in organizing mammalian genomes into topologically associating domains (TADs). Here, by combining genetic engineering with quantitative super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, we demonstrate that in living cells, CTCF forms clusters typically containing 2-8 molecules. A fraction of CTCF clusters, enriched for those with ≥3 molecules, are coupled with cohesin complexes with a characteristic physical distance suggestive of a defined molecular interaction. Acute degradation of the cohesin unloader WAPL or transcriptional inhibition (TI) result in increased CTCF clustering. Furthermore, the effect of TI on CTCF clusters is alleviated by the acute loss of the cohesin subunit SMC3. Our study provides quantitative characterization of CTCF clusters in living cells, uncovers the opposing effects of cohesin and transcription on CTCF clustering, and highlights the power of quantitative super-resolution microscopy as a tool to bridge the gap between biochemical and genomic methodologies in chromatin research.

Effect of Protein Structure on Evolution of Cotranslational Folding

Cotranslational folding depends on the folding speed and stability of the nascent protein. It remains difficult, however, to predict which proteins cotranslationally fold. Here, we simulate evolution of model proteins to investigate how native structure influences evolution of cotranslational folding. We developed a model that connects protein folding during and after translation to cellular fitness. Model proteins evolved improved folding speed and stability, with proteins adopting one of two strategies for folding quickly. Low contact order proteins evolve to fold cotranslationally. Such proteins adopt native conformations early on during the translation process, with each subsequently translated residue establishing additional native contacts. On the other hand, high contact order proteins tend not to be stable in their native conformations until the full chain is nearly extruded. We also simulated evolution of slowly translating codons, finding that slower translation speeds at certain positions enhances cotranslational folding. Finally, we investigated real protein structures using a previously published data set that identified evolutionarily conserved rare codons in Escherichia coli genes and associated such codons with cotranslational folding intermediates. We found that protein substructures preceding conserved rare codons tend to have lower contact orders, in line with our finding that lower contact order proteins are more likely to fold cotranslationally. Our work shows how evolutionary selection pressure can cause proteins with local contact topologies to evolve cotranslational folding.

Transmembrane protein rotaxanes reveal kinetic traps in the refolding of translocated substrates

Understanding protein folding under conditions similar to those found in vivo remains challenging. Folding occurs mainly vectorially as a polypeptide emerges from the ribosome or from a membrane translocon. Protein folding during membrane translocation is particularly difficult to study. Here, we describe a single-molecule method to characterize the folded state of individual proteins after membrane translocation, by monitoring the ionic current passing through the pore. We tag both N and C termini of a model protein, thioredoxin, with biotinylated oligonucleotides. Under an electric potential, one of the oligonucleotides is pulled through a α-hemolysin nanopore driving the unfolding and translocation of the protein. We trap the protein in the nanopore as a rotaxane-like complex using streptavidin stoppers. The protein is subjected to cycles of unfolding-translocation-refolding switching the voltage polarity. We find that the refolding pathway after translocation is slower than in bulk solution due to the existence of kinetic traps.

Feng et al address the technical challenge of monitoring the protein folding during membrane translocation. Using thioredoxin as a model and with electric potential driving its translocation through single a-hemolysin nanopore, they observe that after translocation, folding is slower than in bulk due to existence of kinetic traps.

The VES KM: a pathway for protein folding in vivo

While according to the thermodynamic hypothesis, protein folding reproducibility is ensured by the assumption that the native state corresponds to the minimum of the free energy in normal cellular conditions, here, the VES kinetic mechanism for folding in vivo is described according to which the nascent chain of all proteins is helical and the first and structure defining step in the folding pathway is the bending of that initial helix around a particular amino acid site. Molecular dynamics simulations are presented which indicate both the viability of this mechanism for folding and its limitations in the presence of a Markovian thermal bath. An analysis of a set of protein structures formed only of helices and loops suggests that bending sites are correlated with regions bounded, on the N-side, by positively charged amino acids like Lysine and Histidine and on the C-side by negatively charged amino acids like Aspartic acid.

Mechanisms of Cotranslational Maturation of Newly Synthesized Proteins

The timely production of functional proteins is of critical importance for the biological activity of cells. To reach the functional state, newly synthesized polypeptides have to become enzymatically processed, folded, and assembled into oligomeric complexes and, for noncytosolic proteins, translocated across membranes. Key activities of these processes occur cotranslationally, assisted by a network of machineries that transiently engage nascent polypeptides at distinct phases of translation. The sequence of events is tuned by intrinsic features of the nascent polypeptides and timely association of factors with the translating ribosome. Considering the dynamics of translation, the heterogeneity of cellular proteins, and the diversity of interaction partners, it is a major cellular achievement that these processes are temporally and spatially so precisely coordinated, minimizing the generation of damaged proteins. This review summarizes the current progress we have made toward a comprehensive understanding of the cotranslational interactions of nascent chains, which pave the way to their functional state.

Within-Gene Shine-Dalgarno Sequences Are Not Selected for Function

The Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence motif facilitates translation initiation and is frequently found upstream of bacterial start codons. However, thousands of instances of this motif occur throughout the middle of protein coding genes in a typical bacterial genome. Here, we use comparative evolutionary analysis to test whether SD sequences located within genes are functionally constrained. We measure the conservation of SD sequences across Enterobacteriales, and find that they are significantly less conserved than expected. Further, the strongest SD sequences are the least conserved whereas we find evidence of conservation for the weakest possible SD sequences given amino acid constraints. Our findings indicate that most SD sequences within genes are likely to be deleterious and removed via selection. To illustrate the origin of these deleterious costs, we show that ATG start codons are significantly depleted downstream of SD sequences within genes, highlighting the constraint that these sequences impose on the surrounding nucleotides to minimize the potential for erroneous translation initiation.

Characterizing proteins in their cellular environment: Examples of recent advances in quantitative fluorescence microscopy

Quantitative characterization of protein interactions, both intramolecular and intermolecular, is crucial in understanding the mechanisms and regulation of their function. In recent years, it has become possible to obtain such information on protein systems in live cells, from bacteria to mammalian cell lines. This review discusses recent advances in measuring protein folding, absolute concentration, oligomerization, diffusion, transport, and organization at super-resolution.

Enhancing co-translational folding of heterologous protein by deleting non-essential ribosomal proteins in Pichia pastoris

BACKGROUND

Translational regulation played an important role in the correct folding of heterologous proteins to form bioactive conformations during biogenesis. Translational pausing coordinates protein translation and co-translational folding. Decelerating translation elongation speed has been shown to improve the soluble protein yield when expressing heterologous proteins in industrial expression hosts. However, rational redesign of translational pausing via synonymous mutations may not be feasible in many cases. Our goal was to develop a general and convenient strategy to improve heterologous protein synthesis in Pichia pastoris without mutating the expressed genes.

RESULTS

Here, a large-scale deletion library of ribosomal protein (RP) genes was constructed for heterologous protein expression in Pichia pastoris, and 59% (16/27) RP deletants have significantly increased heterologous protein yield. This is due to the delay of 60S subunit assembly by deleting non-essential ribosomal protein genes or 60S subunit processing factors, thus globally decreased the translation elongation speed and improved the co-translational folding, without perturbing the relative transcription level and translation initiation.

CONCLUSION

Global decrease in the translation elongation speed by RP deletion enhanced co-translational folding efficiency of nascent chains and decreased protein aggregates to improve heterologous protein yield. A potential expression platform for efficient pharmaceutical proteins and industrial enzymes production was provided without synonymous mutation.

Folding pathway of an Ig domain is conserved on and off the ribosome

Most proteins need to fold into a specific 3D structure to function. The mechanism by which isolated proteins fold has been thoroughly studied by experiment and theory. However, in the cell proteins do not fold in isolation but are synthesized as linear chains by the ribosome during translation. It is therefore natural to ask at which point during synthesis proteins fold, and whether this differs from the folding of isolated protein molecules. By studying folding of a well-characterized protein domain, titin I27, stalled at different points during translation, we show that it already folds in the mouth of the ribosome exit tunnel and that the mechanism is almost identical to that of the isolated protein.

Proteins that fold cotranslationally may do so in a restricted configurational space, due to the volume occupied by the ribosome. How does this environment, coupled with the close proximity of the ribosome, affect the folding pathway of a protein? Previous studies have shown that the cotranslational folding process for many proteins, including small, single domains, is directly affected by the ribosome. Here, we investigate the cotranslational folding of an all-β Ig domain, titin I27. Using an arrest peptide-based assay and structural studies by cryo-EM, we show that I27 folds in the mouth of the ribosome exit tunnel. Simulations that use a kinetic model for the force dependence of escape from arrest accurately predict the fraction of folded protein as a function of length. We used these simulations to probe the folding pathway on and off the ribosome. Our simulations—which also reproduce experiments on mutant forms of I27—show that I27 folds, while still sequestered in the mouth of the ribosome exit tunnel, by essentially the same pathway as free I27, with only subtle shifts of critical contacts from the C to the N terminus.

Investigating the Effect of Chain Connectivity on the Folding of a Beta-Sheet Protein On and Off the Ribosome

Determining the relationship between protein folding pathways on and off the ribosome remains an important area of investigation in biology. Studies on isolated domains have shown that alteration of the separation of residues in a polypeptide chain, while maintaining their spatial contacts, may affect protein stability and folding pathway. Due to the vectorial emergence of the polypeptide chain from the ribosome, chain connectivity may have an important influence upon cotranslational folding. Using MATH, an all β-sandwich domain, we investigate whether the connectivity of residues and secondary structure elements is a key determinant of when cotranslational folding can occur on the ribosome. From Φ-value analysis, we show that the most structured region of the transition state for folding in MATH includes the N and C terminal strands, which are located adjacent to each other in the structure. However, arrest peptide force-profile assays show that wild-type MATH is able to fold cotranslationally, while some C-terminal residues remain sequestered in the ribosome, even when destabilized by 2–3 kcal mol⁻¹. We show that, while this pattern of Φ-values is retained in two circular permutants in our studies of the isolated domains, one of these permutants can fold only when fully emerged from the ribosome. We propose that in the case of MATH, onset of cotranslational folding is determined by the ability to form a sufficiently stable folding nucleus involving both β-sheets, rather than by the location of the terminal strands in the ribosome tunnel.

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Adjacent N and C terminal strands are most structured region in the transition state.

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Two circular permutants retain the same folding pathway as wild-type MATH.

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On the ribosome, early emergence of terminal strands does not promote earlier folding.

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Formation of both β-sheets is energetically critical for folding on the ribosome.

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Folding pathway minimizes formation of partly structured states prone to mis-folding.

Protein escape at the ribosomal exit tunnel: Effects of native interactions, tunnel length, and macromolecular crowding

How fast a post-translational nascent protein escapes from the ribosomal exit tunnel is relevant to its folding and protection against aggregation. Here, by using Langevin molecular dynamics, we show that non-local native interactions help decrease the escape time, and foldable proteins generally escape much faster than same-length, self-repulsive homopolymers at low temperatures. The escape process, however, is slowed down by the local interactions that stabilize the α-helices. The escape time is found to increase with both the tunnel length and the concentration of macromolecular crowders outside the tunnel. We show that a simple diffusion model described by the Smoluchowski equation with an effective linear potential can be used to map out the escape time distribution for various tunnel lengths and various crowder concentrations. The consistency between the simulation data and the diffusion model, however, is found only for the tunnel length smaller than a crossover length of 90 Å-110 Å, above which the escape time increases much faster with the tunnel length. It is suggested that the length of ribosomal exit tunnel has been selected by evolution to facilitate both the efficient folding and the efficient escape of single-domain proteins. We show that macromolecular crowders lead to an increase in the escape time, and attractive crowders are unfavorable for the folding of nascent polypeptide.

Kinetic and structural comparison of a protein's cotranslational folding and refolding pathways

Precise protein folding is essential for the survival of all cells, and protein misfolding causes a number of diseases that lack effective therapies, yet the general principles governing protein folding in the cell remain poorly understood. In vivo, folding can begin cotranslationally and protein quality control at the ribosome is essential for cellular proteostasis. We directly characterize and compare the refolding and cotranslational folding trajectories of the protein HaloTag. We introduce new techniques for both measuring folding kinetics and detecting the conformations of partially folded intermediates during translation in real time. We find that, although translation does not affect the rate-limiting step of HaloTag folding, a key aggregation-prone intermediate observed during in vitro refolding experiments is no longer detectable. This rerouting of the folding pathway increases HaloTag's folding efficiency and may serve as a general chaperone-independent mechanism of quality control by the ribosome.

Cotranslational protein assembly imposes evolutionary constraints on homomeric proteins

Cotranslational protein folding can facilitate rapid formation of functional structures. However, it can also cause premature assembly of protein complexes, if two interacting nascent chains are in close proximity. By analyzing known protein structures, we show that homomeric protein contacts are enriched toward the C termini of polypeptide chains across diverse proteomes. We hypothesize that this is the result of evolutionary constraints for folding to occur before assembly. Using high-throughput imaging of protein homomers in Escherichia coli and engineered protein constructs with N- and C-terminal oligomerization domains, we show that, indeed, proteins with C-terminal homomeric interface residues consistently assemble more efficiently than those with N-terminal interface residues. Using in vivo, in vitro and in silico experiments, we identify features that govern successful assembly of homomers, which have implications for protein design and expression optimization.

In vivo selection of sfGFP variants with improved and reliable functionality in industrially important thermophilic bacteria

BACKGROUND

Fluorescent reporter proteins (FP) have become an indispensable tool for the optimization of microbial cell factories and in synthetic biology per se. The applicability of the currently available FPs is, however, constrained by species-dependent performance and misfolding at elevated temperatures. To obtain functional reporters for thermophilic, biotechnologically important bacteria such as Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius, an in vivo screening approach based on a mutational library of superfolder GFP was applied.

RESULTS

Flow cytometry-based benchmarking of a set of GFPs, sfGFPs and species-specific codon-optimized variants revealed that none of the proteins was satisfyingly detectable in P. thermoglucosidasius at its optimal growth temperature of 60 °C. An undirected mutagenesis approach coupled to fluorescence-activated cell sorting allowed the isolation of sfGFP variants that were extremely well expressed in the chassis background at 60 °C. Notably, a few nucleotide substitutions, including silent mutations, significantly improved the functionality and brightness. The best mutant sfGFP(N39D/A179A) showed an 885-fold enhanced mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) at 60 °C and is the most reliable reporter protein with respect to cell-to-cell variation and signal intensity reported so far. The in vitro spectral and thermostability properties were unaltered as compared to the parental sfGFP protein, strongly indicating that the combination of the amino acid exchange and an altered translation or folding speed, or protection from degradation, contribute to the strongly improved in vivo performance. Furthermore, sfGFP(N39D/A179A) and the newly developed cyan and yellow derivatives were successfully used for labeling several industrially relevant thermophilic bacilli, thus proving their broad applicability.

CONCLUSIONS

This study illustrates the power of in vivo isolation of thermostable proteins to obtain reporters for highly efficient fluorescence labeling. Successful expression in a variety of thermophilic bacteria proved that the novel FPs are highly suitable for imaging and flow cytometry-based studies. This enables a reliable cell tracking and single-cell-based real-time monitoring of biological processes that are of industrial and biotechnological interest.

Unraveling co-translational protein folding: Concepts and methods

Advances in techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, and single-molecule and time-resolved fluorescent approaches are transforming our ability to study co-translational protein folding both in vivo in living cells and in vitro in reconstituted cell-free translation systems. These approaches provide comprehensive information on the spatial organization and dynamics of nascent polypeptide chains and the kinetics of co-translational protein folding. This information has led to an improved understanding of the process of protein folding in living cells and should allow remaining key questions in the field, such as what structures are formed within nascent chains during protein synthesis and when, to be answered. Ultimately, studies using these techniques will facilitate development of a unified concept of protein folding, a process that is essential for proper cell function and organism viability. This review describes current methods for analysis of co-translational protein folding with an emphasis on some of the recently developed techniques that allow monitoring of co-translational protein folding in real-time.

Evidence of evolutionary selection for cotranslational folding

Recent experiments and simulations have demonstrated that proteins can fold on the ribosome. However, the extent and generality of fitness effects resulting from cotranslational folding remain open questions. Here we report a genome-wide analysis that uncovers evidence of evolutionary selection for cotranslational folding. We describe a robust statistical approach to identify loci within genes that are both significantly enriched in slowly translated codons and evolutionarily conserved. Surprisingly, we find that domain boundaries can explain only a small fraction of these conserved loci. Instead, we propose that regions enriched in slowly translated codons are associated with cotranslational folding intermediates, which may be smaller than a single domain. We show that the intermediates predicted by a native-centric model of cotranslational folding account for the majority of these loci across more than 500 Escherichia coli proteins. By making a direct connection to protein folding, this analysis provides strong evidence that many synonymous substitutions have been selected to optimize translation rates at specific locations within genes. More generally, our results indicate that kinetics, and not just thermodynamics, can significantly alter the efficiency of self-assembly in a biological context.

Genetic Code Optimization for Cotranslational Protein Folding: Codon Directional Asymmetry Correlates with Antiparallel Betasheets, tRNA Synthetase Classes

A new codon property, codon directional asymmetry in nucleotide content (CDA), reveals a biologically meaningful genetic code dimension: palindromic codons (first and last nucleotides identical, codon structure XZX) are symmetric (CDA = 0), codons with structures ZXX/XXZ are 5'/3' asymmetric (CDA = - 1/1; CDA = - 0.5/0.5 if Z and X are both purines or both pyrimidines, assigning negative/positive (-/+) signs is an arbitrary convention). Negative/positive CDAs associate with (a) Fujimoto's tetrahedral codon stereo-table; (b) tRNA synthetase class I/II (aminoacylate the 2'/3' hydroxyl group of the tRNA's last ribose, respectively); and (c) high/low antiparallel (not parallel) betasheet conformation parameters. Preliminary results suggest CDA-whole organism associations (body temperature, developmental stability, lifespan). Presumably, CDA impacts spatial kinetics of codon-anticodon interactions, affecting cotranslational protein folding. Some synonymous codons have opposite CDA sign (alanine, leucine, serine, and valine), putatively explaining how synonymous mutations sometimes affect protein function. Correlations between CDA and tRNA synthetase classes are weaker than between CDA and antiparallel betasheet conformation parameters. This effect is stronger for mitochondrial genetic codes, and potentially drives mitochondrial codon-amino acid reassignments. CDA reveals information ruling nucleotide-protein relations embedded in reversed (not reverse-complement) sequences (5'-ZXX-3'/5'-XXZ-3').

Comprehensive structural analysis of designed incomplete polypeptide chains of the replicase nonstructural protein 1 from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus

The cotranslational folding is recognized as a very cooperative process that occurs after the nearly completion of the polypeptide sequence of a domain. Here we investigated the challenges faced by polypeptide segments of a non-vectorial β-barrel fold. Besides the biological interest behind the SARS coronavirus non-structural protein 1 (nsp1, 117 amino acids), this study model has two structural features that motivated its use in this work: 1- its recombinant production is dependent on the temperature, with greater solubility when expressed at low temperatures. This is an indication of the cotranslational guidance to the native protein conformation. 2- Conversely, nsp1 has a six-stranded, mixed parallel/antiparallel β-barrel with intricate long-range interactions, indicating it will need the full-length protein to fold properly. We used non-denaturing purification conditions that allowed the characterization of polypeptide chains of different lengths, mimicking the landscape of the cotranslational fold of a β-barrel, and avoiding the major technical hindrances of working with the nascent polypeptide bound to the ribosome. Our results showed partially folded states formed as soon as the amino acids of the second β-strand were present (55 amino acids). These partially folded states are different based on the length of polypeptide chain. The native α-helix (amino acids 24-37) was identified as a transient structure (~20-30% propensity). We identified the presence of regular secondary structure after the fourth native β-strand is present (89 amino acids), in parallel to the collapse to a non-native 3D structure. Interestingly the polypeptide sequences of the native strands β2, β3 and β4 have characteristics of α-helices. Our comprehensive analyses support the idea that incomplete polypeptide chains, such as the ones of nascent proteins much earlier than the end of the translation, adopt an abundance of specific transient folds, instead of disordered conformations.

The ribosome destabilizes native and non-native structures in a nascent multidomain protein

Correct folding is a prerequisite for the biological activity of most proteins. Folding has largely been studied using in vitro refolding assays with isolated small, robustly folding proteins. A substantial fraction of all cellular proteomes is composed of multidomain proteins that are often not amenable to this approach, and their folding remains poorly understood. These large proteins likely begin to fold during their synthesis by the ribosome, a large molecular machine that translates the genetic code. The ribosome affects how folding proceeds, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely obscure. We have utilized optical tweezers to study the folding of elongation factor G, a multidomain protein composed of five domains. We find that interactions among unfolded domains interfere with productive folding in the full-length protein. The N-terminal G-domain constitutes an independently folding unit that, upon in vitro refolding, adopts two similar states that correspond to the natively folded and a non-native, possibly misfolded structure. The ribosome destabilizes both of these states, suggesting a mechanism by which terminal misfolding into highly stable, non-native structures is avoided. The ribosome may thus directly contribute to efficient folding by modulating the folding of nascent multidomain proteins.

Quantitative determination of ribosome nascent chain stability

Accurate protein folding is essential for proper cellular and organismal function. In the cell, protein folding is carefully regulated; changes in folding homeostasis (proteostasis) can disrupt many cellular processes and have been implicated in various neurodegenerative diseases and other pathologies. For many proteins, the initial folding process begins during translation while the protein is still tethered to the ribosome; however, most biophysical studies of a protein's energy landscape are carried out in isolation under idealized, dilute conditions and may not accurately report on the energy landscape in vivo. Thus, the energy landscape of ribosome nascent chains and the effect of the tethered ribosome on nascent chain folding remain unclear. Here we have developed a general assay for quantitatively measuring the folding stability of ribosome nascent chains, and find that the ribosome exerts a destabilizing effect on the polypeptide chain. This destabilization decreases as a function of the distance away from the peptidyl transferase center. Thus, the ribosome may add an additional layer of robustness to the protein-folding process by avoiding the formation of stable partially folded states before the protein has completely emerged from the ribosome.

Folding and escape of nascent proteins at ribosomal exit tunnel

We investigate the interplay between post-translational folding and escape of two small single-domain proteins at the ribosomal exit tunnel by using Langevin dynamics with coarse-grained models. It is shown that at temperatures lower or near the temperature of the fastest folding, folding proceeds concomitantly with the escape process, resulting in vectorial folding and enhancement of foldability of nascent proteins. The concomitance between the two processes, however, deteriorates as temperature increases. Our folding simulations as well as free energy calculation by using umbrella sampling show that, at low temperatures, folding at the tunnel follows one or two specific pathways without kinetic traps. It is shown that the escape time can be mapped to a one-dimensional diffusion model with two different regimes for temperatures above and below the folding transition temperature. Attractive interactions between amino acids and attractive sites on the tunnel wall lead to a free energy barrier along the escape route of the protein. It is suggested that this barrier slows down the escape process and consequently promotes correct folding of the released nascent protein.

A strategy for co-translational folding studies of ribosome-bound nascent chain complexes using NMR spectroscopy

During biosynthesis on the ribosome, an elongating nascent polypeptide chain can begin to fold, in a process that is central to all living systems. Detailed structural studies of co-translational protein folding are now beginning to emerge; such studies were previously limited, at least in part, by the inherently dynamic nature of emerging nascent chains, which precluded most structural techniques. NMR spectroscopy is able to provide atomic-resolution information for ribosome-nascent chain complexes (RNCs), but it requires large quantities (≥10 mg) of homogeneous, isotopically labeled RNCs. Further challenges include limited sample working concentration and stability of the RNC sample (which contribute to weak NMR signals) and resonance broadening caused by attachment to the large (2.4-MDa) ribosomal complex. Here, we present a strategy to generate isotopically labeled RNCs in Escherichia coli that are suitable for NMR studies. Uniform translational arrest of the nascent chains is achieved using a stalling motif, and isotopically labeled RNCs are produced at high yield using high-cell-density E. coli growth conditions. Homogeneous RNCs are isolated by combining metal affinity chromatography (to isolate ribosome-bound species) with sucrose density centrifugation (to recover intact 70S monosomes). Sensitivity-optimized NMR spectroscopy is then applied to the RNCs, combined with a suite of parallel NMR and biochemical analyses to cross-validate their integrity, including RNC-optimized NMR diffusion measurements to report on ribosome attachment in situ. Comparative NMR studies of RNCs with the analogous isolated proteins permit a high-resolution description of the structure and dynamics of a nascent chain during its progressive biosynthesis on the ribosome.

Ceapins inhibit ATF6α signaling by selectively preventing transport of ATF6α to the Golgi apparatus during ER stress

The membrane-bound transcription factor ATF6α is activated by proteolysis during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. ATF6α target genes encode foldases, chaperones, and lipid biosynthesis enzymes that increase protein-folding capacity in response to demand. The off-state of ATF6α is maintained by its spatial separation in the ER from Golgi-resident proteases that activate it. ER stress induces trafficking of ATF6α. We discovered Ceapins, a class of pyrazole amides, as selective inhibitors of ATF6α signaling that do not inhibit the Golgi proteases or other UPR branches. We show that Ceapins block ATF6α signaling by trapping it in ER-resident foci that are excluded from ER exit sites. Removing the requirement for trafficking by pharmacological elimination of the spatial separation of the ER and Golgi apparatus restored cleavage of ATF6α in the presence of Ceapins. Washout of Ceapins resensitized ATF6α to ER stress. These results suggest that trafficking of ATF6α is regulated by its oligomeric state.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11880.001

Newly made proteins must be folded into specific three-dimensional shapes before they can perform their roles in cells. Many proteins are folded in a cell compartment called the endoplasmic reticulum. The cell closely monitors the quality of the work done by this compartment. If the endoplasmic reticulum has more proteins to fold than it can handle, unfolded or misfolded proteins accumulate and trigger a stress response called the unfolded protein response. This increases the capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum to fold proteins to match the demand. However, if the stress persists, then the unfolded protein response instructs the cell to die to protect the rest of the body.

A protein called ATF6α is one of three branches of the unfolded protein response. This protein is found in the endoplasmic reticulum where it is inactive. Endoplasmic stress causes ATF6α to move from the endoplasmic reticulum to another compartment called the Golgi apparatus. There, two enzymes cut ATF6α to release a fragment of the protein that then moves to the nucleus to increase the production of the machinery needed to fold proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum.

In a related study, Gallagher et al. identified a group of small molecules called Ceapins, which inhibit ATF6α activity. Here, Gallagher and Walter investigate how Ceapins act on ATF6α. The experiments show that Ceapin causes ATF6α molecules to form clusters that prevent the protein from moving to the Golgi apparatus by keeping it away from the machinery that moves proteins between these compartments. When the enzymes that cut ATF6α are sent to the endoplasmic reticulum, Ceapin treatment no longer prevents ATF6α activation, which shows that these small molecules specifically inhibit the stress-induced movement of ATF6α. When Ceapins are washed out of cells, the ATF6α clusters fall apart and ATF6α can now move to the Golgi.

These experiments show that ATF6α is actively held in the endoplasmic reticulum by a mechanism that is stabilized by Ceapins. Gallagher and Walter propose that the small clusters of ATF6α in unstressed cells act to keep this protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. However, when cells experience stress, the ATF6α clusters fall apart to allow the protein to move to the Golgi. The next steps following on from this work are to find out what these clusters are, how they are influenced by endoplasmic reticulum stress and exactly how the Ceapins stabilize these clusters.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11880.002

Quality over quantity: optimizing co-translational protein folding with non-'optimal' synonymous codons

Protein folding occurs on a time scale similar to peptide bond formation by the ribosome, which has long sparked speculation that altering translation rate could alter the folding mechanism or even the final folded structure of a protein in vivo. Recent results have provided strong support for this model: synonymous substitutions to codons with different usage frequency, which are often translated at different rates, have been shown to significantly alter the co-translational folding mechanism of some proteins, leading to altered cell function. Here we review recent progress towards understanding the connections between synonymous codon usage, translation rate and co-translational protein folding mechanisms.

Identification of fibrillogenic regions in human triosephosphate isomerase

Background. Amyloid secondary structure relies on the intermolecular assembly of polypeptide chains through main-chain interaction. According to this, all proteins have the potential to form amyloid structure, nevertheless, in nature only few proteins aggregate into toxic or functional amyloids. Structural characteristics differ greatly among amyloid proteins reported, so it has been difficult to link the fibrillogenic propensity with structural topology. However, there are ubiquitous topologies not represented in the amyloidome that could be considered as amyloid-resistant attributable to structural features, such is the case of TIM barrel topology.

Methods. This work was aimed to study the fibrillogenic propensity of human triosephosphate isomerase (HsTPI) as a model of TIM barrels. In order to do so, aggregation of HsTPI was evaluated under native-like and destabilizing conditions. Fibrillogenic regions were identified by bioinformatics approaches, protein fragmentation and peptide aggregation.

Results. We identified four fibrillogenic regions in the HsTPI corresponding to the β3, β6, β7 y α8 of the TIM barrel. From these, the β3-strand region (residues 59–66) was highly fibrillogenic. In aggregation assays, HsTPI under native-like conditions led to amorphous assemblies while under partially denaturing conditions (urea 3.2 M) formed more structured aggregates. This slightly structured aggregates exhibited residual cross-β structure, as demonstrated by the recognition of the WO1 antibody and ATR-FTIR analysis.

Discussion. Despite the fibrillogenic regions present in HsTPI, the enzyme maintained under native-favoring conditions displayed low fibrillogenic propensity. This amyloid-resistance can be attributed to the three-dimensional arrangement of the protein, where β-strands, susceptible to aggregation, are protected in the core of the molecule. Destabilization of the protein structure may expose inner regions promoting β-aggregation, as well as the formation of hydrophobic disordered aggregates. Being this last pathway kinetically favored over the thermodynamically more stable fibril aggregation pathway.

Computational evidence that fast translation speed can increase the probability of cotranslational protein folding

Translation speed can affect the cotranslational folding of nascent peptide. Experimental observations have indicated that slowing down translation rates of codons can increase the probability of protein cotranslational folding. Recently, a kinetic modeling indicates that fast translation can also increase the probability of cotranslational protein folding by avoiding misfolded intermediates. We show that the villin headpiece subdomain HP35 is an ideal model to demonstrate this phenomenon. We studied cotranslational folding of HP35 with different fast translation speeds by all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and found that HP35 can fold along a well-defined pathway that passes the on-pathway intermediate but avoids the misfolded off-pathway intermediate in certain case. This greatly increases the probability of HP35 cotranslational folding and the approximate mean first passage time of folding into native state is about 1.67μs. Since we also considered the space-confined effect of the ribosomal exit tunnel on the cotranslational folding, our simulation results suggested alternative mechanism for the increasing of cotranslational folding probability by fast translation speed.

How Co-translational Folding of Multi-domain Protein Is Affected by Elongation Schedule: Molecular Simulations

Co-translational folding (CTF) facilitates correct folding in vivo, but its precise mechanism remains elusive. For the CTF of a three-domain protein SufI, it was reported that the translational attenuation is obligatory to acquire the functional state. Here, to gain structural insights on the underlying mechanisms, we performed comparative molecular simulations of SufI that mimic CTF as well as refolding schemes. A CTF scheme that relied on a codon-based prediction of translational rates exhibited folding probability markedly higher than that by the refolding scheme. When the CTF schedule is speeded up, the success rate dropped. These agree with experiments. Structural investigation clarified that misfolding of the middle domain was much more frequent in the refolding scheme than that in the codon-based CTF scheme. The middle domain is less stable and can fold via interactions with the folded N-terminal domain. Folding pathway networks showed the codon-based CTF gives narrower pathways to the native state than the refolding scheme.

Proteins are synthesized in vivo by ribosome from their N-termini. When N-terminal fragments of nascent proteins get out of the ribosome exit, they start folding, which is called co-translational folding. It has been suggested that well-scheduled co-translational folding schemes would facilitate correct acquisition of their native structures for some multi-domain proteins. In particular, an un-ambiguous experiment was recently reported for a model protein, SufI where pauses at certain positions in the translational elongation are obligatory for efficient folding. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of SufI with co-translational folding as well as re-folding schemes. We found a co-translational folding shceme with rare codon-based pauses indeed increased the success ratio of folding, which is consistent with recent experiments. On top, molecular simulations provided much of structural insights on the folding routes and misfolding in the case of re-folding scheme. This explains why pauses in the translational elongation rescue SufI from misfolding.

An essential nonredundant role for mycobacterial DnaK in native protein folding

Protein chaperones are essential in all domains of life to prevent and resolve protein misfolding during translation and proteotoxic stress. HSP70 family chaperones, including E. coli DnaK, function in stress induced protein refolding and degradation, but are dispensable for cellular viability due to redundant chaperone systems that prevent global nascent peptide insolubility. However, the function of HSP70 chaperones in mycobacteria, a genus that includes multiple human pathogens, has not been examined. We find that mycobacterial DnaK is essential for cell growth and required for native protein folding in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Loss of DnaK is accompanied by proteotoxic collapse characterized by the accumulation of insoluble newly synthesized proteins. DnaK is required for solubility of large multimodular lipid synthases, including the essential lipid synthase FASI, and DnaK loss is accompanied by disruption of membrane structure and increased cell permeability. Trigger Factor is nonessential and has a minor role in native protein folding that is only evident in the absence of DnaK. In unstressed cells, DnaK localizes to multiple, dynamic foci, but relocalizes to focal protein aggregates during stationary phase or upon expression of aggregating peptides. Mycobacterial cells restart cell growth after proteotoxic stress by isolating persistent DnaK containing protein aggregates away from daughter cells. These results reveal unanticipated essential nonredunant roles for mycobacterial DnaK in mycobacteria and indicate that DnaK defines a unique susceptibility point in the mycobacterial proteostasis network.

All living organisms use protein chaperones to prevent proteins from becoming insoluble either spontaneously or during cellular stress that can damage proteins. The HSP70 chaperone DnaK has been well characterized in E. coli and is important for that bacterium to resist protein denaturation from heat, but is dispensable for cell growth in the absence of stress due to redundancy with other chaperone systems. However, the function of chaperones in bacterial pathogens, which are exposed to protein stress within the host, has received less attention. Here we examine the function of DnaK in mycobacteria, a genus that includes multiple human pathogens, and find that DnaK is required for cell growth. This essential function is due to a lack of redundancy with other chaperone systems for the folding of proteins, even in the absence of stress. These findings expand the paradigm of DnaK function and identify DnaK as a promising target for antibiotic development for mycobacteria.

Expanding Anfinsen's principle: contributions of synonymous codon selection to rational protein design

Anfinsen’s principle asserts that all information required to specify the structure of a protein is encoded in its amino acid sequence. However, during protein synthesis by the ribosome, the N-terminus of the nascent chain can begin to fold before the C-terminus is available. We tested whether this cotranslational folding can alter the folded structure of an encoded protein in vivo, versus the structure formed when refolded in vitro. We designed a fluorescent protein consisting of three half-domains, where the N- and C-terminal half-domains compete with each other to interact with the central half-domain. The outcome of this competition determines the fluorescence properties of the resulting folded structure. Upon refolding after chemical denaturation, this protein produced equimolar amounts of the N- and C-terminal folded structures, respectively. In contrast, translation in Escherichia coli resulted in a 2-fold enhancement in the formation of the N-terminal folded structure. Rare synonymous codon substitutions at the 5′ end of the C-terminal half-domain further increased selection for the N-terminal folded structure. These results demonstrate that the rate at which a nascent protein emerges from the ribosome can specify the folded structure of a protein.

Molecular chaperone functions in protein folding and proteostasis

The biological functions of proteins are governed by their three-dimensional fold. Protein folding, maintenance of proteome integrity, and protein homeostasis (proteostasis) critically depend on a complex network of molecular chaperones. Disruption of proteostasis is implicated in aging and the pathogenesis of numerous degenerative diseases. In the cytosol, different classes of molecular chaperones cooperate in evolutionarily conserved folding pathways. Nascent polypeptides interact cotranslationally with a first set of chaperones, including trigger factor and the Hsp70 system, which prevent premature (mis)folding. Folding occurs upon controlled release of newly synthesized proteins from these factors or after transfer to downstream chaperones such as the chaperonins. Chaperonins are large, cylindrical complexes that provide a central compartment for a single protein chain to fold unimpaired by aggregation. This review focuses on recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of chaperone action in promoting and regulating protein folding and on the pathological consequences of protein misfolding and aggregation.

GFP variants with alternative β-strands and their application as light-driven protease sensors: a tale of two tails

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) variants that carry one extra strand 10 (s10) were created and characterized, and their possible applications were explored. These proteins can fold with either one or the other s10, and the ratio of the two folded forms, unambiguously distinguished by their resulting colors, can be systematically modulated by mutating the residues on s10 or by changing the lengths of the two inserted linker sequences that connect each s10 to the rest of the protein. We have discovered robust empirical rules that accurately predict the product ratios of any given construct in both bacterial and mammalian expressions. Exploiting earlier studies on photodissociation of cut s10 from GFP (Do and Boxer, 2011), ratiometric protease sensors were designed from the construct by engineering a specific protease cleavage site into one of the inserted loops, where the bound s10 is replaced by the other strand upon protease cleavage and irradiation with light to switch its color. Since the conversion involves a large spectral shift, these genetically encoded sensors display a very high dynamic range. Further engineering of this class of proteins guided by mechanistic understanding of the light-driven process will enable interesting and useful application of the protein.

Folding the proteome

Protein folding is an essential prerequisite for protein function and hence cell function. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies of small proteins that refold reversibly were essential for developing our current understanding of the fundamentals of protein folding mechanisms. However, we still lack sufficient understanding to accurately predict protein structures from sequences, or the effects of disease-causing mutations. To date, model proteins selected for folding studies represent only a small fraction of the complexity of the proteome and are unlikely to exhibit the breadth of folding mechanisms used in vivo. We are in urgent need of new methods - both theoretical and experimental - that can quantify the folding behavior of a truly broad set of proteins under in vivo conditions. Such a shift in focus will provide a more comprehensive framework from which to understand the connections between protein folding, the molecular basis of disease, and cell function and evolution.

Structural basis of fluorescence quenching in caspase activatable-GFP

Apoptosis is critical for organismal homeostasis and a wide variety of diseases. Caspases are the ultimate executors of the apoptotic programmed cell death pathway. As caspases play such a central role in apoptosis, there is significant demand for technologies to monitor caspase function. We recently developed a caspase activatable-GFP (CA-GFP) reporter. CA-GFP is unique due to its "dark" state, where chromophore maturation of the GFP is inhibited by the presence of a C-terminal peptide. Here we show that chromophore maturation is prevented because CA-GFP does not fold into the robust β-barrel of GFP until the peptide has been cleaved by active caspase. Both CA-GFP and GFP₁₋₁₀ , a split form of GFP lacking the 11th strand, have similar secondary structure, different from mature GFP. A similar susceptibility to proteolytic digestion indicates that this shared structure is not the robust, fully formed GFP β-barrel. We have developed a model that suggests that as CA-GFP is translated in vivo it follows the same folding path as wild-type GFP; however, the presence of the appended peptide does not allow CA-GFP to form the barrel of the fully matured GFP. CA-GFP is therefore held in a "pro-folding" intermediate state until the peptide is released, allowing it to continue folding into the mature barrel geometry. This new understanding of the structural basis of the dark state of the CA-GFP reporter will enable manipulation of this mechanism in the development of reporter systems for any number of cellular processes involving proteases and potentially other enzymes.

Beta-barrel scaffold of fluorescent proteins: folding, stability and role in chromophore formation

This review focuses on the current view of the interaction between the β-barrel scaffold of fluorescent proteins and their unique chromophore located in the internal helix. The chromophore originates from the polypeptide chain and its properties are influenced by the surrounding protein matrix of the β-barrel. On the other hand, it appears that a chromophore tightens the β-barrel scaffold and plays a crucial role in its stability. Furthermore, the presence of a mature chromophore causes hysteresis of protein unfolding and refolding. We survey studies measuring protein unfolding and refolding using traditional methods as well as new approaches, such as mechanical unfolding and reassembly of truncated fluorescent proteins. We also analyze models of fluorescent protein unfolding and refolding obtained through different approaches, and compare the results of protein folding in vitro to co-translational folding of a newly synthesized polypeptide chain.

Protein quality control acts on folding intermediates to shape the effects of mutations on organismal fitness

What are the molecular properties of proteins that fall on the radar of protein quality control (PQC)? Here we mutate the E. coli's gene encoding dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and replace it with bacterial orthologous genes to determine how components of PQC modulate fitness effects of these genetic changes. We find that chaperonins GroEL/ES and protease Lon compete for binding to molten globule intermediate of DHFR, resulting in a peculiar symmetry in their action: overexpression of GroEL/ES and deletion of Lon both restore growth of deleterious DHFR mutants and most of the slow-growing orthologous DHFR strains. Kinetic steady-state modeling predicts and experimentation verifies that mutations affect fitness by shifting the flux balance in cellular milieu between protein production, folding, and degradation orchestrated by PQC through the interaction with folding intermediates.

Identical RNA-protein interactions in vivo and in vitro and a scheme of folding the newly synthesized proteins by ribosomes

A distinct three-dimensional shape of rRNA inside the ribosome is required for the peptidyl transfer activity of its peptidyltransferase center (PTC). In contrast, even the in vitro transcribed PTC RNA interacts with unfolded protein(s) at about five sites to let them attain their native states. We found that the same set of conserved nucleotides in the PTC interact identically with nascent and chemically unfolded proteins in vivo and in vitro, respectively. The time course of this interaction, difficult to follow in vivo, was observed in vitro. It suggested nucleation of folding of cytosolic globular proteins vectorially from hydrophilic N to hydrophobic C termini, consistent with our discovery of a regular arrangement of cumulative hydrophobic indices of the peptide segments of cytosolic proteins from N to C termini. Based on this observation, we propose a model here for the nucleation of folding of the nascent protein chain by the PTC.

Trigger factor slows co-translational folding through kinetic trapping while sterically protecting the nascent chain from aberrant cytosolic interactions

The E. coli chaperone trigger factor (TF) interacts directly with nascent polypeptide chains as they emerge from the ribosome exit tunnel. Small protein domains can fold under the cradle created by TF, but the co-translational folding of larger proteins is slowed down by its presence. Because of the great experimental challenges in achieving high spatial and time resolution, it is not yet known whether or not TF alters the folding properties of small proteins and if the reduced rate of folding of larger proteins is the result of kinetic or thermodynamic effects. We show, by molecular simulations employing a coarse-grained model of a series of ribosome nascent-chain complexes, that TF does not alter significantly the co-translational folding process of a small protein G domain but delays that of a large β-galactosidase domain as a result of kinetic trapping of its unfolded ensemble. We demonstrate that this trapping occurs through a combination of three distinct mechanisms: a decrease in the rate of structural rearrangements within the nascent chain, an increase in the effective exit tunnel length due to folding outside the cradle, and entanglement of the nascent chain with TF. We present evidence that this TF-induced trapping represents a trade-off between promoting co-translational folding and sterically shielding the nascent chain from aberrant cytosolic interactions that could lead to its aggregation or degradation.

Prediction of variable translation rate effects on cotranslational protein folding

The concomitant folding of a protein with its synthesis on the ribosome is influenced by a number of different timescales including the translation rate. Here we present a kinetic formalism to describe cotranslational folding and predict the effects of variable translation rates on this process. Our approach, which utilizes equilibrium data from arrested ribosome nascent chain complexes, provides domain folding probabilities in quantitative agreement with molecular simulations of folding at different translation rates. We show that the effects of single codon mutations in messenger RNA that alter the translation rate can lead to a dramatic increase in the extent of folding under specific conditions. The kinetic formalism that we discuss can describe the cotranslational folding process occurring on a single ribosome molecule as well as for a collection of stochastically translating ribosomes.