1
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Zheng Y, Lao Z, Liu R, Xu J, Guo L, Lin Z, Yang X. Customizable Click Biochemistry Strategy for the Design and Preparation of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Conjugates and Coagonists. Bioconjug Chem 2024; 35:693-702. [PMID: 38700695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The development of oligomeric glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and GLP-1-containing coagonists holds promise for enhancing the therapeutic potential of the GLP-1-based drugs for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Here, we report a facile, efficient, and customizable strategy based on genetically encoded SpyCatcher-SpyTag chemistry and an inducible, cleavable self-aggregating tag (icSAT) scheme. icSAT-tagged SpyTag-fused GLP-1 and the dimeric or trimeric SpyCatcher scaffold were designed for dimeric or trimeric GLP-1, while icSAT-tagged SpyCatcher-fused GLP-1 and the icSAT-tagged SpyTag-fused GIP were designed for dual GLP-1/GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptor agonist. These SpyCatcher- and SpyTag-fused protein pairs were spontaneously ligated directly from the cell lysates. The subsequent icSAT scheme, coupled with a two-step standard column purification, resulted in target proteins with authentic N-termini, with yields ranging from 35 to 65 mg/L and purities exceeding 99%. In vitro assays revealed 3.0- to 4.1-fold increased activities for dimeric and trimeric GLP-1 compared to mono-GLP-1. The dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist exhibited balanced activity toward the GLP-1 receptor or the GIP receptor. All the proteins exhibited 1.8- to 3.0-fold prolonged half-lives in human serum compared to mono-GLP-1 or GIP. This study provides a generally applicable click biochemistry strategy for developing oligomeric or dual peptide/protein-based drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunchun Zheng
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zisha Lao
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Run Liu
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Dongguan HEC Biopharmaceutical R&D Co., Ltd., 368 Middle Zhenan Road, Changan, Dongguan 523871, China
| | - Linfeng Guo
- Dongguan HEC Biopharmaceutical R&D Co., Ltd., 368 Middle Zhenan Road, Changan, Dongguan 523871, China
| | - Zhanglin Lin
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaofeng Yang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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2
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Panda S, Rout M, Mishra S, Turuk J, Pati S, Dehury B. Molecular docking and MD simulations reveal protease inhibitors block the catalytic residues in Prp8 intein of Aspergillus fumigatus: a potential target for antimycotics. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-16. [PMID: 38149850 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2298735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Resistance to azoles and amphotericin B especially in Aspergillus fumigatus is a growing concern towards the treatment of invasive fungal infection. At this critical juncture, intein splicing would be a productive, and innovative target to establish therapies against resistant strains. Intein splicing is the central event for the activation of host protein, essential for the growth and survival of various microorganisms including A. fumigatus. The splicing process is a four-step protease-like nucleophilic cascade. Thus, we hypothesise that protease inhibitors would successfully halt intein splicing and potentially restrict the growth of the aforementioned pathogen. Using Rosetta Fold and molecular dynamics simulations, we modelled Prp8 intein structure; resembling classic intein fold with horse shoe shaped splicing domain. To fully comprehend the active site of Afu Prp8 intein, C1, T62, H65, H818, N819 from intein sequences and S820, the first C-extein residue are selected. Molecular docking shows that two FDA-approved drugs, i.e. Lufotrelvir and Remdesivir triphosphate efficiently interact with Prp8 intein from the assortment of 212 protease inhibitors. MD simulation portrayed that Prp8 undergoes conformational change upon ligand binding, and inferred the molecular recognition and stability of the docked complexes. Per-residue decomposition analysis confirms the importance of F: block R802, V803, and Q807 binding pocket in intein splicing domain towards recognition of inhibitors, along with active site residues through strong hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts. However, in vitro and in vivo assays are required to confirm the inhibitory action on Prp8 intein splicing; which may pave the way for the development of new antifungals for A. fumigatus.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunita Panda
- Mycology Division, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Madhusmita Rout
- Bioinformatics Division, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sarbani Mishra
- Bioinformatics Division, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Jyotirmayee Turuk
- Mycology Division, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sanghamitra Pati
- Mycology Division, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Budheswar Dehury
- Bioinformatics Division, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, India
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3
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Lin Z, Jing Y, Huang Y, Yang S, Chen S, Ou Y, Pistolozzi M, Yang X. A cleavable self-aggregating tag scheme for the expression and purification of disulfide bonded proteins and peptides. Chem Eng Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2022.118052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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4
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SufB intein splicing in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is influenced by two remote conserved N-extein histidines. Biosci Rep 2022; 42:230724. [PMID: 35234249 PMCID: PMC8891592 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20212207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Inteins are auto-processing domains that implement a multistep biochemical reaction termed protein splicing, marked by cleavage and formation of peptide bonds. They excise from a precursor protein, generating a functional protein via covalent bonding of flanking exteins. We report the kinetic study of splicing and cleavage reaction in [Fe–S] cluster assembly protein SufB from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtu). Although it follows a canonical intein splicing pathway, distinct features are added by extein residues present in the active site. Sequence analysis identified two conserved histidines in the N-extein region; His-5 and His-38. Kinetic analyses of His-5Ala and His-38Ala SufB mutants exhibited significant reductions in splicing and cleavage rates relative to the SufB wildtype (WT) precursor protein. Structural analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggested that Mtu SufB displays a unique mechanism where two remote histidines work concurrently to facilitate N-terminal cleavage reaction. His-38 is stabilized by the solvent-exposed His-5, and can impact N–S acyl shift by direct interaction with the catalytic Cys1. Development of inteins as biotechnological tools or as pathogen-specific novel antimicrobial targets requires a more complete understanding of such unexpected roles of conserved extein residues in protein splicing.
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5
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Nanda A, Nasker SS, Kushwaha AK, Ojha DK, Dearden AK, Nayak SK, Nayak S. Gold Nanoparticles Augment N-Terminal Cleavage and Splicing Reactions in Mycobacterium tuberculosis SufB. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:773303. [PMID: 35004641 PMCID: PMC8735848 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.773303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein splicing is a self-catalyzed event where the intervening sequence intein cleaves off, joining the flanking exteins together to generate a functional protein. Attempts have been made to regulate the splicing rate through variations in temperature, pH, and metals. Although metal-regulated protein splicing has been more captivating to researchers, metals were shown to only inhibit splicing reactions that confine their application. This is the first study to show the effect of nanoparticles (NPs) on protein splicing. We found that gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of various sizes can increase the splicing efficiency by more than 50% and the N-terminal cleavage efficiency by more than 45% in Mycobacterium tuberculosis SufB precursor protein. This study provides an effective strategy for engineering splicing-enhanced intein platforms. UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed AuNP interaction with the native protein. Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) analysis suggested a significant reduction in the energy barrier at the N-terminal cleavage site in the presence of gold atom, strengthening our experimental evidence on heightened the N-terminal cleavage reaction. The encouraging observation of enhanced N-terminal cleavage and splicing reaction can have potential implementations from developing a rapid drug delivery system to designing a contemporary protein purification system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Nanda
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sourya Subhra Nasker
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Anoop K. Kushwaha
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Deepak Kumar Ojha
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Albert K. Dearden
- Departments of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Saroj K. Nayak
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sasmita Nayak
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
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6
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Ramsoomair CK, Yakely AE, Urbanski LM, Karanja K, Giaccone ZT, Siegart NM, Wang C, Gomez AV, Reitter JN, Mills KV. Coordination of the third step of protein splicing in two cyanobacterial inteins. FEBS Lett 2017. [PMID: 28649707 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The third step of protein splicing is cyclization of Asn coupled to peptide bond cleavage. In two related cyanobacterial inteins, this step is facilitated by Asn or Gln. For a Synechococcus sp. PCC7002 intein, the isolated third step of protein splicing is more efficient with its native Asn than with substitution to Gln. For a Trichodesmium erythraeum intein, its native Gln facilitates the third step as efficiently as with Asn. Despite these differences, the yield of splicing is not affected, suggesting that the third step is influenced by mechanism-linked conformational changes. A conserved catalytic His and the penultimate residue also play roles in promoting side-chain cyclization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony E Yakely
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Laura M Urbanski
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Karanja
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Nicolle M Siegart
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Alvin V Gomez
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Julie N Reitter
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth V Mills
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, USA
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7
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Zhao Q, Zhou B, Gao X, Xing L, Wang X, Lin Z. A cleavable self-assembling tag strategy for preparing proteins and peptides with an authentic N-terminus. Biotechnol J 2017; 12. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201600656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhao
- Department of Chemical Engineering; Tsinghua University; Beijing China
| | - Bihong Zhou
- Department of Chemical Engineering; Tsinghua University; Beijing China
- Blue Moon Industrial Co. Ltd.; Guangzhou Guangdong China
| | - Xianxing Gao
- Department of Chemical Engineering; Tsinghua University; Beijing China
| | - Lei Xing
- Department of Chemical Engineering; Tsinghua University; Beijing China
- China National Petroleum & Chemical Planning Institute; Beijing China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering; Tsinghua University; Beijing China
| | - Zhanglin Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering; Tsinghua University; Beijing China
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering; South China University of Technology; Guangzhou Guangdong China
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8
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SufB intein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a sensor for oxidative and nitrosative stresses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:10348-53. [PMID: 26240361 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1512777112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Inteins are mobile genetic elements that self-splice at the protein level. Mycobacteria have inteins inserted into several important genes, including those corresponding to the iron-sulfur cluster assembly protein SufB. Curiously, the SufB inteins are found primarily in mycobacterial species that are potential human pathogens. Here we discovered an exceptional sensitivity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis SufB intein splicing to oxidative and nitrosative stresses when expressed in Escherichia coli. This effect results from predisposition of the intein's catalytic cysteine residues to oxidative and nitrosative modifications. Experiments with a fluorescent reporter system revealed that reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species inhibit SufB extein ligation by forcing either precursor accumulation or N-terminal cleavage. We propose that splicing inhibition is an immediate, posttranslational regulatory response that can be either reversible, by inducing precursor accumulation, or irreversible, by inducing N-terminal cleavage, which may potentially channel mycobacteria into dormancy under extreme oxidative and nitrosative stresses.
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9
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Topilina NI, Novikova O, Stanger M, Banavali NK, Belfort M. Post-translational environmental switch of RadA activity by extein-intein interactions in protein splicing. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:6631-48. [PMID: 26101259 PMCID: PMC4513877 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-translational control based on an environmentally sensitive intervening intein sequence is described. Inteins are invasive genetic elements that self-splice at the protein level from the flanking host protein, the exteins. Here we show in Escherichia coli and in vitro that splicing of the RadA intein located in the ATPase domain of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii is strongly regulated by the native exteins, which lock the intein in an inactive state. High temperature or solution conditions can unlock the intein for full activity, as can remote extein point mutations. Notably, this splicing trap occurs through interactions between distant residues in the native exteins and the intein, in three-dimensional space. The exteins might thereby serve as an environmental sensor, releasing the intein for full activity only at optimal growth conditions for the native organism, while sparing ATP consumption under conditions of cold-shock. This partnership between the intein and its exteins, which implies coevolution of the parasitic intein and its host protein may provide a novel means of post-translational control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya I Topilina
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Olga Novikova
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Matthew Stanger
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Nilesh K Banavali
- Laboratory of Computational and Structural Biology, Division of Genetics, Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, CMS 2008, Biggs Lab, Empire State Plaza, PO Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-2002, USA
| | - Marlene Belfort
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA
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10
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Cronin M, Coolbaugh MJ, Nellis D, Zhu J, Wood DW, Nussinov R, Ma B. Dynamics differentiate between active and inactive inteins. Eur J Med Chem 2015; 91:51-62. [PMID: 25087201 PMCID: PMC4308580 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.07.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2014] [Revised: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The balance between stability and dynamics for active enzymes can be somewhat quantified by studies of intein splicing and cleaving reactions. Inteins catalyze the ligation of flanking host exteins while excising themselves. The potential for applications led to engineering of a mini-intein splicing domain, where the homing endonuclease domain of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis RecA (Mtu recA) intein was removed. The remaining domains were linked by several short peptides, but splicing activity in all was substantially lower than the full-length intein. Native splicing activity was restored in some cases by a V67L mutation. Using computations and experiments, we examine the impact of this mutation on the stability and conformational dynamics of the mini-intein splicing domain. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to delineate the factors that determine the active state, including the V67L mini-intein mutant, and peptide linker. We found that (1) the V67L mutation lowers the global fluctuations in all modeled mini-inteins, stabilizing the mini-intein constructs; (2) the connecting linker length affects intein dynamics; and (3) the flexibilities of the linker and intein core are higher in the active structure. We have observed that the interaction of the linker region and a turn region around residues 35-41 provides the pathway for the allostery interaction. Our experiments reveal that intein catalysis is characterized by non-linear Arrhenius plot, confirming the significant contribution of protein conformational dynamics to intein function. We conclude that while the V67L mutation stabilizes the global structure, cooperative dynamics of all intein regions appear more important for intein function than high stability. Our studies suggest that effectively quenching the conformational dynamics of an intein through engineered allosteric interactions could deactivate intein splicing or cleaving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Cronin
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Michael J Coolbaugh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - David Nellis
- Biopharmaceutical Development Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Jianwei Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 DongChuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - David W Wood
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Sackler Inst. of Molecular Medicine, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Buyong Ma
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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11
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Cheriyan M, Chan SH, Perler F. Traceless splicing enabled by substrate-induced activation of the Nostoc punctiforme Npu DnaE intein after mutation of a catalytic cysteine to serine. J Mol Biol 2014; 426:4018-4029. [PMID: 25451033 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2014.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Revised: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Inteins self-catalytically cleave out of precursor proteins while ligating the surrounding extein fragments with a native peptide bond. Much attention has been lavished on these molecular marvels with the hope of understanding and harnessing their chemistry for novel biochemical transformations including coupling peptides from synthetic or biological origins and controlling protein function. Despite an abundance of powerful applications, the use of inteins is still hampered by limitations in our understanding of their specificity (defined as flanking sequences that permit splicing) and the challenge of inserting inteins into target proteins. We examined the frequently used Nostoc punctiforme Npu DnaE intein after the C-extein cysteine nucleophile (Cys+1) was mutated to serine or threonine. Previous studies demonstrated reduced rates and/or splicing yields with the Npu DnaE intein after mutation of Cys+1 to Ser+1. In this study, genetic selection identified extein sequences with Ser+1 that enabled the Npu DnaE intein to splice with only a 5-fold reduction in rate compared to the wild-type Cys+1 intein and without mutation of the intein itself to activate Ser+1 as a nucleophile. Three different proteins spliced efficiently after insertion of the intein flanked by the selected sequences. We then used this selected specificity to achieve traceless splicing in a targeted enzyme at a location predicted by primary sequence similarity to only the selected C-extein sequence. This study highlights the latent catalytic potential of the Npu DnaE intein to splice with an alternative nucleophile and enables broader intein utility by increasing insertion site choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Cheriyan
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Siu-Hong Chan
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Francine Perler
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA.
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12
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Eryilmaz E, Shah NH, Muir TW, Cowburn D. Structural and dynamical features of inteins and implications on protein splicing. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:14506-11. [PMID: 24695731 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r113.540302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein splicing is a posttranslational modification where intervening proteins (inteins) cleave themselves from larger precursor proteins and ligate their flanking polypeptides (exteins) through a multistep chemical reaction. First thought to be an anomaly found in only a few organisms, protein splicing by inteins has since been observed in microorganisms from all domains of life. Despite this broad phylogenetic distribution, all inteins share common structural features such as a horseshoe-like pseudo two-fold symmetric fold, several canonical sequence motifs, and similar splicing mechanisms. Intriguingly, the splicing efficiencies and substrate specificity of different inteins vary considerably, reflecting subtle changes in the chemical mechanism of splicing, linked to their local structure and dynamics. As intein chemistry has widespread use in protein chemistry, understanding the structural and dynamical aspects of inteins is crucial for intein engineering and the improvement of intein-based technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ertan Eryilmaz
- From the Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461 and
| | - Neel H Shah
- the Department of Chemistry, Frick Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
| | - Tom W Muir
- the Department of Chemistry, Frick Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
| | - David Cowburn
- From the Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461 and
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13
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Abstract
Inteins are nature's escape artists; they facilitate their excision from flanking polypeptides (exteins) concomitant with extein ligation to produce a mature host protein. Splicing requires sequential nucleophilic displacement reactions catalyzed by strategies similar to proteases and asparagine lyases. Inteins require precise reaction coordination rather than rapid turnover or tight substrate binding because they are single turnover enzymes with covalently linked substrates. This has allowed inteins to explore alternative mechanisms with different steps or to use different methods for activation and coordination of the steps. Pressing issues include understanding the underlying details of catalysis and how the splicing steps are controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth V Mills
- From the Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610
| | - Margaret A Johnson
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, and
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14
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Sorci M, Dassa B, Liu H, Anand G, Dutta AK, Pietrokovski S, Belfort M, Belfort G. Oriented covalent immobilization of antibodies for measurement of intermolecular binding forces between zipper-like contact surfaces of split inteins. Anal Chem 2013; 85:6080-8. [PMID: 23679912 PMCID: PMC3760192 DOI: 10.1021/ac400949t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In order to measure the intermolecular binding forces between two halves (or partners) of naturally split protein splicing elements called inteins, a novel thiol-hydrazide linker was designed and used to orient immobilized antibodies specific for each partner. Activation of the surfaces was achieved in one step, allowing direct intermolecular force measurement of the binding of the two partners of the split intein (called protein trans-splicing). Through this binding process, a whole functional intein is formed resulting in subsequent splicing. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to directly measure the split intein partner binding at 1 μm/s between native (wild-type) and mixed pairs of C- and N-terminal partners of naturally occurring split inteins from three cyanobacteria. Native and mixed pairs exhibit similar binding forces within the error of the measurement technique (~52 pN). Bioinformatic sequence analysis and computational structural analysis discovered a zipper-like contact between the two partners with electrostatic and nonpolar attraction between multiple aligned ion pairs and hydrophobic residues. Also, we tested the Jarzynski's equality and demonstrated, as expected, that nonequilibrium dissipative measurements obtained here gave larger energies of interaction as compared with those for equilibrium. Hence, AFM coupled with our immobilization strategy and computational studies provides a useful analytical tool for the direct measurement of intermolecular association of split inteins and could be extended to any interacting protein pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirco Sorci
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180
| | - Bareket Dassa
- Molecular Genetics Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Hongwei Liu
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180
| | - Gaurav Anand
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180
| | - Amit K. Dutta
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180
| | - Shmuel Pietrokovski
- Molecular Genetics Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Marlene Belfort
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, NY 12222
| | - Georges Belfort
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180
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15
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Shah NH, Eryilmaz E, Cowburn D, Muir TW. Extein residues play an intimate role in the rate-limiting step of protein trans-splicing. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135:5839-47. [PMID: 23506399 PMCID: PMC3630739 DOI: 10.1021/ja401015p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Split
inteins play an important role in modern protein semisynthesis
techniques. These naturally occurring protein splicing domains can
be used for in vitro and in vivo protein modification, peptide and
protein cyclization, segmental isotopic labeling, and the construction
of biosensors. The most well-characterized family of split inteins,
the cyanobacterial DnaE inteins, show particular promise, as many
of these can splice proteins in less than 1 min. Despite this fact,
the activity of these inteins is context-dependent: certain peptide
sequences surrounding their ligation junction (called local N- and
C-exteins) are strongly preferred, while other sequences cause a dramatic
reduction in the splicing kinetics and yield. These sequence constraints
limit the utility of inteins, and thus, a more detailed understanding
of their participation in protein splicing is needed. Here we present
a thorough kinetic analysis of the relationship between C-extein composition
and split intein activity. The results of these experiments were used
to guide structural and molecular dynamics studies, which revealed
that the motions of catalytic residues are constrained by the second
C-extein residue, likely forcing them into an active conformation
that promotes rapid protein splicing. Together, our structural and
functional studies also highlight a key region of the intein structure
that can be re-engineered to increase intein promiscuity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neel H Shah
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Frick Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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Cheriyan M, Pedamallu CS, Tori K, Perler F. Faster protein splicing with the Nostoc punctiforme DnaE intein using non-native extein residues. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:6202-11. [PMID: 23306197 PMCID: PMC3585056 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.433094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Inteins are naturally occurring intervening sequences that catalyze a protein splicing reaction resulting in intein excision and concatenation of the flanking polypeptides (exteins) with a native peptide bond. Inteins display a diversity of catalytic mechanisms within a highly conserved fold that is shared with hedgehog autoprocessing proteins. The unusual chemistry of inteins has afforded powerful biotechnology tools for controlling enzyme function upon splicing and allowing peptides of different origins to be coupled in a specific, time-defined manner. The extein sequences immediately flanking the intein affect splicing and can be defined as the intein substrate. Because of the enormous potential complexity of all possible flanking sequences, studying intein substrate specificity has been difficult. Therefore, we developed a genetic selection for splicing-dependent kanamycin resistance with no significant bias when six amino acids that immediately flanked the intein insertion site were randomized. We applied this selection to examine the sequence space of residues flanking the Nostoc punctiforme Npu DnaE intein and found that this intein efficiently splices a much wider range of sequences than previously thought, with little N-extein specificity and only two important C-extein positions. The novel selected extein sequences were sufficient to promote splicing in three unrelated proteins, confirming the generalizable nature of the specificity data and defining new potential insertion sites for any target. Kinetic analysis showed splicing rates with the selected exteins that were as fast or faster than the native extein, refuting past assumptions that the naturally selected flanking extein sequences are optimal for splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Cheriyan
- New England Biolabs, Inc, Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, USA
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