1
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Lihan M, Tajkhorshid E. Improved Highly Mobile Membrane Mimetic Model for Investigating Protein-Cholesterol Interactions. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:4822-4834. [PMID: 38844760 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00619] [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: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Cholesterol (CHL) plays an integral role in modulating the function and activity of various mammalian membrane proteins. Due to the slow dynamics of lipids, conventional computational studies of protein-CHL interactions rely on either long-time scale atomistic simulations or coarse-grained approximations to sample the process. A highly mobile membrane mimetic (HMMM) has been developed to enhance lipid diffusion and thus used to facilitate the investigation of lipid interactions with peripheral membrane proteins and, with customized in silico solvents to replace phospholipid tails, with integral membrane proteins. Here, we report an updated HMMM model that is able to include CHL, a nonphospholipid component of the membrane, henceforth called HMMM-CHL. To this end, we had to optimize the effect of the customized solvents on CHL behavior in the membrane. Furthermore, the new solvent is compatible with simulations using force-based switching protocols. In the HMMM-CHL, both improved CHL dynamics and accelerated lipid diffusion are integrated. To test the updated model, we have applied it to the characterization of protein-CHL interactions in two membrane protein systems, the human β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) and the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC-1). Our HMMM-CHL simulations successfully identified CHL binding sites and captured detailed CHL interactions in excellent consistency with experimental data as well as other simulation results, indicating the utility of the improved model in applications where an enhanced sampling of protein-CHL interactions is desired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muyun Lihan
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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2
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Liao Z, Si T, Kai JJ, Fan J. Mechanism of Membrane Curvature Induced by SNX1: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:2144-2153. [PMID: 38408890 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07009] [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: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
SNX proteins have been found to induce membrane remodeling to facilitate the generation of transport carriers in endosomal pathways. However, the molecular mechanism of membrane bending and the role of lipids in the bending process remain elusive. Here, we conducted coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the role of the three structural modules (PX, BAR, and AH) of SNX1 and the PI3P lipids in membrane deformation. We observed that the presence of all three domains is essential for SNX1 to achieve a stable membrane deformation. BAR is capable of remodeling the membrane through the charged residues on its concave surface, but it requires PX and AH to establish stable membrane binding. AH penetrates into the lipid membrane, thereby promoting the induction of membrane curvature; however, it is inadequate on its own to maintain membrane bending. PI3P lipids are also indispensable for membrane remodeling, as they play a dominant role in the interactions of lipids with the BAR domain. Our results enhance the comprehension of the molecular mechanism underlying SNX1-induced membrane curvature and help future studies of curvature-inducing proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Liao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
| | - Ting Si
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
| | - Ji-Jung Kai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
- Centre for Advanced Nuclear Safety and Sustainable Development, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
| | - Jun Fan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
- Centre for Advanced Nuclear Safety and Sustainable Development, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
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3
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Norman CA, Krishnakumar SS, Timofeeva Y, Volynski KE. The release of inhibition model reproduces kinetics and plasticity of neurotransmitter release in central synapses. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1091. [PMID: 37891212 PMCID: PMC10611806 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05445-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium-evoked release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles (SVs) is catalysed by SNARE proteins. The predominant view is that, at rest, complete assembly of SNARE complexes is inhibited ('clamped') by synaptotagmin and complexin molecules. Calcium binding by synaptotagmins releases this fusion clamp and triggers fast SV exocytosis. However, this model has not been quantitatively tested over physiological timescales. Here we describe an experimentally constrained computational modelling framework to quantitatively assess how the molecular architecture of the fusion clamp affects SV exocytosis. Our results argue that the 'release-of-inhibition' model can indeed account for fast calcium-activated SV fusion, and that dual binding of synaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7 to the same SNARE complex enables synergistic regulation of the kinetics and plasticity of neurotransmitter release. The developed framework provides a powerful and adaptable tool to link the molecular biochemistry of presynaptic proteins to physiological data and efficiently test the plausibility of calcium-activated neurotransmitter release models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Norman
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Mathematics for Real-World Systems Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Shyam S Krishnakumar
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Neurology, Yale Nanobiology Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - Yulia Timofeeva
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Kirill E Volynski
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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4
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Ali Moussa HY, Shin KC, Ponraj J, Kim SJ, Ryu JK, Mansour S, Park Y. Requirement of Cholesterol for Calcium-Dependent Vesicle Fusion by Strengthening Synaptotagmin-1-Induced Membrane Bending. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206823. [PMID: 37058136 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol is essential for neuronal activity and function. Cholesterol depletion in the plasma membrane impairs synaptic transmission. However, the molecular mechanisms by which cholesterol deficiency leads to defects in vesicle fusion remain poorly understood. Here, it is shown that cholesterol is required for Ca2+ -dependent native vesicle fusion using the in vitro reconstitution of fusion and amperometry to monitor exocytosis in chromaffin cells. Purified native vesicles are crucial for the reconstitution of physiological Ca2+ -dependent fusion, because vesicle-mimicking liposomes fail to reproduce the cholesterol effect. Intriguingly, cholesterol has no effect on the membrane binding of synaptotagmin-1, a Ca2+ sensor for ultrafast fusion. Cholesterol strengthens local membrane deformation and bending induced by synaptotagmin-1, thereby lowering the energy barrier for Ca2+ -dependent fusion to occur. The data provide evidence that cholesterol depletion abolishes Ca2+ -dependent vesicle fusion by disrupting synaptotagmin-1-induced membrane bending, and suggests that cholesterol is an essential lipid regulator for Ca2+ -dependent fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houda Yasmine Ali Moussa
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Kyung Chul Shin
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Soo Jin Kim
- Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 790-784, Republic of Korea
| | - Je-Kyung Ryu
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Seoul National University. 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
| | - Said Mansour
- HBKU Core Labs, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Yongsoo Park
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
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5
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Bykhovskaia M. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Proteins Regulating Synaptic Vesicle Fusion. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:307. [PMID: 36984694 PMCID: PMC10058449 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13030307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal transmitters are packaged in synaptic vesicles (SVs) and released by the fusion of SVs with the presynaptic membrane (PM). An inflow of Ca2+ into the nerve terminal triggers fusion, and the SV-associated protein Synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1) serves as a Ca2+ sensor. In preparation for fusion, SVs become attached to the PM by the SNARE protein complex, a coiled-coil bundle that exerts the force overcoming SV-PM repulsion. A cytosolic protein Complexin (Cpx) attaches to the SNARE complex and differentially regulates the evoked and spontaneous release components. It is still debated how the dynamic interactions of Syt1, SNARE proteins and Cpx lead to fusion. This problem is confounded by heterogeneity in the conformational states of the prefusion protein-lipid complex and by the lack of tools to experimentally monitor the rapid conformational transitions of the complex, which occur at a sub-millisecond scale. However, these complications can be overcome employing molecular dynamics (MDs), a computational approach that enables simulating interactions and conformational transitions of proteins and lipids. This review discusses the use of molecular dynamics for the investigation of the pre-fusion protein-lipid complex. We discuss the dynamics of the SNARE complex between lipid bilayers, as well as the interactions of Syt1 with lipids and SNARE proteins, and Cpx regulating the assembly of the SNARE complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bykhovskaia
- Neurology Department, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
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6
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Paul S, Audhya A, Cui Q. Molecular mechanism of GTP binding- and dimerization-induced enhancement of Sar1-mediated membrane remodeling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2212513120. [PMID: 36780528 PMCID: PMC9974494 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212513120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Sar1 GTPase initiates coat protein II (COPII)-mediated protein transport by generating membrane curvature at subdomains on the endoplasmic reticulum, where it is activated by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Sec12. Crystal structures of GDP- and GTP-bound forms of Sar1 suggest that it undergoes a conformational switch in which GTP binding enhances the exposure of an amino-terminal amphipathic helix necessary for efficient membrane penetration. However, key residues in the amino terminus were not resolved in crystal structures, and experimental studies have suggested that the amino terminus of Sar1 is solvent-exposed in the absence of a membrane, even in the GDP-bound state. Therefore, the molecular mechanism by which GTP binding activates the membrane-remodeling activity of Sar1 remains unclear. Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we compare the membrane-binding and curvature generation activities of Sar1 in its GDP- and GTP-bound states. We show that in the GTP-bound state, Sar1 inserts into the membrane with its complete (residues 1 to 23) amphipathic amino-terminal helix, while Sar1-GDP binds to the membrane only through its first 12 residues. Such differential membrane-binding modes translate into significant differences in the protein volume inserted into the membrane. As a result, Sar1-GTP generates positive membrane curvature 10 to 20 times higher than Sar1-GDP. Dimerization of the GTP-bound form of Sar1 further amplifies curvature generation. Taken together, our results present a detailed molecular mechanism for how the nucleotide-bound state of Sar1 regulates its membrane-binding and remodeling activities in a concentration-dependent manner, paving the way toward a better understanding COPII-mediated membrane transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjoy Paul
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA02215
| | - Anjon Audhya
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53706
| | - Qiang Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA02215
- Departments of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA02215
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA02215
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7
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Xue M, Cao Y, Shen C, Guo W. Computational Advances of Protein/Neurotransmitter-membrane Interactions Involved in Vesicle Fusion and Neurotransmitter Release. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167818. [PMID: 36089056 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167818] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Vesicle fusion is of crucial importance to neuronal communication at neuron terminals. The exquisite but complex fusion machinery for neurotransmitter release is tightly controlled and regulated by protein/neurotransmitter-membrane interactions. Computational 'microscopies', in particular molecular dynamics simulations and related techniques, have provided notable insight into the physiological process over the past decades, and have made enormous contributions to fields such as neurology, pharmacology and pathophysiology. Here we review the computational advances of protein/neurotransmitter-membrane interactions related to presynaptic vesicle-membrane fusion and neurotransmitter release, and outline the in silico challenges ahead for understanding this important physiological process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minmin Xue
- Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, and Institute for Frontier Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Yuwei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chun Shen
- Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, and Institute for Frontier Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China.
| | - Wanlin Guo
- Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, and Institute for Frontier Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China; State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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8
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Brunger AT, Leitz J. The Core Complex of the Ca 2+-Triggered Presynaptic Fusion Machinery. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167853. [PMID: 36243149 PMCID: PMC10578080 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic neurotransmitter release is mediated by an orchestra of presynaptic proteins that precisely control and trigger fusion between synaptic vesicles and the neuron terminal at the active zone upon the arrival of an action potential. Critical to this process are the neuronal SNAREs (Soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor Attachment protein REceptor), the Ca2+-sensor synaptotagmin, the activator/regulator complexin, and other factors. Here, we review the interactions between the SNARE complex and synaptotagmin, with focus on the so-called primary interface between synaptotagmin and the SNARE complex that has been validated in terms of its physiological relevance. We discuss several other but less validated interfaces as well, including the so-called tripartite interface, and we discuss the pros and cons for these possible alternative interfaces. We also present new molecular dynamics simulations of the tripartite interface and new data of an inhibitor of the primary interface in a reconstituted system of synaptic vesicle fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel T Brunger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, United States; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States; Department of Photon Science, Stanford University, Stanford, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.
| | - Jeremy Leitz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, United States; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States; Department of Photon Science, Stanford University, Stanford, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
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9
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Van Dinh Q, Liu J, Dutta P. Effect of Slp4-a on Membrane Bending During Prefusion of Vesicles in Blood-Brain Barrier. J Biomech Eng 2023; 145:011006. [PMID: 35838328 PMCID: PMC9445323 DOI: 10.1115/1.4054985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Vesicle exocytosis is a promising pathway for brain drug delivery through the blood-brain barrier to treat neurodegenerative diseases. In vesicle exocytosis, the membrane fusion process is initiated by the calcium sensor protein named synaptotagmin-like protein4-a (Slp4-a). Understanding conformational changes of Slp4-a during the prefusion stage of exocytosis will help to develop vesicle-based drug delivery to the brain. In this work, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a hybrid force field coupling united-atom protein model with MARTINI coarse-grained (CG) solvent to capture the conformational changes of Slp4-a during the prefusion stage. These hybrid coarse-grained simulations are more efficient than all-atom MD simulations and can capture protein interactions and conformational changes. Our simulation results show that the calcium ions play critical roles during the prefusion stage. Only one calcium ion can remain in each calcium-binding pocket of Slp4-a C2 domains. The C2B domain of calcium-unbound Slp4-a remains parallel to the endothelial membrane, while the C2B domain of calcium-bound Slp4-a rotates perpendicular to the endothelial membrane to approach the vesicular membrane. For the calcium-bound case, three Slp4-a proteins can effectively bend lipid membranes at the prefusion stage, which could later trigger lipid stalk between membranes. This work provides a better understanding how C2 domains of Slp4-a operate during vesicle exocytosis from an endothelial cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quyen Van Dinh
- School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2920
| | - Jin Liu
- School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2920
| | - Prashanta Dutta
- School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2920
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10
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Zhu J, McDargh ZA, Li F, Krishnakumar SS, Rothman JE, O’Shaughnessy B. Synaptotagmin rings as high-sensitivity regulators of synaptic vesicle docking and fusion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2208337119. [PMID: 36103579 PMCID: PMC9499556 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208337119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Synchronous release at neuronal synapses is accomplished by a machinery that senses calcium influx and fuses the synaptic vesicle and plasma membranes to release neurotransmitters. Previous studies suggested the calcium sensor synaptotagmin (Syt) is a facilitator of vesicle docking and both a facilitator and inhibitor of fusion. On phospholipid monolayers, the Syt C2AB domain spontaneously oligomerized into rings that are disassembled by Ca2+, suggesting Syt rings may clamp fusion as membrane-separating "washers" until Ca2+-mediated disassembly triggers fusion and release [J. Wang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111, 13966-13971 (2014)].). Here, we combined mathematical modeling with experiment to measure the mechanical properties of Syt rings and to test this mechanism. Consistent with experimental results, the model quantitatively recapitulates observed Syt ring-induced dome and volcano shapes on phospholipid monolayers and predicts rings are stabilized by anionic phospholipid bilayers or bulk solution with ATP. The selected ring conformation is highly sensitive to membrane composition and bulk ATP levels, a property that may regulate vesicle docking and fusion in ATP-rich synaptic terminals. We find the Syt molecules hosted by a synaptic vesicle oligomerize into a halo, unbound from the vesicle, but in proximity to sufficiently phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2)-rich plasma membrane (PM) domains, the PM-bound trans Syt ring conformation is preferred. Thus, the Syt halo serves as landing gear for spatially directed docking at PIP2-rich sites that define the active zones of exocytotic release, positioning the Syt ring to clamp fusion and await calcium. Our results suggest the Syt ring is both a Ca2+-sensitive fusion clamp and a high-fidelity sensor for directed docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhu
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Zachary A. McDargh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | | | - James E. Rothman
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Ben O’Shaughnessy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
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11
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Mandal T, Spagnolie SE, Audhya A, Cui Q. Protein-induced membrane curvature in coarse-grained simulations. Biophys J 2021; 120:3211-3221. [PMID: 34197798 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Using the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT)-III membrane remodeling complex as an example, we analyze three popular coarse-grained models (the regular MARTINI, polarizable MARTINI (POL-MARTINI), and big multipole water MARTINI (BMW-MARTINI)) for the description of membrane curvature sensing and generation activities of peripheral proteins. Although the three variants of the MARTINI model provide consistent descriptions for the protein-protein interface in a linear filament model of ESCRT-III, they differ considerably in terms of protein-membrane interface and therefore membrane curvature sensing and generation behaviors. In particular, BMW-MARTINI provides the most consistent description of the protein-membrane interface as compared to all-atom simulations, whereas the regular MARTINI is most consistent with atomistic simulations in terms of the qualitative sign of membrane curvature sensing and generation. With POL-MARTINI, the ESCRT-III model interacts weakly with the membrane and therefore does not exhibit any curvature-sensitive activities. Analysis suggests that the incorrect membrane curvature activities predicted by BMW-MARTINI are due to overestimated insertion depth of an amphipathic helix and incorrect sign for the spontaneous curvature of anionic lipids. These results not only point to ways that coarse-grained models can be improved but also explicitly highlight local lipid composition and insertion depth of protein motifs as essential regulatory factors for membrane curvature sensing and generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taraknath Mandal
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Saverio E Spagnolie
- Department of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Anjon Audhya
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Qiang Cui
- Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.
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12
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Silva M, Tran V, Marty A. Calcium-dependent docking of synaptic vesicles. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:579-592. [PMID: 34049722 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The concentration of calcium ions in presynaptic terminals regulates transmitter release, but underlying mechanisms have remained unclear. Here we review recent studies that shed new light on this issue. Fast-freezing electron microscopy and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy studies reveal complex calcium-dependent vesicle movements including docking on a millisecond time scale. Recordings from so-called 'simple synapses' indicate that calcium not only triggers exocytosis, but also modifies synaptic strength by controlling a final, rapid vesicle maturation step before release. Molecular studies identify several calcium-sensitive domains on Munc13 and on synaptotagmin-1 that are likely involved in bringing the vesicular and plasma membranes closer together in response to calcium elevation. Together, these results suggest that calcium-dependent vesicle docking occurs in a wide range of time domains and plays a crucial role in several phenomena including synaptic facilitation, post-tetanic potentiation, and neuromodulator-induced potentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Silva
- Université de Paris, SPPIN-Saints Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Van Tran
- Université de Paris, SPPIN-Saints Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Alain Marty
- Université de Paris, SPPIN-Saints Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France.
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13
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Gorgun D, Lihan M, Kapoor K, Tajkhorshid E. Binding mode of SARS-CoV-2 fusion peptide to human cellular membrane. Biophys J 2021; 120:2914-2926. [PMID: 33675757 PMCID: PMC7929786 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.02.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection of human cells by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) relies on its binding to a specific receptor and subsequent fusion of the viral and host cell membranes. The fusion peptide (FP), a short peptide segment in the spike protein, plays a central role in the initial penetration of the virus into the host cell membrane, followed by the fusion of the two membranes. Here, we use an array of molecular dynamics simulations that take advantage of the highly mobile membrane mimetic model to investigate the interaction of the SARS-CoV2 FP with a lipid bilayer representing mammalian cellular membranes at an atomic level and to characterize the membrane-bound form of the peptide. Six independent systems were generated by changing the initial positioning and orientation of the FP with respect to the membrane, and each system was simulated in five independent replicas, each for 300 ns. In 73% of the simulations, the FP reaches a stable, membrane-bound configuration, in which the peptide deeply penetrated into the membrane. Clustering of the results reveals three major membrane-binding modes (binding modes 1-3), in which binding mode 1 populates over half of the data points. Taking into account the sequence conservation among the viral FPs and the results of mutagenesis studies establishing the role of specific residues in the helical portion of the FP in membrane association, the significant depth of penetration of the whole peptide, and the dense population of the respective cluster, we propose that the most deeply inserted membrane-bound form (binding mode 1) represents more closely the biologically relevant form. Analysis of FP-lipid interactions shows the involvement of specific residues, previously described as the "fusion-active core residues," in membrane binding. Taken together, the results shed light on a key step involved in SARS-CoV2 infection, with potential implications in designing novel inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Defne Gorgun
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Muyun Lihan
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Karan Kapoor
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.
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14
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Van Dinh Q, Liu J, Dutta P. Effect of Calcium ion on synaptotagmin-like protein during pre-fusion of vesicle for exocytosis in blood-brain barrier. Biochem Biophys Rep 2020; 24:100845. [PMID: 33235924 PMCID: PMC7670242 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2020.100845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Calcium signaling and membrane fusion play key roles in exocytosis of drug-containing vesicles through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Identifying the role of synaptotagmin-like protein4-a (Slp4-a) in the presence of Ca2+ ions, at the pre-fusion stage of a vesicle with the basolateral membrane of endothelial cell, can reveal brain drug transportation across BBB. Methods We utilized molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a coarse-grained PACE force field to investigate the behaviors of Slp4-a with vesicular and endothelial membranes at the pre-fusion stage of exocytosis since all-atom MD simulation or experiments are more time-consuming and expensive to capture these behaviors. Results The Slp4-a pulls lipid membranes (vesicular and endothelial) into close proximity and disorganizes lipid arrangement at contact points, which are predictors for initiation of fusion. Our MD results also indicate that Slp4-a needs Ca2+ to bind with weakly-charged POPE lipids (phosphatidylethanolamine). Conclusions Slp4-a is an important trigger for membrane fusion in BBB exocytosis. It binds to lipid membranes at multiple binding sites and triggers membrane disruption for fusion in calcium-dependent case. General significance Understanding the prefusion process of the vesicle will help to design better drug delivery mechanisms to the brain through formidable BBB. Role of Ca2+ on Slp4-a is studied for vesicle pre-fusion in EC to initiate exocytosis. Coarse-grained MD is used to study large scale conformation change of Slp-4a. Interaction between C2A domain and lipids is much stronger than that of C2B. Slp4-a can bind to bilayer membrane in Ca2+-bound case to close membrane gap.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Prashanta Dutta
- Corresponding author. School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
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15
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Synaptotagmin-1 membrane binding is driven by the C2B domain and assisted cooperatively by the C2A domain. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18011. [PMID: 33093513 PMCID: PMC7581758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74923-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptotagmin interaction with anionic lipid (phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylinositol) containing membranes, both in the absence and presence of calcium ions (Ca2+), is critical to its central role in orchestrating neurotransmitter release. The molecular surfaces involved, namely the conserved polylysine motif in the C2B domain and Ca2+-binding aliphatic loops on both C2A and C2B domains, are known. Here we use surface force apparatus combined with systematic mutational analysis of the functional surfaces to directly measure Syt1-membrane interaction and fully map the site-binding energetics of Syt1 both in the absence and presence of Ca2+. By correlating energetics data with the molecular rearrangements measured during confinement, we find that both C2 domains cooperate in membrane binding, with the C2B domain functioning as the main energetic driver, and the C2A domain acting as a facilitator.
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16
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Prasad R, Zhou HX. Membrane Association and Functional Mechanism of Synaptotagmin-1 in Triggering Vesicle Fusion. Biophys J 2020; 119:1255-1265. [PMID: 32882186 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Upon Ca2+ influx, synaptic vesicles fuse with the presynaptic plasma membrane (PM) to release neurotransmitters. Membrane fusion is triggered by synaptotagmin-1, a transmembrane protein in the vesicle membrane (VM), but the mechanism is under debate. Synaptotagmin-1 contains a single transmembrane helix (TM) and two tandem C2 domains (C2A and C2B). This study aimed to use molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate how Ca2+-bound synaptotagmin-1, by simultaneously associating with VM and PM, brings them together for fusion. Although C2A stably associates with VM via two Ca2+-binding loops, C2B has a propensity to partially dissociate. Importantly, an acidic motif in the TM-C2A linker competes with VM for interacting with C2B, thereby flipping its orientation to face PM. Subsequently, C2B readily associates with PM via a polybasic cluster and a Ca2+-binding loop. The resulting mechanistic model for the triggering of membrane fusion by synaptotagmin-1 reconciles many experimental observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Prasad
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Huan-Xiang Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
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17
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Hempel T, Plattner N, Noé F. Coupling of Conformational Switches in Calcium Sensor Unraveled with Local Markov Models and Transfer Entropy. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 16:2584-2593. [PMID: 32196329 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Proteins often have multiple switching domains that are coupled to each other and to the binding of ligands in order to realize signaling functions. Here we investigate the C2A domain of Synaptotagmin-1 (Syt-1), a calcium sensor in the neurotransmitter release machinery and a model system for the large family of C2 membrane binding domains. We combine extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with Markov modeling in order to model conformational switching domains, their states, and their dependence on bound calcium ions. Then, we use transfer entropy to characterize how the switching domains are coupled via directed or allosteric mechanisms and give rise to the calcium sensing function of the protein. Our proposed switching mechanism contributes to the understanding of the neurotransmitter release machinery. Furthermore, the methodological approach we develop serves as a template to analyze conformational switching domains and the broad study of their coupling in macromolecular machines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Hempel
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, FU Berlin, Arnimallee 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Physics, FU Berlin, Arnimallee 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nuria Plattner
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, FU Berlin, Arnimallee 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Noé
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, FU Berlin, Arnimallee 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Physics, FU Berlin, Arnimallee 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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18
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Mandal T, Lough W, Spagnolie SE, Audhya A, Cui Q. Molecular Simulation of Mechanical Properties and Membrane Activities of the ESCRT-III Complexes. Biophys J 2020; 118:1333-1343. [PMID: 32078797 PMCID: PMC7091516 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery carries out the membrane scission reactions that are required for many biological processes throughout cells. How ESCRTs bind and deform cellular membranes and ultimately produce vesicles has been a matter of active research in recent years. In this study, we use fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to scrutinize the structural details of a filament composed of Vps32 protomers, a major component of ESCRT-III complexes. The simulations show that both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions between monomers help maintain the structural stability of the filament, which exhibits an intrinsic bend and twist. Our findings suggest that the accumulation of bending and twisting stresses as the filament elongates on the membrane surface likely contributes to the driving force for membrane invagination. The filament exposes a large cationic surface that senses the negatively charged lipids in the membrane, and the N-terminal amphipathic helix of the monomers not only acts as a membrane anchor but also generates significant positive membrane curvature. Taking all results together, we discuss a plausible mechanism for membrane invagination driven by ESCRT-III.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taraknath Mandal
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Anjon Audhya
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Qiang Cui
- Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.
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19
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da Silva BS, Cupertino RB, Schuch JB, Kappel DB, Sanvicente-Vieira B, Bandeira CE, von Diemen L, Kessler FHP, Grevet EH, Grassi-Oliveira R, Bau CHD, Rovaris DL. The association between SYT1-rs2251214 and cocaine use disorder further supports its role in psychiatry. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 94:109642. [PMID: 31059723 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Synaptotagmin-1 is an essential regulator of synaptic vesicle exocytosis, and its encoding gene (SYT1) is a genome and transcriptome-wide association hit in cognitive performance, personality and cocaine use disorder (CUD) studies. Additionally, in candidate gene studies the specific variant rs2251214 has been associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), antisocial personality disorder and other externalizing phenotypes in adults with ADHD, as well as with response to methylphenidate (MPH) treatment. In this context, we sought to evaluate, in an independent sample, the association of this variant with CUD, a phenotype that shares common biological underpinnings with the previously associated traits. We tested the association between SYT1-rs2251214 and CUD susceptibility and severity (addiction severity index) in a sample composed by 315 patients addicted to smoked cocaine and 769 non-addicted volunteers. SYT1-rs2251214 was significantly associated with susceptibility to CUD, where the G allele presented increased risk for the disorder in the genetic models tested (P = 0.0021, OR = 1.44, allelic; P = 0.0012, OR = 1.48, additive; P = 0.0127, OR = 1.41, dominant). This is the same allele that was associated with increased risk for ADHD and other externalizing behaviors, as well as poor response to MPH treatment in previous studies. These findings suggest that the neurotransmitter exocytosis pathway might play a critical role in the liability for psychiatric disorders, especially externalizing behaviors and CUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna S da Silva
- Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; ADHD Outpatient Program, Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Renata B Cupertino
- Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; ADHD Outpatient Program, Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline B Schuch
- Laboratory of Immunosenescence, Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Djenifer B Kappel
- Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; ADHD Outpatient Program, Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Breno Sanvicente-Vieira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Biomedical Research Institute, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Cibele E Bandeira
- Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; ADHD Outpatient Program, Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lisia von Diemen
- Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Felix H P Kessler
- Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Eugenio H Grevet
- ADHD Outpatient Program, Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Biomedical Research Institute, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Claiton H D Bau
- Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; ADHD Outpatient Program, Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Diego L Rovaris
- ADHD Outpatient Program, Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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20
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Muller MP, Jiang T, Sun C, Lihan M, Pant S, Mahinthichaichan P, Trifan A, Tajkhorshid E. Characterization of Lipid-Protein Interactions and Lipid-Mediated Modulation of Membrane Protein Function through Molecular Simulation. Chem Rev 2019; 119:6086-6161. [PMID: 30978005 PMCID: PMC6506392 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The cellular membrane constitutes one of the most fundamental compartments of a living cell, where key processes such as selective transport of material and exchange of information between the cell and its environment are mediated by proteins that are closely associated with the membrane. The heterogeneity of lipid composition of biological membranes and the effect of lipid molecules on the structure, dynamics, and function of membrane proteins are now widely recognized. Characterization of these functionally important lipid-protein interactions with experimental techniques is however still prohibitively challenging. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations offer a powerful complementary approach with sufficient temporal and spatial resolutions to gain atomic-level structural information and energetics on lipid-protein interactions. In this review, we aim to provide a broad survey of MD simulations focusing on exploring lipid-protein interactions and characterizing lipid-modulated protein structure and dynamics that have been successful in providing novel insight into the mechanism of membrane protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie P. Muller
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- College of Medicine
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Tao Jiang
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Chang Sun
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Muyun Lihan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shashank Pant
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Paween Mahinthichaichan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Anda Trifan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- College of Medicine
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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21
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Enkavi G, Javanainen M, Kulig W, Róg T, Vattulainen I. Multiscale Simulations of Biological Membranes: The Challenge To Understand Biological Phenomena in a Living Substance. Chem Rev 2019; 119:5607-5774. [PMID: 30859819 PMCID: PMC6727218 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Biological
membranes are tricky to investigate. They are complex
in terms of molecular composition and structure, functional
over a wide range of time scales, and characterized
by nonequilibrium conditions. Because of all of these
features, simulations are a great technique to study biomembrane
behavior. A significant part of the functional processes
in biological membranes takes place at the molecular
level; thus computer simulations are the method of
choice to explore how their properties emerge from specific
molecular features and how the interplay among the numerous
molecules gives rise to function over spatial and
time scales larger than the molecular ones. In this
review, we focus on this broad theme. We discuss the current
state-of-the-art of biomembrane simulations that, until
now, have largely focused on a rather narrow picture
of the complexity of the membranes. Given this, we
also discuss the challenges that we should unravel in the
foreseeable future. Numerous features such as the actin-cytoskeleton
network, the glycocalyx network, and nonequilibrium
transport under ATP-driven conditions have so far
received very little attention; however, the potential
of simulations to solve them would be exceptionally high. A
major milestone for this research would be that one day
we could say that computer simulations genuinely research
biological membranes, not just lipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giray Enkavi
- Department of Physics , University of Helsinki , P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki , Finland
| | - Matti Javanainen
- Department of Physics , University of Helsinki , P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki , Finland.,Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences , Flemingovo naḿesti 542/2 , 16610 Prague , Czech Republic.,Computational Physics Laboratory , Tampere University , P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere , Finland
| | - Waldemar Kulig
- Department of Physics , University of Helsinki , P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki , Finland
| | - Tomasz Róg
- Department of Physics , University of Helsinki , P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki , Finland.,Computational Physics Laboratory , Tampere University , P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere , Finland
| | - Ilpo Vattulainen
- Department of Physics , University of Helsinki , P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki , Finland.,Computational Physics Laboratory , Tampere University , P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere , Finland.,MEMPHYS-Center for Biomembrane Physics
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22
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Brunger AT, Leitz J, Zhou Q, Choi UB, Lai Y. Ca 2+-Triggered Synaptic Vesicle Fusion Initiated by Release of Inhibition. Trends Cell Biol 2018; 28:631-645. [PMID: 29706534 PMCID: PMC6056330 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Recent structural and functional studies of the synaptic vesicle fusion machinery suggest an inhibited tripartite complex consisting of neuronal soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs), synaptotagmin, and complexin prior to Ca2+-triggered synaptic vesicle fusion. We speculate that Ca2+-triggered fusion commences with the release of inhibition by Ca2+ binding to synaptotagmin C2 domains. Subsequently, fusion is assisted by SNARE complex zippering and by active membrane remodeling properties of synaptotagmin. This additional, inhibitory role of synaptotagmin may be a general principle since other recent studies suggest that Ca2+ binding to extended synaptotagmin C2 domains enables lipid transport by releasing an inhibited state of the system, and that Munc13 may nominally be in an inhibited state, which is released upon Ca2+ binding to one of its C2 domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel T Brunger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Photon Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Jeremy Leitz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Photon Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Qiangjun Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Photon Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ucheor B Choi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Photon Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ying Lai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Photon Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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23
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Abstract
This review summarizes current knowledge of synaptic proteins that are central to synaptic vesicle fusion in presynaptic active zones, including SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors), synaptotagmin, complexin, Munc18 (mammalian uncoordinated-18), and Munc13 (mammalian uncoordinated-13), and highlights recent insights in the cooperation of these proteins for neurotransmitter release. Structural and functional studies of the synaptic fusion machinery suggest new molecular models of synaptic vesicle priming and Ca2+-triggered fusion. These studies will be a stepping-stone toward answering the question of how the synaptic vesicle fusion machinery achieves such high speed and sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel T Brunger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Department of Structural Biology, Department of Photon Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
| | - Ucheor B Choi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Department of Structural Biology, Department of Photon Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
| | - Ying Lai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Department of Structural Biology, Department of Photon Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
| | - Jeremy Leitz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Department of Structural Biology, Department of Photon Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
| | - Qiangjun Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Department of Structural Biology, Department of Photon Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
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24
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Tietjen GT, Baylon JL, Kerr D, Gong Z, Henderson JM, Heffern CTR, Meron M, Lin B, Schlossman ML, Adams EJ, Tajkhorshid E, Lee KYC. Coupling X-Ray Reflectivity and In Silico Binding to Yield Dynamics of Membrane Recognition by Tim1. Biophys J 2017; 113:1505-1519. [PMID: 28978444 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic nature of lipid membranes presents significant challenges with respect to understanding the molecular basis of protein/membrane interactions. Consequently, there is relatively little known about the structural mechanisms by which membrane-binding proteins might distinguish subtle variations in lipid membrane composition and/or structure. We have previously developed a multidisciplinary approach that combines molecular dynamics simulation with interfacial x-ray scattering experiments to produce an atomistic model for phosphatidylserine recognition by the immune receptor Tim4. However, this approach requires a previously determined protein crystal structure in a membrane-bound conformation. Tim1, a Tim4 homolog with distinct differences in both immunological function and sensitivity to membrane composition, was crystalized in a closed-loop conformation that is unlikely to support membrane binding. Here we have used a previously described highly mobile membrane mimetic membrane in combination with a conventional lipid bilayer model to generate a membrane-bound configuration of Tim1 in silico. This refined structure provided a significantly improved fit of experimental x-ray reflectivity data. Moreover, the coupling of the x-ray reflectivity analysis with both highly mobile membrane mimetic membranes and conventional lipid bilayer molecular dynamics simulations yielded a dynamic model of phosphatidylserine membrane recognition by Tim1 with atomic-level detail. In addition to providing, to our knowledge, new insights into the molecular mechanisms that distinguish the various Tim receptors, these results demonstrate that in silico membrane-binding simulations can remove the requirement that the existing crystal structure be in the membrane-bound conformation for effective x-ray reflectivity analysis. Consequently, this refined methodology has the potential for much broader applicability with respect to defining the atomistic details of membrane-binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory T Tietjen
- Program in Biophysical Sciences, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Javier L Baylon
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Daniel Kerr
- Program in Biophysical Sciences, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Zhiliang Gong
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | | | - Mati Meron
- Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Binhua Lin
- Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Mark L Schlossman
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Erin J Adams
- Program in Biophysical Sciences, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Committee on Immunology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; College of Medicine and Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.
| | - Ka Yee C Lee
- Program in Biophysical Sciences, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
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25
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Vermaas JV, Pogorelov TV, Tajkhorshid E. Extension of the Highly Mobile Membrane Mimetic to Transmembrane Systems through Customized in Silico Solvents. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:3764-3776. [PMID: 28241729 PMCID: PMC5558153 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b11378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The mechanics of the protein-lipid interactions of transmembrane proteins are difficult to capture with conventional atomic molecular dynamics, due to the slow lateral diffusion of lipids restricting sampling to states near the initial membrane configuration. The highly mobile membrane mimetic (HMMM) model accelerates lipid dynamics by modeling the acyl tails nearest to the membrane center as a fluid organic solvent while maintaining an atomic description of the lipid headgroups and short acyl tails. The HMMM has been applied to many peripheral protein systems; however, the organic solvent used to date caused deformations in transmembrane proteins by intercalating into the protein and disrupting interactions between individual side chains. We ameliorate the effect of the solvent on transmembrane protein structure through the development of two new in silico Lennard-Jones solvents. The parameters for the new solvents were determined through an extensive parameter search in order to match the bulk properties of alkanes in a highly simplified model. Using these new solvents, we substantially improve the insertion free energy profiles of 10 protein side chain analogues across the entire bilayer. In addition, we reduce the intercalation of solvent into transmembrane systems, resulting in native-like transmembrane protein structures from five different topological classes within a HMMM bilayer. The parametrization of the solvents, in addition to their computed physical properties, is discussed. By combining high lipid lateral diffusion with intact transmembrane proteins, we foresee the developed solvents being useful to efficiently identify membrane composition inhomogeneities and lipid binding caused by the presence of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh V Vermaas
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Taras V Pogorelov
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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26
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Wang C, Xu B, Song QF, Deng Y, Liu W, Xu ZF. Manganese exposure disrupts SNARE protein complex-mediated vesicle fusion in primary cultured neurons. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2017; 32:705-716. [PMID: 27125645 DOI: 10.1002/tox.22272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2015] [Revised: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Overexposure to manganese (Mn) has been known to disrupt neurotransmitter release in the brain. However, the underlying mechanisms of Mn exposure on neurotransmitter vesicle release are still unclear. The current study investigated whether the protein expression and their interaction of SNARE complex associated proteins were the media between Mn exposure and neurotransmitter vesicle fusion disorders. After the neurons were respectively exposed to Mn (0-200 μM) for 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 h, there were different degrees of cell injury in neurons. According to the results, Mn exposures in subsequent experiments were restricted to concentrations of 100 μM for 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 h. Mn was found to down-regulate the expression of SNAP-25 and up-regulate the expression of VAMP-2 in cultured neurons. Moreover, the interaction of Munc 18 and Syntaxin increased significantly in response to Mn treatment for 18-24h, and the interaction of VAMP-2 and Synaptophysin increased first and then decreased. FM1-43-labeled synaptic vesicles also provided evidence that the treatment with Mn resulted in neurotransmitter vesicle fusion increasing first and then decreasing, which was consistent with the 80 kDa protein levels of SNARE complexes. The findings clearly demonstrated that Mn induced the disorders of neurotransmitter vesicle release via disturbing the protein expression and their interaction of SNARE complex associated proteins. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 705-716, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Fan Song
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Deng
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao-Fa Xu
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, People's Republic of China
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27
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Shen C, Xue M, Qiu H, Guo W. Insertion of Neurotransmitters into a Lipid Bilayer Membrane and Its Implication on Membrane Stability: A Molecular Dynamics Study. Chemphyschem 2017; 18:626-633. [PMID: 28054433 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201601184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The signaling molecules in neurons, called neurotransmitters, play an essential role in the transportation of neural signals, during which the neurotransmitters interact with not only specific receptors, but also cytomembranes, such as synaptic vesicle membranes and postsynaptic membranes. Through extensive molecular dynamics simulations, the atomic-scale insertion dynamics of typical neurotransmitters, including methionine enkephalin (ME), leucine enkephalin (LE), dopamine (DA), acetylcholine (ACh), and aspartic acid (ASP), into lipid bilayers is investigated. The results show that the first three neurotransmitters (ME, LE, and DA) are able to diffuse freely into both 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE) membranes, and are guided by the aromatic residues Tyr and Phe. Only a limited number of these neurotransmitters are allowed to penetrate into the membrane, which suggests an intrinsic mechanism by which the membrane is protected from being destroyed by excessive inserted neurotransmitters. After spontaneous insertion, the neurotransmitters disturb the surrounding phospholipids in the membrane, as indicated by the altered distribution of components in lipid leaflets and the disordered lipid tails. In contrast, the last two neurotransmitters (ACh and ASP) cannot enter the membrane, but instead always diffuse freely in solution. These findings provide an understanding at the atomic level of how neurotransmitters interact with the surrounding cytomembrane, as well as their impact on membrane behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structure and Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of the, Ministry of Education, and Institute of Nanoscience, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Minmin Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structure and Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of the, Ministry of Education, and Institute of Nanoscience, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Hu Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structure and Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of the, Ministry of Education, and Institute of Nanoscience, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Wanlin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structure and Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of the, Ministry of Education, and Institute of Nanoscience, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing, P.R. China
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28
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Vermaas JV, Tajkhorshid E. Differential Membrane Binding Mechanics of Synaptotagmin Isoforms Observed in Atomic Detail. Biochemistry 2016; 56:281-293. [PMID: 27997124 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Synaptotagmin (Syt) is a membrane-associated protein involved in vesicle fusion through the SNARE complex that is found throughout the human body in 17 different isoforms. These isoforms have two membrane-binding C2 domains, which sense Ca2+ and thereby promote anionic membrane binding and lead to vesicle fusion. Through molecular dynamics simulations using the highly mobile membrane mimetic acclerated bilayer model, we have investigated how small protein sequence changes in the Ca2+-binding loops of the C2 domains may give rise to the experimentally determined difference in binding kinetics between Syt-1 and Syt-7 isoforms. Syt-7 C2 domains are found to form more close contacts with anionic phospholipid headgroups, particularly in loop 1, where an additional positive charge in Syt-7 draws the loop closer to the membrane and causes the anchoring residue F167 to insert deeper into the bilayer than the corresponding methionine in Syt-1 (M173). By performing additional replica exchange umbrella sampling calculations, we demonstrate that these additional contacts increase the energetic cost of unbinding the Syt-7 C2 domains from the bilayer, causing them to unbind more slowly than their counterparts in Syt-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh V Vermaas
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, Department of Biochemistry, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, Department of Biochemistry, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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29
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Qi Y, Cheng X, Lee J, Vermaas JV, Pogorelov TV, Tajkhorshid E, Park S, Klauda JB, Im W. CHARMM-GUI HMMM Builder for Membrane Simulations with the Highly Mobile Membrane-Mimetic Model. Biophys J 2016; 109:2012-22. [PMID: 26588561 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Slow diffusion of the lipids in conventional all-atom simulations of membrane systems makes it difficult to sample large rearrangements of lipids and protein-lipid interactions. Recently, Tajkhorshid and co-workers developed the highly mobile membrane-mimetic (HMMM) model with accelerated lipid motion by replacing the lipid tails with small organic molecules. The HMMM model provides accelerated lipid diffusion by one to two orders of magnitude, and is particularly useful in studying membrane-protein associations. However, building an HMMM simulation system is not easy, as it requires sophisticated treatment of the lipid tails. In this study, we have developed CHARMM-GUI HMMM Builder (http://www.charmm-gui.org/input/hmmm) to provide users with ready-to-go input files for simulating HMMM membrane systems with/without proteins. Various lipid-only and protein-lipid systems are simulated to validate the qualities of the systems generated by HMMM Builder with focus on the basic properties and advantages of the HMMM model. HMMM Builder supports all lipid types available in CHARMM-GUI and also provides a module to convert back and forth between an HMMM membrane and a full-length membrane. We expect HMMM Builder to be a useful tool in studying membrane systems with enhanced lipid diffusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Qi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Computational Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
| | - Xi Cheng
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Computational Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
| | - Jumin Lee
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Computational Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
| | - Josh V Vermaas
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Taras V Pogorelov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Soohyung Park
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Computational Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
| | - Jeffery B Klauda
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Biophysics Program, The University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Wonpil Im
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Computational Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
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30
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Baylon JL, Vermaas JV, Muller MP, Arcario MJ, Pogorelov TV, Tajkhorshid E. Atomic-level description of protein-lipid interactions using an accelerated membrane model. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1858:1573-83. [PMID: 26940626 PMCID: PMC4877275 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2016.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2016] [Revised: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Peripheral membrane proteins are structurally diverse proteins that are involved in fundamental cellular processes. Their activity of these proteins is frequently modulated through their interaction with cellular membranes, and as a result techniques to study the interfacial interaction between peripheral proteins and the membrane are in high demand. Due to the fluid nature of the membrane and the reversibility of protein-membrane interactions, the experimental study of these systems remains a challenging task. Molecular dynamics simulations offer a suitable approach to study protein-lipid interactions; however, the slow dynamics of the lipids often prevents sufficient sampling of specific membrane-protein interactions in atomistic simulations. To increase lipid dynamics while preserving the atomistic detail of protein-lipid interactions, in the highly mobile membrane-mimetic (HMMM) model the membrane core is replaced by an organic solvent, while short-tailed lipids provide a nearly complete representation of natural lipids at the organic solvent/water interface. Here, we present a brief introduction and a summary of recent applications of the HMMM to study different membrane proteins, complementing the experimental characterization of the presented systems, and we offer a perspective of future applications of the HMMM to study other classes of membrane proteins. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane proteins edited by J.C. Gumbart and Sergei Noskov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier L Baylon
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.
| | - Josh V Vermaas
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.
| | - Melanie P Muller
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology; College of Medicine.
| | - Mark J Arcario
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology; College of Medicine.
| | - Taras V Pogorelov
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology; School of Chemical Sciences; Department of Chemistry; National Center for Supercomputing Applications.
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology; College of Medicine; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801.
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31
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Skeby KK, Andersen OJ, Pogorelov TV, Tajkhorshid E, Schiøtt B. Conformational Dynamics of the Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide in a Membrane Environment: Toward the Aggregation Prone Form. Biochemistry 2016; 55:2031-42. [PMID: 26953503 PMCID: PMC5733697 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) is a 37-residue peptide hormone, which upon misfolding changes from the physiologically active monomer into pathological amyloid fibril aggregates in the pancreas of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. During this process, the insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells are damaged; however, the underlying mechanism of this mode of cytotoxicity remains elusive. It is known that anionic lipids accelerate amyloid fibril formation, implicating the importance of the cellular membrane in the process, and that a pH close to the level in the β-cell secretory granules (pH 5.5) inhibits amyloid fibril formation. Using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we have investigated the membrane-associated monomer state of α-helical hIAPP, analyzed specific interactions of hIAPP with a mixed anionic-zwitterionic lipid membrane and examined the influence of pH on the structure and dynamics of hIAPP and its interaction with the membrane. We find that hIAPP primarily interacts with the membrane by forming favorable interactions between anionic lipids and the positively charged residues in the N-terminal part of the peptide. Rationalizing experimental findings, the simulations show that the N-terminal part of the peptide interacts with the membrane in the lipid headgroup region. At neutral pH, the C-terminal part of the peptide, which contains the residues that initiate fibril formation, displays a highly dynamic, unfolded state, which interacts with the membrane significantly less than the N-terminal part. Such an unfolded form can be proposed to contribute to the acceleration of fibril formation. At low pH, protonation of His18 mediates a stronger interaction of the C-terminal part with the membrane, resulting in the immobilization of the C-terminal part on the membrane surface that might constitute a mechanism by which low pH inhibits fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Kirkeby Skeby
- Center for Insoluble Protein Structures (inSPIN) and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and the Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ole Juul Andersen
- Center for Insoluble Protein Structures (inSPIN) and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and the Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Taras V. Pogorelov
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Birgit Schiøtt
- Center for Insoluble Protein Structures (inSPIN) and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and the Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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32
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Calcium binding promotes conformational flexibility of the neuronal Ca(2+) sensor synaptotagmin. Biophys J 2016; 108:2507-2520. [PMID: 25992729 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1) is a synaptic vesicle protein that serves as a calcium sensor of neuronal secretion. It is established that calcium binding to Syt1 triggers vesicle fusion and release of neuronal transmitters, however, the dynamics of this process is not fully understood. To investigate how Ca(2+) binding affects Syt1 conformational dynamics, we performed prolonged molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Ca(2+)-unbound and Ca(2+)-bound forms of Syt1. MD simulations were performed at a microsecond scale and combined with Monte Carlo sampling. We found that in the absence of Ca(2+) Syt1 structure in the solution is represented by an ensemble of conformational states with tightly coupled domains. To investigate the effect of Ca(2+) binding, we used two different strategies to generate a molecular model of a Ca(2+)-bound form of Syt1. First, we employed subsequent replacements of monovalent cations transiently captured within Syt1 Ca(2+)-binding pockets by Ca(2+) ions. Second, we performed MD simulations of Syt1 at elevated Ca(2+) levels. All the simulations produced Syt1 structures bound to four Ca(2+) ions, two ions chelated at the binding pocket of each domain. MD simulations of the Ca(2+)-bound form of Syt1 revealed that Syt1 conformational flexibility drastically increased upon Ca(2+) binding. In the presence of Ca(2+), the separation between domains increased, and interdomain rotations became more frequent. These findings suggest that Ca(2+) binding to Syt1 may induce major changes in the Syt1 conformational state, which in turn may initiate the fusion process.
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33
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McDougle DR, Baylon JL, Meling DD, Kambalyal A, Grinkova YV, Hammernik J, Tajkhorshid E, Das A. Incorporation of charged residues in the CYP2J2 F-G loop disrupts CYP2J2-lipid bilayer interactions. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1848:2460-2470. [PMID: 26232558 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2015] [Revised: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
CYP2J2 epoxygenase is an extrahepatic, membrane bound cytochrome P450 (CYP) that is primarily found in the heart and mediates endogenous fatty acid metabolism. CYP2J2 interacts with membranes through an N-terminal anchor and various non-contiguous hydrophobic residues. The molecular details of the motifs that mediate membrane interactions are complex and not fully understood. To gain better insights of these complex protein-lipid interactions, we employed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using a highly mobile membrane mimetic (HMMM) model that enabled multiple independent spontaneous membrane binding events to be captured. Simulations revealed that CYP2J2 engages with the membrane at the F-G loop through hydrophobic residues Trp-235, Ille-236, and Phe-239. To explore the role of these residues, three F-G loop mutants were modeled from the truncated CYP2J2 construct (Δ34) which included Δ34-I236D, Δ34-F239H and Δ34-I236D/F239H. Using the HMMM coordinates of CYP2J2, the simulations were extended to a full POPC membrane which showed a significant decrease in the depth of insertion for each of the F-G loop mutants. The CYP2J2 F-G loop mutants were expressed in E. coli and were shown to be localized to the cytosolic fraction at a greater percentage relative to construct Δ34. Notably, the functional data demonstrated that the double mutant, Δ34-I236D/F239H, maintained native-like enzymatic activity. The membrane insertion characteristics were examined by monitoring CYP2J2 Trp-quenching fluorescence spectroscopy upon binding nanodiscs containing pyrene phospholipids. Relative to the Δ34 construct, the F-G loop mutants exhibited lower Trp quenching and membrane insertion. Taken together, the results suggest that the mutants exhibit a different membrane topology in agreement with the MD simulations and provide important evidence towards the involvement of key residues in the F-G loop of CYP2J2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R McDougle
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801.,Medical Scholars Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801
| | - Javier L Baylon
- Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801
| | - Daryl D Meling
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801
| | - Amogh Kambalyal
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801
| | - Yelena V Grinkova
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801
| | - Jared Hammernik
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801.,Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801
| | - Aditi Das
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801
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Baylon JL, Tajkhorshid E. Capturing Spontaneous Membrane Insertion of the Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Fusion Peptide. J Phys Chem B 2015; 119:7882-93. [PMID: 25996559 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5b02135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Hemagglutinin (HA) is a protein located on the surface of the influenza virus that mediates viral fusion to the host cellular membrane. During the fusion process the HA fusion peptide (HAfp), formed by the first 23 N-terminal residues of HA and structurally characterized by two alpha helices (Helix A and Helix B) tightly packed in a hairpin-like arrangement, is the only part of the virus in direct contact with the host membrane. After encountering the host cell, HAfp is believed to insert into the membrane, thereby initiating the fusion of the viral and host membranes. Detailed characterization of the interactions between the HAfp and cellular membrane is therefore of high relevance to the mechanism of viral entry into the host cell. Employing HMMM membrane representation with enhanced lipid mobility, we have performed a large set of independent simulations of unbiased membrane binding of HAfp. We have been able to capture spontaneous binding and insertion of HAfp consistently in nearly all the simulations. A reproducible membrane-bound configuration emerges from these simulations, despite employing a diverse set of initial configurations. Extension of several of the simulations into full membrane systems confirms the stability of the membrane-bound form obtained from HMMM binding simulations. The resulting model allows for the characterization of important interactions between the peptide and the membrane and the details of the binding process of the peptide for the first time. Upon membrane binding, Helix A inserts much deeper into the membrane than Helix B, suggesting that the former is responsible for hydrophobic anchoring of the peptide into the membrane. Helix B, in contrast, is found to establish major amphipathic interactions at the interfacial region thereby contributing to binding strength of HAfp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier L Baylon
- Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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Vermaas JV, Baylon JL, Arcario MJ, Muller MP, Wu Z, Pogorelov TV, Tajkhorshid E. Efficient Exploration of Membrane-Associated Phenomena at Atomic Resolution. J Membr Biol 2015; 248:563-82. [PMID: 25998378 PMCID: PMC4490090 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-015-9806-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Biological membranes constitute a critical component in all living cells. In addition to providing a conducive environment to a wide range of cellular processes, including transport and signaling, mounting evidence has established active participation of specific lipids in modulating membrane protein function through various mechanisms. Understanding lipid-protein interactions underlying these mechanisms at a sufficiently high resolution has proven extremely challenging, partly due to the semi-fluid nature of the membrane. In order to address this challenge computationally, multiple methods have been developed, including an alternative membrane representation termed highly mobile membrane mimetic (HMMM) in which lateral lipid diffusion has been significantly enhanced without compromising atomic details. The model allows for efficient sampling of lipid-protein interactions at atomic resolution, thereby significantly enhancing the effectiveness of molecular dynamics simulations in capturing membrane-associated phenomena. In this review, after providing an overview of HMMM model development, we will describe briefly successful application of the model to study a variety of membrane processes, including lipid-dependent binding and insertion of peripheral proteins, the mechanism of phospholipid insertion into lipid bilayers, and characterization of optimal tilt angle of transmembrane helices. We conclude with practical recommendations for proper usage of the model in simulation studies of membrane processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh V. Vermaas
- Beckman Institute, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Javier L. Baylon
- Beckman Institute, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Mark J. Arcario
- Beckman Institute, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Melanie P. Muller
- Beckman Institute, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Zhe Wu
- Beckman Institute, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Taras V. Pogorelov
- Beckman Institute, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Beckman Institute, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
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