1
|
Pomorski A, Krężel A. Biarsenical fluorescent probes for multifunctional site-specific modification of proteins applicable in life sciences: an overview and future outlook. Metallomics 2021; 12:1179-1207. [PMID: 32658234 DOI: 10.1039/d0mt00093k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent modification of proteins of interest (POI) in living cells is desired to study their behaviour and functions in their natural environment. In a perfect setting it should be easy to perform, inexpensive, efficient and site-selective. Although multiple chemical and biological methods have been developed, only a few of them are applicable for cellular studies thanks to their appropriate physical, chemical and biological characteristics. One such successful system is a tetracysteine tag/motif and its selective biarsenical binders (e.g. FlAsH and ReAsH). Since its discovery in 1998 by Tsien and co-workers, this method has been enhanced and revolutionized in terms of its efficiency, formed complex stability and breadth of application. Here, we overview the whole field of knowledge, while placing most emphasis on recent reports. We showcase the improvements of classical biarsenical probes with various optical properties as well as multifunctional molecules that add new characteristics to proteins. We also present the evolution of affinity tags and motifs of biarsenical probes demonstrating much more possibilities in cellular applications. We summarize protocols and reported observations so both beginners and advanced users of biarsenical probes can troubleshoot their experiments. We address the concerns regarding the safety of biarsenical probe application. We showcase examples in virology, studies on receptors or amyloid aggregation, where application of biarsenical probes allowed observations that previously were not possible. We provide a summary of current applications ranging from bioanalytical sciences to allosteric control of selected proteins. Finally, we present an outlook to encourage more researchers to use these magnificent probes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Pomorski
- Department of Chemical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pokhrel R, Tang T, Holub JM. Monitoring ligand-mediated helix 12 transitions within the human estrogen receptor α using bipartite tetracysteine display. Org Biomol Chem 2020; 18:6063-6071. [PMID: 32724950 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob01234c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor α ligand-binding domains (ERα-LBD) expressing tetracysteine motifs bind FlAsH-EDT2 upon transition of helix 12 (H12) to a folded state. Changes in fluorescence intensity allowed surveillance of ligand-mediated H12 transitions and facilitated the determination of FlAsH association rates (kon) and apparent equilibrium dissociation constants (Kapp) to ERα-LBDs in the presence of estrogenic ligands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ranju Pokhrel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Crystallization and Biophysical Approaches for Studying the Interactions Between the Vps4-MIT Domain and ESCRT-III Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2019. [PMID: 31250302 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9492-2_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The AAA ATPase Vps4 disassembles the ESCRT complex from the endosomal membrane. Vps4 contains an N-terminal MIT (microtubule interacting and transport) domain and a C-terminal catalytic domain. The MIT domain binds to MIMs (MIT-interacting motifs), which exist at the C-terminus of ESCRT-III proteins, with a dissociation constant in the micromolar range. Five MIMs have been identified by structural and biophysical methods to date, and the recognition motifs have been refined. Among biophysical approaches used to analyze protein interactions, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis is often suitable for weak interactions, and fluorescence-binding assay has an advantage in terms of sensitivity. We have introduced protein modification tags into the N-terminus of proteins with bacterial expression vectors for biotinylation and FlAsH (fluorescein arsenical hairpin binder) fluorescent labeling. Here, we describe how to purify the MIT domain of Vps4 and the MIMs of ESCRT-III proteins and how to conduct crystallography, SPR, and fluorescence-binding assays.
Collapse
|
4
|
Quittot N, Sebastiao M, Al-Halifa S, Bourgault S. Kinetic and Conformational Insights into Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Self-Assembly Using a Biarsenical Fluorogenic Probe. Bioconjug Chem 2018; 29:517-527. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Noé Quittot
- Department of Chemistry, Quebec Network
for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, University of Québec in Montreal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Mathew Sebastiao
- Department of Chemistry, Quebec Network
for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, University of Québec in Montreal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Soultan Al-Halifa
- Department of Chemistry, Quebec Network
for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, University of Québec in Montreal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Steve Bourgault
- Department of Chemistry, Quebec Network
for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications, PROTEO, University of Québec in Montreal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xu AJ, Yang Y, Zhang CY. Transpeptidation-directed intramolecular bipartite tetracysteine display for sortase activity assay. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:8116-8119. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cc04495c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We developed a simple, label-free and homogenous assay to quantitively evaluate SrtA-catalyzed transpeptidation reaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ai-jun Xu
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes
- Ministry of Education
| | - Yong Yang
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Shenzhen
- China
| | - Chun-Yang Zhang
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes
- Ministry of Education
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Piras L, Avitabile C, D'Andrea LD, Saviano M, Romanelli A. Detection of oligonucleotides by PNA-peptide conjugates recognizing the biarsenical fluorescein complex FlAsH-EDT 2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 493:126-131. [PMID: 28919425 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.09.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
We report the application of the arsenical complex FlAsH-EDT2 for the identification of oligonucleotide sequences. We designed PNA sequences conjugated to either a tetracysteine motif and to split tetracysteine sequences, that are recognized by FlAsH. The effect of conjugation of the PNA to the tetracysteine peptide and RNA hybridization on the fluorescence of the arsenical complex has been investigated. The reconstitution of the tetracysteine motif, starting from 15-mer PNAs conjugated to split tetracysteine sequences and hybridized to a complementary oligonucleotide was also explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linda Piras
- Institute of Crystallography (IC), CNR, Via Amendola 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Concetta Avitabile
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luca Domenico D'Andrea
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Napoli, Italy
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography (IC), CNR, Via Amendola 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandra Romanelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Napoli, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yang Y, Liang Y, Zhang CY. Label-Free and Homogenous Detection of Caspase-3-Like Proteases by Disrupting Homodimerization-Directed Bipartite Tetracysteine Display. Anal Chem 2017; 89:4055-4061. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b04771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- Laboratory
for Food Safety and Environmental Technology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yan Liang
- Laboratory
for Food Safety and Environmental Technology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chun-yang Zhang
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical
Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and
Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory
of Clean Production of Fine Chemicals, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fang GM, Seitz O. Bivalent Display of Dicysteine on Peptide Nucleic Acids for Homogenous DNA/RNA Detection through in Situ Fluorescence Labelling. Chembiochem 2016; 18:189-194. [PMID: 27883258 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201600623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Fluorogenic probes that signal the presence of specific DNA or RNA sequences are key enabling tools for molecular disease diagnosis and imaging studies. Usually, at least one fluorophore is attached through covalent bonding to an oligonucleotide probe. However, the additional conjugation step increases costs. Here we introduce a method that avoids the requirement for the preparation of fluorescence-labelled oligonucleotides and provides the opportunity to alter the fluorogenic reporter dye without resynthesis. The method is based on adjacent hybridization of two dicysteine-containing peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes to form a bipartite tetracysteine motif that binds profluorescent bisarsenical dyes such as FIAsH, ReAsH or CrAsH. Binding is accompanied by strong increases in fluorescence emission (with response factors of up to 80-fold and high brightness up to 50 mL mol-1 cm-1 ). The detection system provides sub-nanomolar limits of detection and allows discrimination of single nucleotide variations through more than 20-fold changes in fluorescence intensity. To demonstrate its usefulness, the FIAsH-based readout of the bivalent CysCys-PNA display was interfaced with a rolling-circle amplification (RCA) assay used to detect disease-associated microRNA let-7a.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ge-Min Fang
- Department of Chemistry, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Strasse 2, 12489, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Seitz
- Department of Chemistry, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Strasse 2, 12489, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Walker AS, Rablen PX, Schepartz A. Rotamer-Restricted Fluorogenicity of the Bis-Arsenical ReAsH. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:7143-50. [PMID: 27163487 PMCID: PMC5381806 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b03422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Fluorogenic dyes such as FlAsH and ReAsH are used widely to localize, monitor, and characterize proteins and their assemblies in live cells. These bis-arsenical dyes can become fluorescent when bound to a protein containing four proximal Cys thiols-a tetracysteine (Cys4) motif. Yet the mechanism by which bis-arsenicals become fluorescent upon binding a Cys4 motif is unknown, and this nescience limits more widespread application of this tool. Here we probe the origins of ReAsH fluorogenicity using both computation and experiment. Our results support a model in which ReAsH fluorescence depends on the relative orientation of the aryl chromophore and the appended arsenic chelate: the fluorescence is rotamer-restricted. Our results do not support a model in which fluorogenicity arises from the relief of ring strain. The calculations identify those As-aryl rotamers that support fluorescence and those that do not and correlate well with prior experiments. The rotamer-restricted model we propose is supported further by biophysical studies: the excited-state fluorescence lifetime of a complex between ReAsH and a protein bearing a high-affinity Cys4 motif is longer than that of ReAsH-EDT2, and the fluorescence intensity of ReAsH-EDT2 increases in solvents of increasing viscosity. By providing a higher resolution view of the structural basis for fluorogenicity, these results provide a clear strategy for the design of more selective bis-arsenicals and better-optimized protein targets, with a concomitant improvement in the ability to characterize previously invisible protein conformational changes and assemblies in live cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allison S. Walker
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect St., New Haven CT 06520
| | - Paul X. Rablen
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081
| | - Alanna Schepartz
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect St., New Haven CT 06520
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, 225 Prospect St., New Haven CT 06520
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
The tetracysteine (tc) tag/biarsenical dye system (FlAsH or ReAsH) promises to combine the flexibility of fluorescent protein tags with the small size of dye labels, allowing in-cell study of target proteins that are perturbed by large protein tags. Quantitative thermodynamic and kinetic studies in-cell using FlAsH and ReAsH have been hampered by methodological complexities presented by the fluorescence properties of the tag-dye complex probed by either Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) or direct excitation. We label the model protein phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) with AcGFP1 and ReAsH for direct comparison with AcGFP1/mCherry-labeled PGK. We find that fast relaxation imaging (FReI), combining millisecond temperature jump kinetics with fluorescence microscopy detection, circumvents many of the difficulties encountered working with the ReAsH system, allowing us to obtain quantitative FRET measurements of protein stability and kinetics both in vitro and in cells. We also demonstrate the to us surprising result that fluorescence from directly excited, unburied ReAsH at the C-terminus of the model protein also reports on folding in vitro and in cells. Comparing the ReAsH-labeled protein to a construct labeled with two fluorescent protein tags allows us to evaluate how a bulkier protein tag affects protein dynamics in cells and in vitro. We find that the average folding rate in the cell is closer to the in vitro rate with the smaller tag, highlighting the effect of tags on quantitative in-cell measurements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Gelman
- Department of Physics, ‡Department of Chemistry, and §Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Anna Jean Wirth
- Department of Physics, ‡Department of Chemistry, and §Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Martin Gruebele
- Department of Physics, ‡Department of Chemistry, and §Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Pan J, Zhang X, Yuan H, Xu Q, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Huang ZX, Tan X. The molecular mechanism of heme loss from oxidized soluble guanylate cyclase induced by conformational change. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2016; 1864:488-500. [PMID: 26876536 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2016.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Heme oxidation and loss of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is thought to be an important contributor to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, it remains unknown why the heme loses readily in oxidized sGC. In the current study, the conformational change of sGC upon heme oxidation by ODQ was studied based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the heme and a fluorophore fluorescein arsenical helix binder (FlAsH-EDT2) labeled at different domains of sGC β1. This study provides an opportunity to monitor the domain movement of sGC relative to the heme. The results indicated that heme oxidation by ODQ in truncated sCC induced the heme-associated αF helix moving away from the heme, the Per/Arnt/Sim domain (PAS) domain moving closer to the heme, but led the helical domain going further from the heme. We proposed that the synergistic effect of these conformational changes of the discrete region upon heme oxidation forces the heme pocket open, and subsequent heme loss readily. Furthermore, the kinetic studies suggested that the heme oxidation was a fast process and the conformational change was a relatively slow process. The kinetics of heme loss from oxidized sGC was monitored by a new method based on the heme group de-quenching the fluorescence of FlAsH-EDT2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Pan
- Department of Chemistry & Shanghai Key laboratory of Chemical Biology for Protein Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xiaoxue Zhang
- Department of Chemistry & Shanghai Key laboratory of Chemical Biology for Protein Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hong Yuan
- Department of Chemistry & Shanghai Key laboratory of Chemical Biology for Protein Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Qiming Xu
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Huijuan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry & Shanghai Key laboratory of Chemical Biology for Protein Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yajun Zhou
- Department of Chemistry & Shanghai Key laboratory of Chemical Biology for Protein Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Zhong-Xian Huang
- Department of Chemistry & Shanghai Key laboratory of Chemical Biology for Protein Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xiangshi Tan
- Department of Chemistry & Shanghai Key laboratory of Chemical Biology for Protein Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Chio CM, Yu X, Bishop AC. Rational design of allosteric-inhibition sites in classical protein tyrosine phosphatases. Bioorg Med Chem 2015; 23:2828-38. [PMID: 25828055 PMCID: PMC4451255 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2015] [Revised: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), which catalyze the dephosphorylation of phosphotyrosine in protein substrates, are critical regulators of metazoan cell signaling and have emerged as potential drug targets for a range of human diseases. Strategies for chemically targeting the function of individual PTPs selectively could serve to elucidate the signaling roles of these enzymes and would potentially expedite validation of the therapeutic promise of PTP inhibitors. Here we report a novel strategy for the design of non-natural allosteric-inhibition sites in PTPs; these sites, which can be introduced into target PTPs through protein engineering, serve to sensitize target PTPs to potent and selective inhibition by a biarsenical small molecule. Building on the recent discovery of a naturally occurring cryptic allosteric site in wild-type Src-homology-2 domain containing PTP (Shp2) that can be targeted by biarsenical compounds, we hypothesized that Shp2's unusual sensitivity to biarsenicals could be strengthened through rational design and that the Shp2-specific site could serve as a blueprint for the introduction of non-natural inhibitor sensitivity in other PTPs. Indeed, we show here that the strategic introduction of a cysteine residue at a position removed from the Shp2 active site can serve to increase the potency and selectivity of the interaction between Shp2's allosteric site and the biarsenical inhibitor. Moreover, we find that 'Shp2-like' allosteric sites can be installed de novo in PTP enzymes that do not possess naturally occurring sensitivity to biarsenical compounds. Using primary-sequence alignments to guide our enzyme engineering, we have successfully introduced allosteric-inhibition sites in four classical PTPs-PTP1B, PTPH-1, FAP-1, and HePTP-from four different PTP subfamilies, suggesting that our sensitization approach can likely be applied widely across the classical PTP family to generate biarsenical-responsive PTPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia M Chio
- Amherst College, Department of Chemistry, Amherst, MA 01002, United States
| | - Xiaoling Yu
- Amherst College, Department of Chemistry, Amherst, MA 01002, United States
| | - Anthony C Bishop
- Amherst College, Department of Chemistry, Amherst, MA 01002, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Yan Q, Bruchez MP. Advances in chemical labeling of proteins in living cells. Cell Tissue Res 2015; 360:179-94. [PMID: 25743694 PMCID: PMC4380784 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-015-2145-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The pursuit of quantitative biological information via imaging requires robust labeling approaches that can be used in multiple applications and with a variety of detectable colors and properties. In addition to conventional fluorescent proteins, chemists and biologists have come together to provide a range of approaches that combine dye chemistry with the convenience of genetic targeting. This hybrid-tagging approach amalgamates the rational design of properties available through synthetic dye chemistry with the robust biological targeting available with genetic encoding. In this review, we discuss the current range of approaches that have been exploited for dye targeting or for targeting and activation and some of the recent applications that are uniquely permitted by these hybrid-tagging approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Yan
- Sharp Edge Laboratories, Inc. Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Marcel P. Bruchez
- Sharp Edge Laboratories, Inc. Pittsburgh, PA
- Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Theillet FX, Binolfi A, Frembgen-Kesner T, Hingorani K, Sarkar M, Kyne C, Li C, Crowley PB, Gierasch L, Pielak GJ, Elcock AH, Gershenson A, Selenko P. Physicochemical properties of cells and their effects on intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Chem Rev 2014; 114:6661-714. [PMID: 24901537 PMCID: PMC4095937 DOI: 10.1021/cr400695p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 338] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Xavier Theillet
- Department
of NMR-supported Structural Biology, In-cell NMR Laboratory, Leibniz Institute of Molecular Pharmacology (FMP Berlin), Robert-Roessle Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andres Binolfi
- Department
of NMR-supported Structural Biology, In-cell NMR Laboratory, Leibniz Institute of Molecular Pharmacology (FMP Berlin), Robert-Roessle Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tamara Frembgen-Kesner
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, Bowen Science Building, 51 Newton
Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Karan Hingorani
- Departments
of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Program in
Molecular & Cellular Biology, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst, 240 Thatcher Way, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Mohona Sarkar
- Department
of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center, University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Ciara Kyne
- School
of Chemistry, National University of Ireland,
Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Conggang Li
- Key Laboratory
of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory
of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Center
for Magnetic Resonance, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China
| | - Peter B. Crowley
- School
of Chemistry, National University of Ireland,
Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Lila Gierasch
- Departments
of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Program in
Molecular & Cellular Biology, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst, 240 Thatcher Way, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Gary J. Pielak
- Department
of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center, University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Adrian H. Elcock
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, Bowen Science Building, 51 Newton
Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Anne Gershenson
- Departments
of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Program in
Molecular & Cellular Biology, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst, 240 Thatcher Way, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Philipp Selenko
- Department
of NMR-supported Structural Biology, In-cell NMR Laboratory, Leibniz Institute of Molecular Pharmacology (FMP Berlin), Robert-Roessle Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hernandez M, Hu Y, Kim JR. A conformation-switching fluorescent protein probe for detection of alpha synuclein oligomers. Chem Commun (Camb) 2013; 49:10712-4. [DOI: 10.1039/c3cc44804e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
16
|
Rutkowska A, Schultz C. Protein Tango: The Toolbox to Capture Interacting Partners. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2012; 51:8166-76. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201201717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
17
|
|
18
|
Tsytlonok M, Itzhaki LS. Using FlAsH To Probe Conformational Changes in a Large HEAT Repeat Protein. Chembiochem 2012; 13:1199-205. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201200012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
19
|
Stafforst T. A FlAsH Reporter for Protein-Dimerization Triggers. Chembiochem 2012; 13:505-7. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201100787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
20
|
Zhao Y, Gao J. A split ligand for lanthanide binding: facile evaluation of dimerizing proteins. Chem Commun (Camb) 2012; 48:2997-9. [DOI: 10.1039/c2cc17891e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
21
|
Hu Y, Su B, Zheng H, Kim JR. A peptide probe for detection of various beta-amyloid oligomers. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2012; 8:2741-52. [DOI: 10.1039/c2mb25148e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
22
|
Kapurniotu A. Shedding Light on Alzheimer's β-Amyloid Aggregation with Chemical Tools. Chembiochem 2011; 13:27-9. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201100631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
23
|
Rutkowska A, Haering CH, Schultz C. A FlAsH-Based Cross-Linker to Study Protein Interactions in Living Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2011; 50:12655-8. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201106404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
24
|
Rutkowska A, Haering CH, Schultz C. FlAsH-basierte Verknüpfungen von Proteinen in lebenden Zellen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201106404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
25
|
Scheck RA, Schepartz A. Surveying protein structure and function using bis-arsenical small molecules. Acc Chem Res 2011; 44:654-65. [PMID: 21766813 DOI: 10.1021/ar2001028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Exploration across the fields of biology, chemical biology, and medicine has led to an increasingly complex, albeit incomplete, view of the interactions that drive life's processes. The ability to monitor and track the movement, activity, and interactions of biomolecules in living cells is an essential part of this investigation. In our laboratory, we have endeavored to develop tools that are capable not only of monitoring protein localization but also reporting on protein structure and function. Central to our efforts is a new strategy, bipartite tetracysteine display, that relies on the specific and high-affinity interaction between a fluorogenic, bis-arsenical small molecule and a unique protein sequence, conformation, or assembly. In 1998, a small-molecule analogue of fluorescein with two arsenic atoms, FlAsH, was shown by Tsien and coworkers to fluoresce upon binding to a linear amino acid sequence, Cys-Cys-Arg-Glu-Cys-Cys. Later work demonstrated that substituting Pro-Gly for Arg-Glu optimized both binding and fluorescence yield. Our strategy of bipartite tetracysteine display emanated from the idea that it would be possible to replace the intervening Pro-Gly dipeptide in this sequence with a protein or protein partnership, provided the assembled protein fold successfully reproduced the approximate placement of the two Cys-Cys pairs. In this Account, we describe our recent progress in this area, with an emphasis on the fundamental concepts that underlie the successful use of bis-arsenicals such as FlAsH and the related ReAsH for bipartite display experiments. In particular, we highlight studies that have explored how broadly bipartite tetracysteine display can be employed and that have navigated the conformational boundary conditions favoring success. To emphasize the utility of these principles, we outline two recently reported applications of bipartite tetracysteine display. The first is a novel, encodable, selective, Src kinase sensor that lacks fluorescent proteins but possesses a fluorescent readout exceeding that of most sensors based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). The second is a unique method, called complex-edited electron microscopy (CE-EM), that facilitates visualization of protein-protein complexes with electron microscopy. Exciting as these applications may be, the continued development of small-molecule tools with improved utility in living cells, let alone in vivo, will demand a more nuanced understanding of the fundamental photophysics that lead to fluorogenicity, as well as creative approaches toward the synthesis and identification of new and orthogonal dye-tag pairs that can be applied facilely in tandem. We describe one example of a dye-sequence tag pair that is chemically distinct from bis-arsenical chemistry. Through further effort, we expect that that bipartite tetracysteine display will find successful use in the study of sophisticated biological questions that are essential to the fields of biochemistry and biology as well as to our progressive understanding of human disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Scheck
- Departments of Chemistry and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | - Alanna Schepartz
- Departments of Chemistry and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
To build on the last century's tremendous strides in understanding the workings of individual proteins in the test tube, we now face the challenge of understanding how macromolecular machines, signaling pathways, and other biological networks operate in the complex environment of the living cell. The fluorescent proteins (FPs) revolutionized our ability to study protein function directly in the cell by enabling individual proteins to be selectively labeled through genetic encoding of a fluorescent tag. Although FPs continue to be invaluable tools for cell biology, they show limitations in the face of the increasingly sophisticated dynamic measurements of protein interactions now called for to unravel cellular mechanisms. Therefore, just as chemical methods for selectively labeling proteins in the test tube significantly impacted in vitro biophysics in the last century, chemical tagging technologies are now poised to provide a breakthrough to meet this century's challenge of understanding protein function in the living cell. With chemical tags, the protein of interest is attached to a polypeptide rather than an FP. The polypeptide is subsequently modified with an organic fluorophore or another probe. The FlAsH peptide tag was first reported in 1998. Since then, more refined protein tags, exemplified by the TMP- and SNAP-tag, have improved selectivity and enabled imaging of intracellular proteins with high signal-to-noise ratios. Further improvement is still required to achieve direct incorporation of powerful fluorophores, but enzyme-mediated chemical tags show promise for overcoming the difficulty of selectively labeling a short peptide tag. In this Account, we focus on the development and application of chemical tags for studying protein function within living cells. Thus, in our overview of different chemical tagging strategies and technologies, we emphasize the challenge of rendering the labeling reaction sufficiently selective and the fluorophore probe sufficiently well behaved to image intracellular proteins with high signal-to-noise ratios. We highlight recent applications in which the chemical tags have enabled sophisticated biophysical measurements that would be difficult or even impossible with FPs. Finally, we conclude by looking forward to (i) the development of high-photon-output chemical tags compatible with living cells to enable high-resolution imaging, (ii) the realization of the potential of the chemical tags to significantly reduce tag size, and (iii) the exploitation of the modular chemical tag label to go beyond fluorescent imaging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaoran Jing
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, MC 4854, NWC Building, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Virginia W. Cornish
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, MC 4854, NWC Building, New York, New York 10027, United States
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Lee J, Culyba EK, Powers ET, Kelly JW. Amyloid-β forms fibrils by nucleated conformational conversion of oligomers. Nat Chem Biol 2011; 7:602-9. [PMID: 21804535 PMCID: PMC3158298 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 329] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2011] [Accepted: 06/06/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aβ amyloidogenesis is reported to occur via a nucleated polymerization mechanism, if so the energetically unfavorable oligomeric nucleus should be very hard to detect. However, many laboratories have detected early non-fibrillar Aβ oligomers without observing amyloid fibrils, suggesting a mechanistic revision may be needed. Herein, we introduce Cys-Cys-Aβ1-40 that cannot bind to the latent fluorophore FlAsH as a monomer, but is capable of binding FlAsH as an non-fibrillar oligomer or as a fibril, rendering the conjugates fluorescent. FlAsH monitoring of Cys-Cys-Aβ1-40 aggregation provides compelling evidence that Aβ1-40 very rapidly and efficiently forms spherical oligomers in vitro (85% yield) that are kinetically competent to slowly convert to amyloid fibrils by a nucleated conformational conversion mechanism (seedable). Moreover, this methodology demonstrated that plasmalogen ethanolamine vesicles eliminate the proteotoxicity-associated oligomerization phase of Aβ amyloidogenesis, while allowing fibril formation, rationalizing how low plasmalogen ethanolamine levels in the brain are epidemiologically linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiyong Lee
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Hu Y, Su B, Kim CS, Hernandez M, Rostagno A, Ghiso J, Kim JR. A strategy for designing a peptide probe for detection of β-amyloid oligomers. Chembiochem 2011; 11:2409-18. [PMID: 21031399 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201000435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of β-amyloid (Aβ) is implicated in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Development of a robust strategy to detect Aβ oligomeric intermediates, which have been identified as significant toxic agents, would be highly beneficial in the screening of drug candidates as well as enhancing our understanding of Aβ oligomerization. Rapid, specific and quantitative detection, currently unavailable, would be highly preferred for accurate and reliable probing of transient Aβ oligomers. Here, we report the development of a novel peptide probe, PG46, based on the nature of Aβ self-assembly and the conformation-sensitive fluorescence of the biarsenical dye, FlAsH. PG46 was found to bind to Aβ oligomers and displayed an increase in FlAsH fluorescence upon binding. No such event was observed when PG46 was co-incubated with Aβ low-molecular-weight species or Aβ fibrils. Aβ oligomer detection was fast, and occurred within one hour without any additional sample incubation or preparation. We anticipate that the development of a strategy for detection of amyloid oligomers described in this study will be directly relevant to a host of other amyloidogenic proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Hu
- Othmer-Jacobs Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Pomorski A, Krężel A. Exploration of biarsenical chemistry--challenges in protein research. Chembiochem 2011; 12:1152-67. [PMID: 21538762 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201100114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The fluorescent modification of proteins (with genetically encoded low-molecular-mass fluorophores, affinity probes, or other chemically active species) is extraordinarily useful for monitoring and controlling protein functions in vitro, as well as in cell cultures and tissues. The large sizes of some fluorescent tags, such as fluorescent proteins, often perturb normal activity and localization of the protein of interest, as well as other effects. Of the many fluorescent-labeling strategies applied to in vitro and in vivo studies, one is very promising. This requires a very short (6- to 12-residue), appropriately spaced, tetracysteine sequence (-CCXXCC-); this is either placed at a protein terminus, within flexible loops, or incorporated into secondary structure elements. Proteins that contain the tetracysteine motif become highly fluorescent upon labeling with a nonluminescent biarsenical probe, and form very stable covalent complexes. We focus on the development, growth, and multiple applications of this protein research methodology, both in vitro and in vivo. Its application is not limited to intact-cell protein visualization; it has tremendous potential in other protein research disciplines, such as protein purification and activity control, electron microscopy imaging of cells or tissue, protein-protein interaction studies, protein stability, and aggregation studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Pomorski
- Department of Protein Engineering, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Spagnuolo C, Joselevich M, Leskow FC, Jares-Erijman EA. Tetracysteine and Bipartite Tags for Biarsenical Organic Fluorophores. ADVANCED FLUORESCENCE REPORTERS IN CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY III 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-18035-4_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
31
|
Giraldo R. Amyloid Assemblies: Protein Legos at a Crossroads in Bottom-Up Synthetic Biology. Chembiochem 2010; 11:2347-57. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201000412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
|
32
|
Hinner MJ, Johnsson K. How to obtain labeled proteins and what to do with them. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2010; 21:766-76. [PMID: 21030243 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2010.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2010] [Revised: 09/10/2010] [Accepted: 09/21/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We review new and established methods for the chemical modification of proteins in living cells and highlight recent applications. The review focuses on tag-mediated protein labeling methods, such as the tetracysteine tag and SNAP-tag, and new developments in this field such as intracellular labeling with lipoic acid ligase. Recent promising advances in the incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins are also briefly discussed. We describe new tools using tag-mediated labeling methods including the super-resolution microscopy of tagged proteins, the study of the interactions of proteins and protein domains, the subcellular targeting of synthetic ion sensors, and the generation of new semisynthetic metabolite sensors. We conclude with a view on necessary future developments, with one example being the selective labeling of non-tagged, native proteins in complex protein mixtures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marlon J Hinner
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Laboratory of Protein Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Choi S, Ong DST, Kelly JW. A stilbene that binds selectively to transthyretin in cells and remains dark until it undergoes a chemoselective reaction to create a bright blue fluorescent conjugate. J Am Chem Soc 2010; 132:16043-51. [PMID: 20964336 DOI: 10.1021/ja104999v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We describe a non-fluorescent, second generation stilbene that very selectively binds to transthyretin in complex biological environments and remains dark until it chemoselectively reacts with the pK(a)-perturbed Lys-15 ε-amino group of transthyretin to form a bright blue fluorescent conjugate. Stilbene A2 is mechanistically unusual in that it remains non-fluorescent in cell lysates lacking transthyretin, even though there is likely some proteome binding. Thus, it is especially useful for cellular imaging, as background fluorescence is undetectable until A2 reacts with transthyretin. The mechanistic basis for the effective lack of environment-sensitive fluorescence of A2 when bound to, but before reacting with, transthyretin is reported. Stilbene A2 exhibits sufficiently rapid transthyretin conjugation kinetics at 37 °C to enable pulse-chase experiments to be performed, in this case demonstrating that transthyretin is secreted from HeLa cells. As the chase compound, we employed C1, a cell-permeable, highly selective, non-covalent, transthyretin-binding dihydrostilbene that cannot become fluorescent. The progress reported is viewed as a first and necessary step toward our long-term goal of creating a one-chain, one-binding-site transthyretin tag, whose fluorescence can be regulated by adding A2 or an analogous molecule. Fusing proteins of interest to a one-chain, one-binding-site transthyretin tag regulated by A2 should be useful for studying folding, trafficking, and degradation in the cellular secretory pathway, utilizing pulse-chase experiments. Immediate applications of A2 include utilizing its conjugate fluorescence to quantify transthyretin concentration in human plasma, reflecting nutritional status, and determining the binding stoichiometry of kinetic stabilizer drugs to transthyretin in plasma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sungwook Choi
- Department of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejon, 305-764, Republic of Korea
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Dexter RJ, Schepartz A. Direct visualization of protein association in living cells with complex-edited electron microscopy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2010; 49:7952-4. [PMID: 20845344 PMCID: PMC3021176 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201003217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel J Dexter
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510 (USA)
| | - Alanna Schepartz
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510 (USA)
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Dexter RJ, Schepartz A. Direct Visualization of Protein Association in Living Cells with Complex-Edited Electron Microscopy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2010. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201003217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
36
|
Walton ZE, Bishop AC. Target-specific control of lymphoid-specific protein tyrosine phosphatase (Lyp) activity. Bioorg Med Chem 2010; 18:4884-91. [PMID: 20594861 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2010.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2010] [Revised: 06/01/2010] [Accepted: 06/07/2010] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Lymphoid-specific protein tyrosine phosphatase (Lyp), a member of the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) superfamily of enzymes, is an important mediator of human-leukocyte signaling. Lyp has also emerged as a potential anti-autoimmune therapeutic target, owing to the association of a Lyp-activating mutation with an array of autoimmune disorders. Toward the goal of generating a selective inhibitor of Lyp activity that could be used for investigating Lyp's roles in cell signaling and autoimmune-disease progression, here we report that Lyp's PTP domain can be readily sensitized to target-specific inhibition by a cell-permeable small molecule. Insertion of a tetracysteine-motif-containing peptide at a conserved position in Lyp's catalytic domain generated a mutant enzyme (Lyp-CCPGCC) that retains activity comparable to that of wild-type Lyp in the absence of added ligand. Upon addition of a tetracysteine-targeting biarsenical compound (FlAsH), however, the activity of the Lyp-CCPGCC drops dramatically, as assayed with either small-molecule or phosphorylated-peptide PTP substrates. We show that FlAsH-induced Lyp-CCPGCC inhibition is potent, specific, rapid, and independent of the nature of the PTP substrate used in the inhibition assay. Moreover, we show that FlAsH can be used to specifically target overexpressed Lyp-CCPGCC in a complex proteomic mixture. Since the mammalian-cell permeability of FlAsH is well established, it is likely that FlAsH-mediated inhibition of Lyp-CCPGCC will be useful for specifically targeting Lyp activity in engineered leukocytes and autoimmune-disease models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zandra E Walton
- Amherst College, Department of Chemistry, Amherst, MA 01002, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Ghosh RP, Nikitina T, Horowitz-Scherer RA, Gierasch LM, Uversky VN, Hite K, Hansen JC, Woodcock CL. Unique physical properties and interactions of the domains of methylated DNA binding protein 2. Biochemistry 2010; 49:4395-410. [PMID: 20405910 DOI: 10.1021/bi9019753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Methylated DNA binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a methyl CpG binding protein whose key role is the recognition of epigenetic information encoded in DNA methylation patterns. Mutation or misregulation of MeCP2 function leads to Rett syndrome as well as a variety of other autism spectrum disorders. Here, we have analyzed in detail the properties of six individually expressed human MeCP2 domains spanning the entire protein with emphasis on their interactions with each other, with DNA, and with nucleosomal arrays. Each domain contributes uniquely to the structure and function of the full-length protein. MeCP2 is approximately 60% unstructured, with nine interspersed alpha-molecular recognition features (alpha-MoRFs), which are polypeptide segments predicted to acquire secondary structure upon forming complexes with binding partners. Large increases in secondary structure content are induced in some of the isolated MeCP2 domains and in the full-length protein by binding to DNA. Interactions between some MeCP2 domains in cis and trans seen in our assays likely contribute to the structure and function of the intact protein. We also show that MeCP2 has two functional halves. The N-terminal portion contains the methylated DNA binding domain (MBD) and two highly disordered flanking domains that modulate MBD-mediated DNA binding. One of these flanking domains is also capable of autonomous DNA binding. In contrast, the C-terminal portion of the protein that harbors at least two independent DNA binding domains and a chromatin-specific binding domain is largely responsible for mediating nucleosomal array compaction and oligomerization. These findings led to new mechanistic and biochemical insights regarding the conformational modulations of this intrinsically disordered protein, and its context-dependent in vivo roles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajarshi P Ghosh
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Aquifex aeolicus FlgM protein exhibits a temperature-dependent disordered nature. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2010; 1804:1457-66. [PMID: 20298817 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2010.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2009] [Revised: 03/02/2010] [Accepted: 03/05/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Studies on the nature and function of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) over the past 10 years have demonstrated the importance of IDPs in normal cellular function. Although many proteins predicted to be IDPs have been experimentally characterized on an individual basis, the conservation of disorder between homologous proteins from different organisms has not been fully studied. We now demonstrate that the FlgM protein from the thermophile Aquifex aeolicus exhibits a more ordered conformation at 20 degrees C than the previously characterized FlgM protein from Salmonella typhimurium. FlgM is an inhibitor of the RNA transcription factor sigma28, which is involved in regulation of the late-stage genes involved in flagella synthesis. Previous work has shown that the S. typhimurium FlgM protein is an intrinsically disordered protein, though the C-terminus becomes ordered when bound to sigma28 or under crowded solution conditions. In this work, we demonstrate that at 20 degrees C the A. aeolicus FlgM protein exhibits alpha-helical character in circular dichroism (CD) experiments, though the percentage of alpha-helical content decreases with increased temperature, consistent with the FlgM assuming a less folded conformation. We also show that the A. aeolicus FlgM exhibits cooperativity in chemical denaturation experiments, consistent with a globular nature. Furthermore, we use the fluorescent probe FlAsH to show that the H2 helix is ordered, even in the unbound state and that the H1 and H2 helices appear to be associated with each other in the absence of the sigma28 protein. Finally, we demonstrate that the H2 helix assumes an extended conformation at 85 degrees C. Based on our results, we propose that at 20 degrees C the A. aeolicus FlgM assumes a four-helix bundle-like conformation that becomes a more extended conformation at the A. aeolicus' physiological temperature of 85 degrees C.
Collapse
|
39
|
McEwan IJ, Nardulli AM. Nuclear hormone receptor architecture - form and dynamics: The 2009 FASEB Summer Conference on Dynamic Structure of the Nuclear Hormone Receptors. NUCLEAR RECEPTOR SIGNALING 2009; 7:e011. [PMID: 20087432 PMCID: PMC2807637 DOI: 10.1621/nrs.07011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2009] [Accepted: 12/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) represent a large and diverse family of ligand-activated transcription factors involved in regulating development, metabolic homeostasis, salt balance and reproductive health. The ligands for these receptors are typically small hydrophobic molecules such as steroid hormones, thyroid hormone, vitamin D3 and fatty acid derivatives. The first NHR structural information appeared ~20 years ago with the solution and crystal structures of the DNA binding domains and was followed by the structure of the agonist and antagonist bound ligand binding domains of different NHR members. Interestingly, in addition to these defined structural features, it has become clear that NHRs also possess significant structural plasticity. Thus, the dynamic structure of the NHRs was the topic of a recent stimulating and informative FASEB Summer Research Conference held in Vermont.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iain J McEwan
- Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Chen VL, Bishop AC. Chemical rescue of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. Chem Commun (Camb) 2009; 46:637-9. [PMID: 20062887 DOI: 10.1039/b919815f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We report that the activity of a rationally engineered protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) mutant can be fully rescued by the addition of the biarsenical fluorescein derivative FlAsH, a compound that does not affect the activity of wild-type PTPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent L Chen
- Amherst College, Department of Chemistry, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Goodman JL, Fried DB, Schepartz A. Bipartite tetracysteine display requires site flexibility for ReAsH coordination. Chembiochem 2009; 10:1644-7. [PMID: 19533719 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.200900207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Flexibility required: We designed intramolecular bipartite tetracysteine sites in loops of p53 and the beta-sheets of EmGFP. We found that ReAsH binding preferentially favors tetracysteine sites with flexible geometries such as loops; flexibility was assessed by comparing Calpha B-factor values. This information is important for directing successful bipartite tetracysteine site designs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Goodman
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 275 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Sletten E, Bertozzi C. Bioorthogonale Chemie - oder: in einem Meer aus Funktionalität nach Selektivität fischen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2009. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.200900942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 522] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
43
|
Conformational detection of p53's oligomeric state by FlAsH Fluorescence. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2009; 384:66-70. [PMID: 19393630 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.04.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2009] [Accepted: 04/16/2009] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The p53 tumor suppressor protein is a critical checkpoint in prevention of tumor formation, and the function of p53 is dependent on proper formation of the active tetramer. In vitro studies have shown that p53 binds DNA most efficiently as a tetramer, though inactive p53 is predicted to be monomeric in vivo. We demonstrate that FlAsH binding can be used to distinguish between oligomeric states of p53, providing a potential tool to explore p53 oligomerization in vivo. The FlAsH tetra-cysteine binding motif has been incorporated along the dimer and tetramer interfaces in the p53 tetramerization domain to create reporters for the dimeric and tetrameric states of p53, though the geometry of the four cysteines is critical for efficient FlAsH binding. Furthermore, we demonstrate that FlAsH binding can be used to monitor tetramer formation in real-time. These results demonstrate the potential for using FlAsH fluorescence to monitor protein-protein interactions in vivo.
Collapse
|
44
|
Sletten EM, Bertozzi CR. Bioorthogonal chemistry: fishing for selectivity in a sea of functionality. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2009; 48:6974-98. [PMID: 19714693 PMCID: PMC2864149 DOI: 10.1002/anie.200900942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2349] [Impact Index Per Article: 156.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The study of biomolecules in their native environments is a challenging task because of the vast complexity of cellular systems. Technologies developed in the last few years for the selective modification of biological species in living systems have yielded new insights into cellular processes. Key to these new techniques are bioorthogonal chemical reactions, whose components must react rapidly and selectively with each other under physiological conditions in the presence of the plethora of functionality necessary to sustain life. Herein we describe the bioorthogonal chemical reactions developed to date and how they can be used to study biomolecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen M. Sletten
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (USA)
| | - Carolyn R. Bertozzi
- Departments of Chemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California and The Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (USA), Fax: (+1)510-643-2628
| |
Collapse
|