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Lupu L, Kleinekofort W, Morgner N. Epitope characterization of proteins and aptamers with mass spectrometry. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY (CHICHESTER, ENGLAND) 2023; 29:359-369. [PMID: 37957929 DOI: 10.1177/14690667231208530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The way in which professor Michael Przybylski has combined the spirit of research with entrepreneurship has set an example for any and all scientists. He has made significant achievements in the fields of mass spectrometry, biochemistry and medicine, and has initiated important technological developments in the area of protein analysis. Between 2016 and 2023 professor Przybylski's scientific focus shifted on protein interactions with emphasis on aptamer-protein and antibody-protein analysis. This review focuses on professor Przybylski's achievements in the last few years highlighting his impact on the scientific community, on his students and colleagues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loredana Lupu
- AffyMSLifeChem Centre for Analytical Biochemistry and Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Rüsselsheim am Main, Germany
| | | | - Nina Morgner
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
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Didehydro-Cortistatin A Inhibits HIV-1 by Specifically Binding to the Unstructured Basic Region of Tat. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.02662-18. [PMID: 30723126 PMCID: PMC6368365 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02662-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The intrinsically disordered HIV-1 Tat protein binds the viral RNA transactivation response structure (TAR), which recruits transcriptional cofactors, amplifying viral mRNA expression. Limited Tat transactivation correlates with HIV-1 latency. Unfortunately, Tat inhibitors are not clinically available. The small molecule didehydro-cortistatin A (dCA) inhibits Tat, locking HIV-1 in persistent latency, blocking viral rebound. We generated chemical derivatives of dCA that rationalized molecular docking of dCA to an active and specific Tat conformer. These revealed the importance of the cycloheptene ring and the isoquinoline nitrogen's positioning in the interaction with specific residues of Tat's basic domain. These features are distinct from the ones required for inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8), the only other known ligand of dCA. Besides, we demonstrated that dCA activity on HIV-1 transcription is independent of CDK8. The binding of dCA to Tat with nanomolar affinity alters the local protein environment, rendering Tat more resistant to proteolytic digestion. dCA thus locks a transient conformer of Tat, specifically blocking functions dependent of its basic domain, namely the Tat-TAR interaction; while proteins with similar basic patches are unaffected by dCA. Our results improve our knowledge of the mode of action of dCA and support structure-based design strategies targeting Tat, to help advance development of dCA, as well as novel Tat inhibitors.IMPORTANCE Tat activates virus production, and limited Tat transactivation correlates with HIV-1 latency. The Tat inhibitor dCA locks HIV in persistent latency. This drug class enables block-and-lock functional cure approaches, aimed at reducing residual viremia during therapy and limiting viral rebound. dCA may also have additional therapeutic benefits since Tat is also neurotoxic. Unfortunately, Tat inhibitors are not clinically available. We generated chemical derivatives and rationalized binding to an active and specific Tat conformer. dCA features required for Tat inhibition are distinct from features needed for inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8), the only other known target of dCA. Furthermore, knockdown of CDK8 did not impact dCA's activity on HIV-1 transcription. Binding of dCA to Tat's basic domain altered the local protein environment and rendered Tat more resistant to proteolytic digestion. dCA locks a transient conformer of Tat, blocking functions dependent on its basic domain, namely its ability to amplify viral transcription. Our results define dCA's mode of action, support structure-based-design strategies targeting Tat, and provide valuable information for drug development around the dCA pharmacophore.
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Yefremova Y, Danquah BD, Opuni KF, El-Kased R, Koy C, Glocker MO. Mass spectrometric characterization of protein structures and protein complexes in condensed and gas phase. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY (CHICHESTER, ENGLAND) 2017; 23:445-459. [PMID: 29183193 DOI: 10.1177/1469066717722256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Proteins are essential for almost all physiological processes of life. They serve a myriad of functions which are as varied as their unique amino acid sequences and their corresponding three-dimensional structures. To fulfill their tasks, most proteins depend on stable physical associations, in the form of protein complexes that evolved between themselves and other proteins. In solution (condensed phase), proteins and/or protein complexes are in constant energy exchange with the surrounding solvent. Albeit methods to describe in-solution thermodynamic properties of proteins and of protein complexes are well established and broadly applied, they do not provide a broad enough access to life-science experimentalists to study all their proteins' properties at leisure. This leaves great desire to add novel methods to the analytical biochemist's toolbox. The development of electrospray ionization created the opportunity to characterize protein higher order structures and protein complexes rather elegantly by simultaneously lessening the need of sophisticated sample preparation steps. Electrospray mass spectrometry enabled us to translate proteins and protein complexes very efficiently into the gas phase under mild conditions, retaining both, intact protein complexes, and gross protein structures upon phase transition. Moreover, in the environment of the mass spectrometer (gas phase, in vacuo), analyte molecules are free of interactions with surrounding solvent molecules and, therefore, the energy of inter- and intramolecular forces can be studied independently from interference of the solvating environment. Provided that gas phase methods can give information which is relevant for understanding in-solution processes, gas phase protein structure studies and/or investigations on the characterization of protein complexes has rapidly gained more and more attention from the bioanalytical scientific community. Recent reports have shown that electrospray mass spectrometry provides direct access to six prime protein complex properties: stabilities, compositions, binding surfaces (epitopes), disassembly processes, stoichiometries, and thermodynamic parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelena Yefremova
- 1 Proteome Center Rostock, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Bright D Danquah
- 1 Proteome Center Rostock, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | | | - Reham El-Kased
- 3 Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Cornelia Koy
- 1 Proteome Center Rostock, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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Schneeberger E, Breuker K. Native Top-Down Mass Spectrometry of TAR RNA in Complexes with a Wild-Type tat Peptide for Binding Site Mapping. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017; 56:1254-1258. [PMID: 28000363 PMCID: PMC5299493 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201610836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ribonucleic acids (RNA) frequently associate with proteins in many biological processes to form more or less stable complex structures. The characterization of RNA-protein complex structures and binding interfaces by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, or strategies based on chemical crosslinking, however, can be quite challenging. Herein, we have explored the use of an alternative method, native top-down mass spectrometry (MS), for probing of complex stoichiometry and protein binding sites at the single-residue level of RNA. Our data show that the electrostatic interactions between HIV-1 TAR RNA and a peptide comprising the arginine-rich binding region of tat protein are sufficiently strong in the gas phase to survive phosphodiester backbone cleavage of RNA by collisionally activated dissociation (CAD), thus allowing its use for probing tat binding sites in TAR RNA by top-down MS. Moreover, the MS data reveal time-dependent 1:2 and 1:1 stoichiometries of the TAR-tat complexes and suggest structural rearrangements of TAR RNA induced by binding of tat peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva‐Maria Schneeberger
- Institut für Organische Chemie and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI)Universität InnsbruckInnrain 80-826020InnsbruckAustria
| | - Kathrin Breuker
- Institut für Organische Chemie and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI)Universität InnsbruckInnrain 80-826020InnsbruckAustria
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Schneeberger E, Breuker K. Native Top‐Down Mass Spectrometry of TAR RNA in Complexes with a Wild‐Type tat Peptide for Binding Site Mapping. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201610836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eva‐Maria Schneeberger
- Institut für Organische Chemie and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI) Universität Innsbruck Innrain 80-82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
| | - Kathrin Breuker
- Institut für Organische Chemie and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI) Universität Innsbruck Innrain 80-82 6020 Innsbruck Austria
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Boye S, Ennen F, Scharfenberg L, Appelhans D, Nilsson L, Lederer A. From 1D Rods to 3D Networks: A Biohybrid Topological Diversity Investigated by Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation. Macromolecules 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.5b00824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Boye
- Leibniz-Institut
für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Franka Ennen
- Leibniz-Institut
für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Technische Universität
Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Linda Scharfenberg
- Leibniz-Institut
für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Technische Universität
Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Dietmar Appelhans
- Leibniz-Institut
für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Lars Nilsson
- Food
Colloids Group and Lund Center for Field-Flow Fractionation, Department
of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Faculty of Engineering
LTH, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Albena Lederer
- Leibniz-Institut
für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Technische Universität
Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
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Mädler S, Boeri Erba E, Zenobi R. MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry for studying noncovalent complexes of biomolecules. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2012; 331:1-36. [PMID: 22371170 DOI: 10.1007/128_2011_311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has been demonstrated to be a valuable tool to investigate noncovalent interactions of biomolecules. The direct detection of noncovalent assemblies is often more troublesome than with electrospray ionization. Using dedicated sample preparation techniques and carefully optimized instrumental parameters, a number of biomolecule assemblies were successfully analyzed. For complexes dissociating under MALDI conditions, covalent stabilization with chemical cross-linking is a suitable alternative. Indirect methods allow the detection of noncovalent assemblies by monitoring the fading of binding partners or altered H/D exchange patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Mädler
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
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Sokolová L, Williamson H, Sýkora J, Hof M, Gray HB, Brutschy B, Vlcek A. Mass spectrometric characterization of oligomers in Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin solutions. J Phys Chem B 2011; 115:4790-800. [PMID: 21452827 DOI: 10.1021/jp110460k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We have employed laser-induced liquid bead ion desorption mass spectroscopy (LILBID MS) to study the solution behavior of Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin as well as two mutants and corresponding Re-labeled derivatives containing a Re(CO)(3)(4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)(+) chromophore appended to a surface histidine. LILBID spectra show broad oligomer distributions whose particular patterns depend on the solution composition (pure H(2)O, 20-30 mM NaCl, 20 and 50 mM NaP(i) or NH(4)P(i) at pH = 7). The distribution maximum shifts to smaller oligomers upon decreasing the azurin concentration and increasing the buffer concentration. Oligomerization is less extensive for native azurin than its mutants. The oligomerization propensities of unlabeled and Re-labeled proteins are generally comparable, and only Re126 shows some preference for the dimer that persists even in highly diluted solutions. Peak shifts to higher masses and broadening in 20-50 mM NaP(i) confirm strong azurin association with buffer ions and solvation. We have found that LILBID MS reveals the solution behavior of weakly bound nonspecific protein oligomers, clearly distinguishing individual components of the oligomer distribution. Independently, average data on oligomerization and the dependence on solution composition were obtained by time-resolved anisotropy of the Re-label photoluminescence that confirmed relatively long rotation correlation times, 6-30 ns, depending on Re-azurin and solution composition. Labeling proteins with Re-chromophores that have long-lived phosphorescence extends the time scale of anisotropy measurements to hundreds of nanoseconds, thereby opening the way for investigations of large oligomers with long rotation times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Sokolová
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Erba EB, Zenobi R. Mass spectrometric studies of dissociation constants of noncovalent complexes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1039/c1pc90006d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Sobhanifar S, Reckel S, Junge F, Schwarz D, Kai L, Karbyshev M, Löhr F, Bernhard F, Dötsch V. Cell-free expression and stable isotope labelling strategies for membrane proteins. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2010; 46:33-43. [PMID: 19680602 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-009-9364-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2009] [Accepted: 07/16/2009] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Membrane proteins are highly underrepresented in the structural data-base and remain one of the most challenging targets for functional and structural elucidation. Their roles in transport and cellular communication, furthermore, often make over-expression toxic to their host, and their hydrophobicity and structural complexity make isolation and reconstitution a complicated task, especially in cases where proteins are targeted to inclusion bodies. The development of cell-free expression systems provides a very interesting alternative to cell-based systems, since it circumvents many problems such as toxicity or necessity for the transportation of the synthesized protein to the membrane, and constitutes the only system that allows for direct production of membrane proteins in membrane-mimetic environments which may be suitable for liquid state NMR measurements. The unique advantages of the cell-free expression system, including strong expression yields as well as the direct incorporation of almost any combination of amino acids with very little metabolic scrambling, has allowed for the development of a wide-array of isotope labelling techniques which facilitate structural investigations of proteins whose spectral congestion and broad line-widths may have earlier rendered them beyond the scope of NMR. Here we explore various labelling strategies in conjunction with cell-free developments, with a particular focus on alpha-helical transmembrane proteins which benefit most from such methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solmaz Sobhanifar
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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Ferner J, Suhartono M, Breitung S, Jonker HRA, Hennig M, Wöhnert J, Göbel M, Schwalbe H. Structures of HIV TAR RNA-ligand complexes reveal higher binding stoichiometries. Chembiochem 2009; 10:1490-4. [PMID: 19444830 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.200900220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Target TAR by NMR: Tripeptides containing arginines as terminal residues and non-natural amino acids as central residues are good leads for drug design to target the HIV trans-activation response element (TAR). The structural characterization of the RNA-ligand complex by NMR spectroscopy reveals two specific binding sites that are located at bulge residue U23 and around the pyrimidine-stretch U40-C41-U42 directly adjacent to the bulge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Ferner
- Institut für Organische Chemie und Chemische Biologie, Zentrum für Biomolekulare Magnetische Resonanz (BMRZ), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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