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Chou SZ, Pollard TD. Cryo-EM structures of both ends of the actin filament explain why the barbed end elongates faster than the pointed end. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.12.540494. [PMID: 37214997 PMCID: PMC10197683 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.12.540494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Actin filament ends are the sites of subunit addition during elongation and subunit loss during depolymerization. Prior work established the kinetics and thermodynamics of the assembly reactions at both ends but not the structural basis of their differences. Cryo-EM reconstructions of the barbed end at 3.1 Å resolution and the pointed end at 3.5 Å reveal distinct conformations at the two ends. These conformations explain why barbed ends elongate faster than pointed ends and why pointed ends rapidly dissociate the γ-phosphate released from ATP hydrolysis during assembly. The D-loop of the penultimate subunit at the pointed end is folded onto the terminal subunit, precluding its binding incoming actin monomers, and gates on the phosphate release channels of both subunits are wide open. The samples were prepared with FH2 dimers from fission yeast formin Cdc12. The barbed end reconstruction has extra density that may be partial occupancy by the FH2 domains. Significance Statement Cells depend cytoplasmic filaments assembled from the protein actin for their physical integrity, as tracks for myosin motor proteins and movements of the whole cell and internal organelles. Actin filaments elongate and shrink at their ends by adding or dissociating single actin molecules. We used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structures of the two ends of actin filaments at 3.5 Å resolution for the slowly growing pointed end and 3.1 Å for the rapidly growing barbed end. These structures reveal why barbed ends grow faster than the pointed ends, why the rate at the pointed end is not diffusion-limited and why the pointed end has a low affinity for the γ-phosphate released from bound ATP inside the filament.
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Wagstaff JM, Planelles-Herrero VJ, Sharov G, Alnami A, Kozielski F, Derivery E, Löwe J. Diverse cytomotive actins and tubulins share a polymerization switch mechanism conferring robust dynamics. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf3021. [PMID: 36989372 PMCID: PMC10058229 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf3021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Protein filaments are used in myriads of ways to organize other molecules within cells. Some filament-forming proteins couple the hydrolysis of nucleotides to their polymerization cycle, thus powering the movement of other molecules. These filaments are termed cytomotive. Only members of the actin and tubulin protein superfamilies are known to form cytomotive filaments. We examined the basis of cytomotivity via structural studies of the polymerization cycles of actin and tubulin homologs from across the tree of life. We analyzed published data and performed structural experiments designed to disentangle functional components of these complex filament systems. Our analysis demonstrates the existence of shared subunit polymerization switches among both cytomotive actins and tubulins, i.e., the conformation of subunits switches upon assembly into filaments. These cytomotive switches can explain filament robustness, by enabling the coupling of kinetic and structural polarities required for cytomotive behaviors and by ensuring that single cytomotive filaments do not fall apart.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Mark Wagstaff
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | | | - Grigory Sharov
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Aisha Alnami
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Frank Kozielski
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Emmanuel Derivery
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Jan Löwe
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
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Iwasa M, Takeda S, Narita A, Maéda Y, Oda T. Mutagenic analysis of actin reveals the mechanism of His161 flipping that triggers ATP hydrolysis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1105460. [PMID: 37009486 PMCID: PMC10062479 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1105460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic assembly of actin is controlled by the hydrolysis of ATP, bound to the center of the molecule. Upon polymerization, actin undergoes a conformational change from the monomeric G-form to the fibrous F-form, which is associated with the flipping of the side chain of His161 toward ATP. His161 flipping from the gauche-minus to gauche-plus conformation leads to a rearrangement of the active site water molecules, including ATP attacking water (W1), into an orientation capable of hydrolysis. We previously showed that by using a human cardiac muscle α-actin expression system, mutations in the Pro-rich loop residues (A108G and P109A) and in a residue that was hydrogen-bonded to W1 (Q137A) affect the rate of polymerization and ATP hydrolysis. Here, we report the crystal structures of the three mutant actins bound to AMPPNP or ADP-Pi determined at a resolution of 1.35–1.55 Å, which are stabilized in the F-form conformation with the aid of the fragmin F1 domain. In A108G, His161 remained non-flipped despite the global actin conformation adopting the F-form, demonstrating that the side chain of His161 is flipped to avoid a steric clash with the methyl group of A108. Because of the non-flipped His161, W1 was located away from ATP, similar to G-actin, which was accompanied by incomplete hydrolysis. In P109A, the absence of the bulky proline ring allowed His161 to be positioned near the Pro-rich loop, with a minor influence on ATPase activity. In Q137A, two water molecules replaced the side-chain oxygen and nitrogen of Gln137 almost exactly at their positions; consequently, the active site structure, including the W1 position, is essentially conserved. This seemingly contradictory observation to the reported low ATPase activity of the Q137A filament could be attributed to a high fluctuation of the active site water. Together, our results suggest that the elaborate structural design of the active site residues ensures the precise control of the ATPase activity of actin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsusada Iwasa
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Structural Biology Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shuichi Takeda
- Structural Biology Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (RIIS), Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- *Correspondence: Toshiro Oda, ; Shuichi Takeda,
| | - Akihiro Narita
- Structural Biology Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Maéda
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Structural Biology Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (RIIS), Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Toshiro Oda
- Faculty of Health and Welfare, Tokai Gakuin University, Kakamigahara, Japan
- *Correspondence: Toshiro Oda, ; Shuichi Takeda,
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Reynolds MJ, Hachicho C, Carl AG, Gong R, Alushin GM. Bending forces and nucleotide state jointly regulate F-actin structure. Nature 2022; 611:380-386. [PMID: 36289330 PMCID: PMC9646526 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05366-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
ATP-hydrolysis-coupled actin polymerization is a fundamental mechanism of cellular force generation1-3. In turn, force4,5 and actin filament (F-actin) nucleotide state6 regulate actin dynamics by tuning F-actin's engagement of actin-binding proteins through mechanisms that are unclear. Here we show that the nucleotide state of actin modulates F-actin structural transitions evoked by bending forces. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of ADP-F-actin and ADP-Pi-F-actin with sufficient resolution to visualize bound solvent reveal intersubunit interfaces bridged by water molecules that could mediate filament lattice flexibility. Despite extensive ordered solvent differences in the nucleotide cleft, these structures feature nearly identical lattices and essentially indistinguishable protein backbone conformations that are unlikely to be discriminable by actin-binding proteins. We next introduce a machine-learning-enabled pipeline for reconstructing bent filaments, enabling us to visualize both continuous structural variability and side-chain-level detail. Bent F-actin structures reveal rearrangements at intersubunit interfaces characterized by substantial alterations of helical twist and deformations in individual protomers, transitions that are distinct in ADP-F-actin and ADP-Pi-F-actin. This suggests that phosphate rigidifies actin subunits to alter the bending structural landscape of F-actin. As bending forces evoke nucleotide-state dependent conformational transitions of sufficient magnitude to be detected by actin-binding proteins, we propose that actin nucleotide state can serve as a co-regulator of F-actin mechanical regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Reynolds
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carla Hachicho
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ayala G Carl
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Tri-Institutional Program in Chemical Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rui Gong
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gregory M Alushin
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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5
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Abstract
A variety of cellular functions are driven by actin, which undergoes cyclic transitions between the monomeric G-form and the filamentous F-form. To gain insights into actin dynamics, the mechanism by which the energy is supplied by the ATP hydrolysis reaction in the F-form actin must be elucidated. This has been hampered by the lack of actin filament structures at atomic resolutions. Here, we have crystallized actin molecules trapped in the F-form without forming filaments, and based upon these structures we determined the reaction path by quantum mechanics calculations. The results are consistent with previous biochemical data. Remarkably, the hydrolysis reaction mechanism is essentially identical to those of motor proteins, while the process of Pi release is distinct. The major cytoskeleton protein actin undergoes cyclic transitions between the monomeric G-form and the filamentous F-form, which drive organelle transport and cell motility. This mechanical work is driven by the ATPase activity at the catalytic site in the F-form. For deeper understanding of the actin cellular functions, the reaction mechanism must be elucidated. Here, we show that a single actin molecule is trapped in the F-form by fragmin domain-1 binding and present their crystal structures in the ATP analog-, ADP-Pi-, and ADP-bound forms, at 1.15-Å resolutions. The G-to-F conformational transition shifts the side chains of Gln137 and His161, which relocate four water molecules including W1 (attacking water) and W2 (helping water) to facilitate the hydrolysis. By applying quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations to the structures, we have revealed a consistent and comprehensive reaction path of ATP hydrolysis by the F-form actin. The reaction path consists of four steps: 1) W1 and W2 rotations; 2) PG–O3B bond cleavage; 3) four concomitant events: W1–PO3− formation, OH− and proton cleavage, nucleophilic attack by the OH− against PG, and the abstracted proton transfer; and 4) proton relocation that stabilizes the ADP-Pi–bound F-form actin. The mechanism explains the slow rate of ATP hydrolysis by actin and the irreversibility of the hydrolysis reaction. While the catalytic strategy of actin ATP hydrolysis is essentially the same as those of motor proteins like myosin, the process after the hydrolysis is distinct and discussed in terms of Pi release, F-form destabilization, and global conformational changes.
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6
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Kraus J, Russell RW, Kudryashova E, Xu C, Katyal N, Perilla JR, Kudryashov DS, Polenova T. Magic angle spinning NMR structure of human cofilin-2 assembled on actin filaments reveals isoform-specific conformation and binding mode. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2114. [PMID: 35440100 PMCID: PMC9018683 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29595-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin polymerization dynamics regulated by actin-binding proteins are essential for various cellular functions. The cofilin family of proteins are potent regulators of actin severing and filament disassembly. The structural basis for cofilin-isoform-specific severing activity is poorly understood as their high-resolution structures in complex with filamentous actin (F-actin) are lacking. Here, we present the atomic-resolution structure of the muscle-tissue-specific isoform, cofilin-2 (CFL2), assembled on ADP-F-actin, determined by magic-angle-spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy and data-guided molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We observe an isoform-specific conformation for CFL2. This conformation is the result of a unique network of hydrogen bonding interactions within the α2 helix containing the non-conserved residue, Q26. Our results indicate F-site interactions that are specific between CFL2 and ADP-F-actin, revealing mechanistic insights into isoform-dependent F-actin disassembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi Kraus
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544-1014, United States
| | - Ryan W Russell
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, United States
| | - Elena Kudryashova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Chaoyi Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, United States
| | - Nidhi Katyal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, United States
| | - Juan R Perilla
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, United States
| | - Dmitri S Kudryashov
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Tatyana Polenova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, United States.
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7
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Takeda S, Koike R, Fujiwara I, Narita A, Miyata M, Ota M, Maéda Y. Structural Insights into the Regulation of Actin Capping Protein by Twinfilin C-terminal Tail. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166891. [PMID: 33639213 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.166891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Twinfilin is a conserved actin regulator that interacts with actin capping protein (CP) via C terminus residues (TWtail) that exhibits sequence similarity with the CP interaction (CPI) motif of CARMIL. Here we report the crystal structure of TWtail in complex with CP. Our structure showed that although TWtail and CARMIL CPI bind CP to an overlapping surface via their middle regions, they exhibit different CP-binding modes at both termini. Consequently, TWtail and CARMIL CPI restrict the CP in distinct conformations of open and closed forms, respectively. Interestingly, V-1, which targets CP away from the TWtail binding site, also favors the open-form CP. Consistently, TWtail forms a stable ternary complex with CP and V-1, a striking contrast to CARMIL CPI, which rapidly dissociates V-1 from CP. Our results demonstrate that TWtail is a unique CP-binding motif that regulates CP in a manner distinct from CARMIL CPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuichi Takeda
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.
| | - Ryotaro Koike
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Ikuko Fujiwara
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Osaka 558-8585, Japan
| | - Akihiro Narita
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Makoto Miyata
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Osaka 558-8585, Japan; The OCU Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science and Technology (OCARINA), Osaka City University, Osaka, Osaka 558-8585, Japan
| | - Motonori Ota
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Maéda
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
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8
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Methods for Studying Endometrial Pathology and the Potential of Atomic Force Microscopy in the Research of Endometrium. Cells 2021; 10:cells10020219. [PMID: 33499261 PMCID: PMC7911798 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The endometrium lines the uterine cavity, enables implantation of the embryo, and provides an environment for its development and growth. Numerous methods, including microscopic and immunoenzymatic techniques, have been used to study the properties of the cells and tissue of the endometrium to understand changes during, e.g., the menstrual cycle or implantation. Taking into account the existing state of knowledge on the endometrium and the research carried out using other tissues, it can be concluded that the mechanical properties of the tissue and its cells are crucial for their proper functioning. This review intends to emphasize the potential of atomic force microscopy (AFM) in the research of endometrium properties. AFM enables imaging of tissues or single cells, roughness analysis, and determination of the mechanical properties (Young’s modulus) of single cells or tissues, or their adhesion. AFM has been previously shown to be useful to derive force maps. Combining the information regarding cell mechanics with the alternations of cell morphology or gene/protein expression provides deeper insight into the uterine pathology. The determination of the elastic modulus of cells in pathological states, such as cancer, has been proved to be useful in diagnostics.
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9
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Glyakina AV, Surin AK, Grishin SY, Selivanova OM, Suvorina MY, Bobyleva LG, Vikhlyantsev IM, Galzitskaya OV. New Model for Stacking Monomers in Filamentous Actin from Skeletal Muscles of Oryctolagus cuniculus. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218319. [PMID: 33171915 PMCID: PMC7664232 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, some scientific evidence (limited proteolysis, mass spectrometry analysis, electron microscopy (EM)) has accumulated, which indicates that the generally accepted model of double-stranded of filamentous actin (F-actin) organization in eukaryotic cells is not the only one. This entails an ambiguous understanding of many of the key cellular processes in which F-actin is involved. For a detailed understanding of the mechanism of F-actin assembly and actin interaction with its partners, it is necessary to take into account the polymorphism of the structural organization of F-actin at the molecular level. Using electron microscopy, limited proteolysis, mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and structural modeling we demonstrated that F-actin presented in the EM images has no double-stranded organization, the regions of protease resistance are accessible for action of proteases in F-actin models. Based on all data, a new spatial model of filamentous actin is proposed, and the F-actin polymorphism is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V. Glyakina
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (A.V.G.); (A.K.S.); (S.Y.G.); (O.M.S.); (M.Y.S.)
- Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Alexey K. Surin
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (A.V.G.); (A.K.S.); (S.Y.G.); (O.M.S.); (M.Y.S.)
- The Branch of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 142279 Obolensk, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Sergei Yu. Grishin
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (A.V.G.); (A.K.S.); (S.Y.G.); (O.M.S.); (M.Y.S.)
| | - Olga M. Selivanova
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (A.V.G.); (A.K.S.); (S.Y.G.); (O.M.S.); (M.Y.S.)
| | - Mariya Yu. Suvorina
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (A.V.G.); (A.K.S.); (S.Y.G.); (O.M.S.); (M.Y.S.)
| | - Liya G. Bobyleva
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (L.G.B.); (I.M.V.)
| | - Ivan M. Vikhlyantsev
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (L.G.B.); (I.M.V.)
| | - Oxana V. Galzitskaya
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (A.V.G.); (A.K.S.); (S.Y.G.); (O.M.S.); (M.Y.S.)
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; (L.G.B.); (I.M.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-903-675-0156
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Mechanically tuning actin filaments to modulate the action of actin-binding proteins. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 68:72-80. [PMID: 33160108 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In cells, the actin cytoskeleton is regulated by an interplay between mechanics and biochemistry. A key mechanism, which has emerged based on converging indications from structural, cellular, and biophysical data, depicts the actin filament as a mechanically tunable substrate: mechanical stress applied to an actin filament induces conformational changes, which modify the binding and the regulatory action of actin-binding proteins. For a long time, however, direct evidence of this mechanotransductive mechanism was very scarce. This situation is changing rapidly, and recent in vitro single-filament studies using different techniques have revealed that several actin-binding proteins are able to sense tension, curvature, and/or torsion, applied to actin filaments. Here, we discuss these recent advances and their possible implications.
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11
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Mei L, Espinosa de Los Reyes S, Reynolds MJ, Leicher R, Liu S, Alushin GM. Molecular mechanism for direct actin force-sensing by α-catenin. eLife 2020; 9:62514. [PMID: 32969337 PMCID: PMC7588232 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The actin cytoskeleton mediates mechanical coupling between cells and their tissue microenvironments. The architecture and composition of actin networks are modulated by force; however, it is unclear how interactions between actin filaments (F-actin) and associated proteins are mechanically regulated. Here we employ both optical trapping and biochemical reconstitution with myosin motor proteins to show single piconewton forces applied solely to F-actin enhance binding by the human version of the essential cell-cell adhesion protein αE-catenin but not its homolog vinculin. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of both proteins bound to F-actin reveal unique rearrangements that facilitate their flexible C-termini refolding to engage distinct interfaces. Truncating α-catenin’s C-terminus eliminates force-activated F-actin binding, and addition of this motif to vinculin confers force-activated binding, demonstrating that α-catenin’s C-terminus is a modular detector of F-actin tension. Our studies establish that piconewton force on F-actin can enhance partner binding, which we propose mechanically regulates cellular adhesion through α-catenin. All of the cells in our bodies rely on cues from their surrounding environment to alter their behavior. As well sending each other chemical signals, such as hormones, cells can also detect pressure and physical forces applied by the cells around them. These physical interactions are coordinated by a network of proteins called the cytoskeleton, which provide the internal scaffold that maintains a cell’s shape. However, it is not well understood how forces transmitted through the cytoskeleton are converted into mechanical signals that control cell behavior. The cytoskeleton is primarily made up protein filaments called actin, which are frequently under tension from external and internal forces that push and pull on the cell. Many proteins bind directly to actin, including adhesion proteins that allow the cell to ‘stick’ to its surroundings. One possibility is that when actin filaments feel tension, they convert this into a mechanical signal by altering how they bind to other proteins. To test this theory, Mei et al. isolated and studied an adhesion protein called α-catenin which is known to interact with actin. This revealed that when tiny forces – similar to the amount cells experience in the body – were applied to actin filaments, this caused α-catenin and actin to bind together more strongly. However, applying the same level of physical force did not alter how well actin bound to a similar adhesion protein called vinculin. Further experiments showed that this was due to differences in a small, flexible region found on both proteins. Manipulating this region revealed that it helps α-catenin attach to actin when a force is present, and was thus named a ‘force detector’. Proteins that bind to actin are essential in all animals, making it likely that force detectors are a common mechanism. Scientists can now use this discovery to identify and manipulate force detectors in other proteins across different cells and animals. This may help to develop drugs that target the mechanical signaling process, although this will require further understanding of how force detectors work at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Mei
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, United States.,Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, United States
| | | | - Matthew J Reynolds
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, United States
| | - Rachel Leicher
- Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, United States.,Laboratory of Nanoscale Biophysics and Biochemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, United States
| | - Shixin Liu
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biophysics and Biochemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, United States
| | - Gregory M Alushin
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, United States
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12
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D-Loop Mutation G42A/G46A Decreases Actin Dynamics. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10050736. [PMID: 32397190 PMCID: PMC7277580 DOI: 10.3390/biom10050736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Depolymerization and polymerization of the actin filament are indispensable in eukaryotes. The DNase I binding loop (D-loop), which forms part of the interface between the subunits in the actin filament, is an intrinsically disordered loop with a large degree of conformational freedom. Introduction of the double mutation G42A/G46A to the D-loop of the beta cytoskeletal mammalian actin restricted D-loop conformational freedom, whereas changes to the critical concentration were not large, and no major structural changes were observed. Polymerization and depolymerization rates at both ends of the filament were reduced, and cofilin binding was inhibited by the double mutation. These results indicate that the two glycines at the tip of the D-loop are important for actin dynamics, most likely by contributing to the large degree of conformational freedom.
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13
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Structures of cofilin-induced structural changes reveal local and asymmetric perturbations of actin filaments. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:1478-1484. [PMID: 31900364 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1915987117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the cofilin/ADF family of proteins sever actin filaments, increasing the number of filament ends available for polymerization or depolymerization. Cofilin binds actin filaments with positive cooperativity, forming clusters of contiguously bound cofilin along the filament lattice. Filament severing occurs preferentially at boundaries between bare and cofilin-decorated (cofilactin) segments and is biased at 1 side of a cluster. A molecular understanding of cooperative binding and filament severing has been impeded by a lack of structural data describing boundaries. Here, we apply methods for analyzing filament cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) data at the single subunit level to directly investigate the structure of boundaries within partially decorated cofilactin filaments. Subnanometer resolution maps of isolated, bound cofilin molecules and an actin-cofilactin boundary indicate that cofilin-induced actin conformational changes are local and limited to subunits directly contacting bound cofilin. An isolated, bound cofilin compromises longitudinal filament contacts of 1 protofilament, consistent with a single cofilin having filament-severing activity. An individual, bound phosphomimetic (S3D) cofilin with weak severing activity adopts a unique binding mode that does not perturb actin structure. Cofilin clusters disrupt both protofilaments, consistent with a higher severing activity at boundaries compared to single cofilin. Comparison of these structures indicates that this disruption is substantially greater at pointed end sides of cofilactin clusters than at the barbed end. These structures, with the distribution of bound cofilin clusters, suggest that maximum binding cooperativity is achieved when 2 cofilins occupy adjacent sites. These results reveal the structural origins of cooperative cofilin binding and actin filament severing.
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Mechanism of synergistic actin filament pointed end depolymerization by cyclase-associated protein and cofilin. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5320. [PMID: 31757941 PMCID: PMC6876575 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13213-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of cells to generate forces through actin filament turnover was an early adaptation in evolution. While much is known about how actin filaments grow, mechanisms of their disassembly are incompletely understood. The best-characterized actin disassembly factors are the cofilin family proteins, which increase cytoskeletal dynamics by severing actin filaments. However, the mechanism by which severed actin filaments are recycled back to monomeric form has remained enigmatic. We report that cyclase-associated-protein (CAP) works in synergy with cofilin to accelerate actin filament depolymerization by nearly 100-fold. Structural work uncovers the molecular mechanism by which CAP interacts with actin filament pointed end to destabilize the interface between terminal actin subunits, and subsequently recycles the newly-depolymerized actin monomer for the next round of filament assembly. These findings establish CAP as a molecular machine promoting rapid actin filament depolymerization and monomer recycling, and explain why CAP is critical for actin-dependent processes in all eukaryotes. The cofilin family proteins are actin disassembly factors but the disassembly mechanism is poorly understood. Here authors show that cyclase-associated-protein (CAP) works in synergy with cofilin to accelerate actin filament depolymerization by nearly 100-fold and reveal how CAP destabilizes the interface between terminal actin subunits.
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ADF/cofilin regulation from a structural viewpoint. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 2019; 41:141-151. [DOI: 10.1007/s10974-019-09546-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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