Deciphering complement mechanisms: the contributions of structural biology

Structure of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase P2 from the cystovirus φ8

The replication of RNA viruses relies on the activity of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps). Despite large variations in their genomic sequences, viral RdRps share a common architecture generally known as a closed right hand. The P2 polymerase of cystovirus φ6 is currently among the best characterized viral RdRps. This polymerase is responsible for carrying out both replication and transcription of the viral double-stranded RNA genome using de novo initiation. Despite the extensive biochemical and structural studies conducted on φ6 P2, further structural information on other cystoviral RdRps is crucial to elucidate the structural and functional diversity of viral RdRps. Here, we have determined the atomic X-ray structure of the RdRp P2 from the φ6-related cystovirus φ8 at 3Å resolution. This structure completes the existing set of structural information on the φ8 polymerase complex and sheds light on the difference and similarities with related cystoviral RdRps.

Structure of Bovine CD46 Ectodomain

CD46, or membrane cofactor protein, is a type-one transmembrane protein from the complement regulatory protein family. Alongside its role in complement activation, CD46 is involved in many other processes, from T-cell activation to reproduction. It is also referred to as a pathogen magnet, because it is used as a receptor by multiple bacteria and viruses. Bovine CD46 (bovCD46) in particular is involved in bovine viral diarrhoea virus entry, an economically important disease in cattle industries. This study presents the X-ray crystallographic structure of the extracellular region of bovCD46, revealing a four-short-consensus-repeat (SCR) structure similar to that in human CD46. SCR1-3 are arranged linearly, while SCR 4 has a reduced interface angle, resulting in a hockey stick-like appearance. The structure also reveals the bovine viral diarrhoea virus interaction site in SCR1, which is likely to confer pestivirus specificity for their target host, CD46. Insights gained from the structural information on pestivirus receptors, such as CD46, could offer valuable guidance for future control strategies.

A factor XIa-activatable hirudin-albumin fusion protein reduces thrombosis in mice without promoting blood loss

Background

Hirudin is a potent thrombin inhibitor but its antithrombotic properties are offset by bleeding side-effects. Because hirudin’s N-terminus must engage thrombin’s active site for effective inhibition, fusing a cleavable peptide at this site may improve hirudin’s risk/benefit ratio as a therapeutic agent. Previously we engineered a plasmin cleavage site (C) between human serum albumin (HSA) and hirudin variant 3 (HV3) in fusion protein HSACHV3. Because coagulation factor XI (FXI) is more involved in thrombosis than hemostasis, we hypothesized that making HV3 activity FXIa-dependent would also improve HV3’s potential therapeutic profile. We combined albumin fusion for half-life extension of hirudin with positioning of an FXIa cleavage site N-terminal to HV3, and assessed in vitro and in vivo properties of this novel protein.

Results

FXIa cleavage site EPR was employed. Fusion protein EPR-HV3HSA but not HSAEPR-HV3 was activated by FXIa in vitro. FVIIa, FXa, FXIIa, or plasmin failed to activate EPR-HV3HSA. FXIa-cleavable EPR-HV3HSA reduced the time to occlusion of ferric chloride-treated murine arteries and reduced fibrin deposition in murine endotoxemia; noncleavable mycHV3HSA was without effect. EPR-HV3HSA elicited less blood loss than constitutively active HV3HSA in murine liver laceration or tail transection but extended bleeding time to the same extent. EPR-HV3HSA was partially activated in citrated human or murine plasma to a greater extent than HSACHV3.

Conclusions

Releasing the N-terminal block to HV3 activity using FXIa was an effective way to limit hirudin’s bleeding side-effects, but plasma instability of the exposed EPR blocking peptide rendered it less useful than previously described plasmin-activatable HSACHV3.

Kinetic dissection of the pre-existing conformational equilibrium in the trypsin fold

Structural biology has recently documented the conformational plasticity of the trypsin fold for both the protease and zymogen in terms of a pre-existing equilibrium between closed (E*) and open (E) forms of the active site region. How such plasticity is manifested in solution and affects ligand recognition by the protease and zymogen is poorly understood in quantitative terms. Here we dissect the E*-E equilibrium with stopped-flow kinetics in the presence of excess ligand or macromolecule. Using the clotting protease thrombin and its zymogen precursor prethrombin-2 as relevant models we resolve the relative distribution of the E* and E forms and the underlying kinetic rates for their interconversion. In the case of thrombin, the E* and E forms are distributed in a 1:4 ratio and interconvert on a time scale of 45 ms. In the case of prethrombin-2, the equilibrium is shifted strongly (10:1 ratio) in favor of the closed E* form and unfolds over a faster time scale of 4.5 ms. The distribution of E* and E forms observed for thrombin and prethrombin-2 indicates that zymogen activation is linked to a significant shift in the pre-existing equilibrium between closed and open conformations that facilitates ligand binding to the active site. These findings broaden our mechanistic understanding of how conformational transitions control ligand recognition by thrombin and its zymogen precursor prethrombin-2 and have direct relevance to other members of the trypsin fold.

Deciphering the fine details of c1 assembly and activation mechanisms: "mission impossible"?

The classical complement pathway is initiated by the large (~800 kDa) and flexible multimeric C1 complex. Its catalytic function is triggered by the proteases hetero-tetramer C1r2s2, which is associated to the C1q sensing unit, a complex assembly of 18 chains built as a hexamer of heterotrimers. Initial pioneering studies gained insights into the main architectural principles of the C1 complex. A dissection strategy then provided the high-resolution structures of its main functional and/or structural building blocks, as well as structural details on some key protein–protein interactions. These past and current discoveries will be briefly summed up in order to address the question of what is still ill-defined. On a functional point of view, the main molecular determinants of C1 activation and its tight control will be delineated. The current perspective remains to decipher how C1 really works and is controlled in vivo, both in normal and pathological settings.

Putting the structure into complement

In a field where structure has finally begun to have a real impact, a series of new structures over the last two years have further extended our understanding of some of the critical regulatory events of the complement system. Notably, information has begun to flow from larger assemblies of components which allow insight into the often transient assemblies critical to complement regulation at the cell surface. This review will summarise the key structures determined since the last International Complement Workshop and the insights these have given us, before highlighting some questions that still require molecular frameworks to drive understanding.

Progress and Trends in Complement Therapeutics

The past few years have proven to be a highly successful and exciting period for the field of complement-directed drug discovery and development. Driven by promising experiences with the first marketed complement drugs, increased knowledge about the involvement of complement in health and disease, and improvements in structural and analytical techniques as well as animal models of disease, the field has seen a surge in creative approaches to therapeutically intervene at various stages of the cascade. An impressive panel of compounds that show promise in clinical trials is meanwhile being lined up in the pipelines of both small biotechnology and big pharmaceutical companies. Yet with this new focus on complement-targeted therapeutics, important questions concerning target selection, point and length of intervention, safety, and drug delivery emerge. In view of the diversity of the clinical disorders involving abnormal complement activity or regulation, which include both acute and chronic diseases and affect a wide range of organs, diverse yet specifically tailored therapeutic approaches may be needed to shift complement back into balance. This chapter highlights the key changes in the field that shape our current perception of complement-targeted drugs and provides a brief overview of recent strategies and emerging trends. Selected examples of complement-related diseases and inhibitor classes are highlighted to illustrate the diversity and creativity in field.

The modular serine proteases of the complement cascade

Modular serine proteases are central to the complement cascade of the mammalian humoral immune system. These proteases form protein complexes through multi-domain interactions to achieve their proteolytic activity. We review the structural insights into complement initiation by auto-activation of the hetero-tetrameric proteases of the large danger-recognition protein complexes, amplification and labelling of particles by the formation and activity of C3 convertases, and regulation by convertase dissociation and degradation to prevent 'bystander' damage to healthy host cells and tissues. The data reveal that complex formation and large domain-domain rearrangements underlie the proteolytic reactions of the complement cascade, which enables the host to recognize and clear invading microbes and host debris from its blood and fluids surrounding tissues.

Exposure of R169 controls protein C activation and autoactivation

Protein C is activated by thrombin with a value of k(cat)/K(m) = 0.11mM(-1)s(-1) that increases 1700-fold in the presence of the cofactor thrombomodulin. The molecular origin of this effect triggering an important feedback loop in the coagulation cascade remains elusive. Acidic residues in the activation domain of protein C are thought to electrostatically clash with the active site of thrombin. However, functional and structural data reported here support an alternative scenario. The thrombin precursor prethrombin-2 has R15 at the site of activation in ionic interaction with E14e, D14l, and E18, instead of being exposed to solvent for proteolytic attack. Residues E160, D167, and D172 around the site of activation at R169 of protein C occupy the same positions as E14e, D14l, and E18 in prethrombin-2. Caging of R169 by E160, D167, and D172 is responsible for much of the poor activity of thrombin toward protein C. The E160A/D167A/D172A mutant is activated by thrombin 63-fold faster than wild-type in the absence of thrombomodulin and, over a slower time scale, spontaneously converts to activated protein C. These findings establish a new paradigm for cofactor-assisted reactions in the coagulation cascade.

Crystal structures of prethrombin-2 reveal alternative conformations under identical solution conditions and the mechanism of zymogen activation

Prethrombin-2 is the immediate zymogen precursor of the clotting enzyme thrombin, which is generated upon cleavage at R15 and separation of the A chain and catalytic B chain. The X-ray structure of prethrombin-2 determined in the free form at 1.9 Å resolution shows the 215-217 segment collapsed into the active site and occluding 49% of the volume available for substrate binding. Remarkably, some of the crystals harvested from the same crystallization well, under identical solution conditions, diffract to 2.2 Å resolution in the same space group but produce a structure in which the 215-217 segment moves >5 Å and occludes 24% of the volume available for substrate binding. The two alternative conformations of prethrombin-2 have the side chain of W215 relocating >9 Å within the active site and are relevant to the allosteric E*-E equilibrium of the mature enzyme. Another unanticipated feature of prethrombin-2 bears on the mechanism of prothrombin activation. R15 is found buried within the protein in ionic interactions with E14e, D14l, and E18, thereby making its exposure to solvent necessary for proteolytic attack and conversion to thrombin. On the basis of this structural observation, we constructed the E14eA/D14lA/E18A triple mutant to reduce the level of electrostatic coupling with R15 and promote zymogen activation. The mutation causes prethrombin-2 to spontaneously convert to thrombin, without the need for the snake venom ecarin or the physiological prothrombinase complex.

Complement in health and disease

The complement system consists of about 35-40 proteins and glycoproteins present in blood plasma or on cell surfaces. Its main biological function is to recognise "foreign" particles and macromolecules, and to promote their elimination either by opsonisation or lysis. Although historically complement has been studied as a system for immune defence against bacteria, it has an important homeostatic role in which it recognises damaged or altered "self" components. Thus complement has major roles in both immune defence against microorganisms, and in clearance of damaged or "used" host components. Since complement proteins opsonise or lyse cells, complement can damage healthy host cells and tissues. The system is regulated by many endogenous regulatory proteins. Regulation is sometimes imperfect and both too much and too little complement activation is associated with many diseases. Excessive or inappropriate activation can cause tissue damage in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), multiple sclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury (e.g. ischemic stroke). Insufficient complement activity is associated with susceptibility to infection (mainly bacterial) and development of autoimmune disease, like SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus).

Finding order within disorder: elucidating the structure of proteins associated with neurodegenerative disease

A number of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, involve the formation of protein aggregates. The primary constituent of these aggregates belongs to a unique class of heteropolymers known as intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). While many proteins fold to a unique conformation that is determined by their amino acid sequence, IDPs do not adopt a single well-defined conformation in solution. Instead, they populate a heterogeneous set of conformers under physiological conditions. Despite this intrinsic propensity for disorder, a number of these proteins can form ordered aggregates both in vitro and in vivo. As the formation of these aggregates may play an important role in disease pathogenesis, a detailed structural characterization of these proteins and their mechanism of aggregation is of critical importance. However, new methods are needed to understand the diversity of structures that make up the unfolded ensemble of these systems. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the structural analysis and modeling of IDPs involved in neurodegenerative diseases. While there are challenges in both the experimental characterization and the modeling of such proteins, a comprehensive understanding of the structure of IDPs will likely facilitate the development of effective therapies for a number of neurodegenerative diseases.

Allostery in trypsin-like proteases suggests new therapeutic strategies

Trypsin-like proteases (TLPs) are a large family of enzymes responsible for digestion, blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, development, fertilization, apoptosis and immunity. A current paradigm posits that the irreversible transition from an inactive zymogen to the active protease form enables productive interaction with substrate and catalysis. Analysis of the entire structural database reveals two distinct conformations of the active site: one fully accessible to substrate (E) and the other occluded by the collapse of a specific segment (E*). The allosteric E*-E equilibrium provides a reversible mechanism for activity and regulation in addition to the irreversible zymogen to protease conversion and points to new therapeutic strategies aimed at inhibiting or activating the enzyme. In this review, we discuss relevant examples, with emphasis on the rational engineering of anticoagulant thrombin mutants.

Crystallographic and kinetic evidence of allostery in a trypsin-like protease

Protein allostery is based on the existence of multiple conformations in equilibrium linked to distinct functional properties. Although evidence of allosteric transitions is relatively easy to identify by functional studies, structural detection of a pre-existing equilibrium between alternative conformations remains challenging even for textbook examples of allosteric proteins. Kinetic studies show that the trypsin-like protease thrombin exists in equilibrium between two conformations where the active site is either collapsed (E*) or accessible to substrate (E). However, structural demonstration that the two conformations exist in the same enzyme construct free of ligands has remained elusive. Here we report the crystal structure of the thrombin mutant N143P in the E form, which complements the recently reported structure in the E* form, and both the E and E* forms of the thrombin mutant Y225P. The side chain of W215 moves 10.9 Å between the two forms, causing a displacement of 6.6 Å of the entire 215-217 segment into the active site that in turn opens or closes access to the primary specificity pocket. Rapid kinetic measurements of p-aminobenzamidine binding to the active site confirm the existence of the E*-E equilibrium in solution for wild-type and the mutants N143P and Y225P. These findings provide unequivocal proof of the allosteric nature of thrombin and lend strong support to the recent proposal that the E*-E equilibrium is a key property of the trypsin fold.

The effect of electrostatics on factor H function and related pathologies

Factor H (FH) contributes to the regulation of the complement system by binding to polyanionic surfaces and the proteins C3b/C3c/C3d. This implicates charge and electrostatic interactions in recognition and binding of FH. Despite the large amount of experimental and pathology data the exact mechanism at molecular level is not yet known. We have implemented a computational framework for comparative analysis of the charge and electrostatic diversity of FH modules and C3b domains to identify electrostatic hotspots and predict potential binding sites. Our electrostatic potential clustering analysis shows that charge distributions and electrostatic potential distributions are more useful in understanding C3b-FH interactions than net charges alone. We present a model of non-specific electrostatic interactions of FH with polyanion-rich surfaces and specific interactions with C3b, using our computational data and existing experimental data. We discuss the electrostatic contributions to the formation of the C3b-FH complex and the competition between FH and Factor Bb (Bb) for binding to C3b. We also discuss the significance of mutations of charged amino acids in the pathobiology of FH-mediated disease, such as age-related macular degeneration, atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, and dense deposit disease. Our data can be used to guide future experimental studies.

Antibody equivalent molecules of the innate immune system: parallels between innate and adaptive immune proteins

Soluble pattern-recognition innate immune proteins functionally resemble the antibodies of the adaptive immune system. Two major families of such proteins are ficolins and collectins or collagenous lectins (e.g. mannose-binding lectin [MBL], surfactant proteins [SP-A and SP-D] and conglutinin). In general, subunits of ficolins and collectins recognize the carbohydrate arrays of their targets via globular trimeric carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs) whereas IgG, IgM and other antibody isotypes recognize proteins via dimeric antigen-binding domains (Fab). Considering the structure and functions of these proteins, ficolins and MBL are analogous to molecules with the complement activating functions of C1q and the target recognition ability of IgG. Although the structure of SP-A is similar to MBL, it does not activate the complement system. Surfactant protein-D and conglutinin could be considered as the collagenous non-complement activating giant IgMs of the innate immune system. Proteins such as peptidoglycan-recognition proteins, pentraxins and agglutinin gp-340/DMBT1 are also pattern-recognition proteins. These proteins may be considered as different isotypes of antibody-like molecules. Proteins such as defensins, cathelicidins and lactoferrins directly or indirectly alter microbes or microbial growth. These proteins may not be considered as antibodies of the innate immune system. Hence, ficolins and collectins could be considered as specialized 'antibodies of the innate immune system' instead of 'ante-antibody' innate immune molecules. The discovery, structure, functions and future research directions of many of these soluble proteins and receptors such as Toll-like and NOD-like receptors are discussed in this special issue of Innate Immunity.

Complement factor H-related proteins CFHR2 and CFHR5 represent novel ligands for the infection-associated CRASP proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi

BACKGROUND

One virulence property of Borrelia burgdorferi is its resistance to innate immunity, in particular to complement-mediated killing. Serum-resistant B. burgdorferi express up to five distinct complement regulator-acquiring surface proteins (CRASP) which interact with complement regulator factor H (CFH) and factor H-like protein 1 (FHL1) or factor H-related protein 1 (CFHR1). In the present study we elucidate the role of the infection-associated CRASP-3 and CRASP-5 protein to serve as ligands for additional complement regulatory proteins as well as for complement resistance of B. burgdorferi.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

To elucidate whether CRASP-5 and CRASP-3 interact with various human proteins, both borrelial proteins were immobilized on magnetic beads. Following incubation with human serum, bound proteins were eluted and separated by Glycine-SDS-PAGE. In addition to CFH and CFHR1, complement regulators CFHR2 and CFHR5 were identified as novel ligands for both borrelial proteins by employing MALDI-TOF. To further assess the contributions of CRASP-3 and CRASP-5 to complement resistance, a serum-sensitive B. garinii strain G1 which lacks all CFH-binding proteins was used as a valuable model for functional analyses. Both CRASPs expressed on the B. garinii outer surface bound CFH as well as CFHR1 and CFHR2 in ELISA. In contrast, live B. garinii bound CFHR1, CFHR2, and CFHR5 and only miniscute amounts of CFH as demonstrated by serum adsorption assays and FACS analyses. Further functional analysis revealed that upon NHS incubation, CRASP-3 or CRASP-5 expressing borreliae were killed by complement.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

In the absence of CFH and the presence of CFHR1, CFHR2 and CFHR5, assembly and integration of the membrane attack complex was not efficiently inhibited indicating that CFH in co-operation with CFHR1, CFHR2 and CFHR5 supports complement evasion of B. burgdorferi.

Structure of the extracellular portion of CD46 provides insights into its interactions with complement proteins and pathogens

The human membrane cofactor protein (MCP, CD46) is a central component of the innate immune system. CD46 protects autologous cells from complement attack by binding to complement proteins C3b and C4b and serving as a cofactor for their cleavage. Recent data show that CD46 also plays a role in mediating acquired immune responses, and in triggering autophagy. In addition to these physiologic functions, a significant number of pathogens, including select adenoviruses, measles virus, human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6), Streptococci, and Neisseria, use CD46 as a cell attachment receptor. We have determined the crystal structure of the extracellular region of CD46 in complex with the human adenovirus type 11 fiber knob. Extracellular CD46 comprises four short consensus repeats (SCR1-SCR4) that form an elongated structure resembling a hockey stick, with a long shaft and a short blade. Domains SCR1, SCR2 and SCR3 are arranged in a nearly linear fashion. Unexpectedly, however, the structure reveals a profound bend between domains SCR3 and SCR4, which has implications for the interactions with ligands as well as the orientation of the protein at the cell surface. This bend can be attributed to an insertion of five hydrophobic residues in a SCR3 surface loop. Residues in this loop have been implicated in interactions with complement, indicating that the bend participates in binding to C3b and C4b. The structure provides an accurate framework for mapping all known ligand binding sites onto the surface of CD46, thereby advancing an understanding of how CD46 acts as a receptor for pathogens and physiologic ligands of the immune system.

The human membrane cofactor protein (MCP, CD46) is expressed on all nucleated cells and serves as a marker that prevents host cells from destruction by the immune system. It functions as a cofactor that helps to inactivate the C3b and C4b molecules, which are central components of the complement system. In addition to its role in regulation complement activation, CD46 is also used by a large number of pathogens, including measles virus and adenovirus, as a receptor to allow these pathogens to attach to the cell surface and initiate an infection. We have determined the three-dimensional structure of the bulk of the extracellular region of CD46 using X-ray crystallography. This structure provides detailed information about the location of previously identified residues that play a role in the interactions with C3b, C4b, and several pathogens, advancing an understanding of the function of the CD46 protein as a host and pathogen receptor. Moreover, the structure also reveals an unexpected, bent conformation of the protein that has implications for how the binding sites are presented at the cell surface.

Molecular mechanisms of complement evasion: learning from staphylococci and meningococci

The complement system is a crucial component of the innate immune response in humans. Recent studies in Staphylococcus aureus and Neisseria meningitidis have revealed how these bacteria escape complement-mediated killing. In addition, new structural data have provided detailed insights into the molecular mechanisms of host defence mediated by the complement system and how bacterial proteins interfere with this process. This information is fundamental to our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis and may facilitate the design of better vaccines.

Calcium-dependent conformational flexibility of a CUB domain controls activation of the complement serine protease C1r

C1, the first component of the complement system, is a Ca(2+)-dependent heteropentamer complex of C1q and two modular serine proteases, C1r and C1s. Current functional models assume significant flexibility of the subcomponents. Noncatalytic modules in C1r have been proposed to provide the flexibility required for function. Using a recombinant CUB2-CCP1 domain pair and the individual CCP1 module, we showed that binding of Ca(2+) induces the folding of the CUB2 domain and stabilizes its structure. In the presence of Ca(2+), CUB2 shows a compact, folded structure, whereas in the absence of Ca(2+), it has a flexible, disordered conformation. CCP1 module is Ca(2+)-insensitive. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that CUB2 binds a single Ca(2+) with a relatively high K(D) (430 mum). In blood, the CUB2 domain of C1r is only partially (74%) saturated by Ca(2+), therefore the disordered, Ca(2+)-free form could provide the flexibility required for C1 activation. In accordance with this assumption, the effect of Ca(2+) on the autoactivation of native, isolated C1r zymogen was proved. In the case of infection-inflammation when the local Ca(2+) concentration decreases, this property of CUB2 domain could serve as subtle means to trigger the activation of the classical pathway of complement. The CUB2 domain of C1r is a novel example for globular protein domains with marginal stability, high conformational flexibility, and proteolytic sensitivity. The physical nature of the behavior of this domain is similar to that of intrinsically unstructured proteins, providing a further example of functionally relevant ligand-induced reorganization of a polypeptide chain.

A secreted complement-control-related protein ensures acetylcholine receptor clustering

Efficient neurotransmission at chemical synapses relies on spatial congruence between the presynaptic active zone, where synaptic vesicles fuse, and the postsynaptic differentiation, where neurotransmitter receptors concentrate. Diverse molecular systems have evolved to localize receptors at synapses, but in most cases, they rely on scaffolding proteins localized below the plasma membrane. A few systems have been suggested to control the synaptic localization of neurotransmitter receptors through extracellular interactions, such as the pentraxins that bind AMPA receptors and trigger their aggregation. However, it is not yet clear whether these systems have a central role in the organization of postsynaptic domains in vivo or rather provide modulatory functions. Here we describe an extracellular scaffold that is necessary to cluster acetylcholine receptors at neuromuscular junctions in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. It involves the ectodomain of the previously identified transmembrane protein LEV-10 (ref. 6) and a novel extracellular protein, LEV-9. LEV-9 is secreted by the muscle cells and localizes at cholinergic neuromuscular junctions. Acetylcholine receptors, LEV-9 and LEV-10 are interdependent for proper synaptic localization and physically interact based on biochemical evidence. Notably, the function of LEV-9 relies on eight complement control protein (CCP) domains. These domains, also called 'sushi domains', are usually found in proteins regulating complement activity in the vertebrate immune system. Because the complement system does not exist in protostomes, our results suggest that some of the numerous uncharacterized CCP proteins expressed in the mammalian brain might be directly involved in the organization of the synapse, independently from immune functions.

Early complement proteases: C1r, C1s and MASPs. A structural insight into activation and functions

C1r, C1s and the mannose-binding lectin-associated serine proteases (MASPs) are responsible for the initiation of the classical- and lectin pathway activation of the complement system. These enzymes do not act alone, but form supramolecular complexes with pattern recognition molecules such as C1q, MBL, and ficolins. They share the same domain organization but have different substrate specificities and fulfill different physiological functions. In the recent years the rapid progress of structural biology facilitated the understanding of the molecular mechanism of complement activation at atomic level. In this review we summarize our current knowledge about the structure and function of the early complement proteases, delineate the latest models of the multimolecular complexes and present the functional consequences inferred from the structural studies. We also discuss some open questions and debated issues that need to be resolved in the future.

Crystal structure of the CUB1-EGF-CUB2 domain of human MASP-1/3 and identification of its interaction sites with mannan-binding lectin and ficolins

MASP-1 and MASP-3 are homologous proteases arising from alternative splicing of the MASP1/3 gene. They include an identical CUB(1)-EGF-CUB(2)-CCP(1)-CCP(2) module array prolonged by different serine protease domains at the C-terminal end. The x-ray structure of the CUB(1)-EGF-CUB(2) domain of human MASP-1/3, responsible for interaction of MASP-1 and -3 with their partner proteins mannan-binding lectin (MBL) and ficolins, was solved to a resolution of 2.3A(.) The structure shows a head-to-tail homodimer mainly stabilized by hydrophobic interactions between the CUB(1) module of one monomer and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) module of its counterpart. A Ca(2+) ion bound primarily to both EGF modules stabilizes the intra- and inter-monomer CUB(1)-EGF interfaces. Additional Ca(2+) ions are bound to each CUB(1) and CUB(2) module through six ligands contributed by Glu(49), Asp(57), Asp(102), and Ser(104) (CUB(1)) and their counterparts Glu(216), Asp(226), Asp(263), and Ser(265) (CUB(2)), plus one and two water molecules, respectively. To identify the residues involved in interaction of MASP-1 and -3 with MBL and L- and H-ficolins, 27 point mutants of human MASP-3 were generated, and their binding properties were analyzed using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. These mutations map two homologous binding sites contributed by modules CUB(1) and CUB(2), located in close vicinity of their Ca(2+)-binding sites and stabilized by the Ca(2+) ion. This information allows us to propose a model of the MBL-MASP-1/3 interaction, involving a major electrostatic interaction between two acidic Ca(2+) ligands of MASP-1/3 and a conserved lysine of MBL. Based on these and other data, a schematic model of a MBL.MASP complex is proposed.

Revisiting the mechanism of the autoactivation of the complement protease C1r in the C1 complex: structure of the active catalytic region of C1r

C1r is a modular serine protease which is the autoactivating component of the C1 complex of the classical pathway of the complement system. We have determined the first crystal structure of the entire active catalytic region of human C1r. This fragment contains the C-terminal serine protease (SP) domain and the preceding two complement control protein (CCP) modules. The activated CCP1-CCP2-SP fragment makes up a dimer in a head-to-tail fashion similarly to the previously characterized zymogen. The present structure shows an increased number of stabilizing interactions. Moreover, in the crystal lattice there is an enzyme-product relationship between the C1r molecules of neighboring dimers. This enzyme-product complex exhibits the crucial S1-P1 salt bridge between Asp631 and Arg446 residues, and intermolecular interaction between the CCP2 module and the SP domain. Based on these novel structural information we propose a new split-and-reassembly model for the autoactivation of the C1r. This model is consistent with experimental results that have not been explained adequately by previous models. It allows autoactivation of C1r without large-scale, directed movement of C1q arms. The model is concordant with the stability of the C1 complex during activation of the next complement components.