1
|
Brunßen D, Suter B. Effects of unstable β-PheRS on food avoidance, growth, and development are suppressed by the appetite hormone CCHa2. Fly (Austin) 2024; 18:2308737. [PMID: 38374657 PMCID: PMC10880493 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2024.2308737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Amino acyl-tRNA synthetases perform diverse non-canonical functions aside from their essential role in charging tRNAs with their cognate amino acid. The phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS/FARS) is an α2β2 tetramer that is needed for charging the tRNAPhe for its translation activity. Fragments of the α-subunit have been shown to display an additional, translation-independent, function that activates growth and proliferation and counteracts Notch signalling. Here we show in Drosophila that overexpressing the β-subunit in the context of the complete PheRS leads to larval roaming, food avoidance, slow growth, and a developmental delay that can last several days and even prevents pupation. These behavioural and developmental phenotypes are induced by PheRS expression in CCHa2+ and Pros+ cells. Simultaneous expression of β-PheRS, α-PheRS, and the appetite-inducing CCHa2 peptide rescued these phenotypes, linking this β-PheRS activity to the appetite-controlling pathway. The fragmentation dynamic of the excessive β-PheRS points to β-PheRS fragments as possible candidate inducers of these phenotypes. Because fragmentation of human FARS has also been observed in human cells and mutations in human β-PheRS (FARSB) can lead to problems in gaining weight, Drosophila β-PheRS can also serve as a model for the human phenotype and possibly also for obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Beat Suter
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Douglas J, Cui H, Perona JJ, Vargas-Rodriguez O, Tyynismaa H, Carreño CA, Ling J, Ribas de Pouplana L, Yang XL, Ibba M, Becker H, Fischer F, Sissler M, Carter CW, Wills PR. AARS Online: A collaborative database on the structure, function, and evolution of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. IUBMB Life 2024. [PMID: 39247978 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) are a large group of enzymes that implement the genetic code in all known biological systems. They attach amino acids to their cognate tRNAs, moonlight in various translational and non-translational activities beyond aminoacylation, and are linked to many genetic disorders. The aaRS have a subtle ontology characterized by structural and functional idiosyncrasies that vary from organism to organism, and protein to protein. Across the tree of life, the 22 coded amino acids are handled by 16 evolutionary families of Class I aaRS and 21 families of Class II aaRS. We introduce AARS Online, an interactive Wikipedia-like tool curated by an international consortium of field experts. This platform systematizes existing knowledge about the aaRS by showcasing a taxonomically diverse selection of aaRS sequences and structures. Through its graphical user interface, AARS Online facilitates a seamless exploration between protein sequence and structure, providing a friendly introduction to the material for non-experts and a useful resource for experts. Curated multiple sequence alignments can be extracted for downstream analyses. Accessible at www.aars.online, AARS Online is a free resource to delve into the world of the aaRS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Douglas
- Department of Physics, University of Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Computational Evolution, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Haissi Cui
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - John J Perona
- Department of Chemistry, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Oscar Vargas-Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Henna Tyynismaa
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Jiqiang Ling
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Lluís Ribas de Pouplana
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Xiang-Lei Yang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Michael Ibba
- Biological Sciences, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Hubert Becker
- Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique Microbiologique, University of Strasbourg, France
| | - Frédéric Fischer
- Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique Microbiologique, University of Strasbourg, France
| | - Marie Sissler
- Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique Microbiologique, University of Strasbourg, France
| | - Charles W Carter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Peter R Wills
- Department of Physics, University of Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Computational Evolution, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Douglas J, Bouckaert R, Carter CW, Wills P. Enzymic recognition of amino acids drove the evolution of primordial genetic codes. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:558-571. [PMID: 38048305 PMCID: PMC10810186 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
How genetic information gained its exquisite control over chemical processes needed to build living cells remains an enigma. Today, the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARS) execute the genetic codes in all living systems. But how did the AARS that emerged over three billion years ago as low-specificity, protozymic forms then spawn the full range of highly-specific enzymes that distinguish between 22 diverse amino acids? A phylogenetic reconstruction of extant AARS genes, enhanced by analysing modular acquisitions, reveals six AARS with distinct bacterial, archaeal, eukaryotic, or organellar clades, resulting in a total of 36 families of AARS catalytic domains. Small structural modules that differentiate one AARS family from another played pivotal roles in discriminating between amino acid side chains, thereby expanding the genetic code and refining its precision. The resulting model shows a tendency for less elaborate enzymes, with simpler catalytic domains, to activate amino acids that were not synthesised until later in the evolution of the code. The most probable evolutionary route for an emergent amino acid type to establish a place in the code was by recruiting older, less specific AARS, rather than adapting contemporary lineages. This process, retrofunctionalisation, differs from previously described mechanisms through which amino acids would enter the code.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Douglas
- Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Computational Evolution, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Remco Bouckaert
- Centre for Computational Evolution, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Computer Science, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Charles W Carter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Peter R Wills
- Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Computational Evolution, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Guo R, Chen Y, Hu X, Qi Z, Guo J, Li Y, Hao C. Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase deficiency caused by biallelic variants in FARSA gene and literature review. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:245. [PMID: 37833669 PMCID: PMC10571242 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01662-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) are indispensable enzymes for protein biosynthesis in cells. The phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (FARS1) located in cytoplasm which consists of two FARS alpha subunits (FARSA) and two FARS beta subunits (FARSB). Autosomal recessive inheritance of pathogenic variants of FARSA or FARSB can result in defective FARS1 which are characterized by interstitial lung disease, liver disease, brain abnormalities, facial dysmorphism and growth restriction. METHODS Exome sequencing was used to detect the candidate variants. The in silico prediction and expressional level analysis were performed to evaluate the pathogenicity of the variations. Additionally, we presented the patient's detailed clinical information and compared the clinical feature with other previously reported patients with FARSA-deficiency. RESULTS We identified compound heterozygous rare missense variants (c.1172 T > C/ p.Leu391Pro and c.1211G > A/ p.Arg404His) in FARSA gene in a Chinese male patient. The protein structure prediction and the analysis of levels of FARSA and FARSB subunits indicated both variants pathogenic. Clinical feature review indicated inflammatory symptoms in young infants may be an additional key feature. Thyroid dysfunction should be considered as a phenotype with variable penetrance. CONCLUSIONS Our results expanded the current phenotypic and genetic spectrum of FARSA-deficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruolan Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Yuanying Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Xuyun Hu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Zhan Qi
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Jun Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Yuchuan Li
- Outpatient Department, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100045, China.
| | - Chanjuan Hao
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100045, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tijaro-Bulla S, Nyandwi SP, Cui H. Physiological and engineered tRNA aminoacylation. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1789. [PMID: 37042417 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases form the protein family that controls the interpretation of the genetic code, with tRNA aminoacylation being the key chemical step during which an amino acid is assigned to a corresponding sequence of nucleic acids. In consequence, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases have been studied in their physiological context, in disease states, and as tools for synthetic biology to enable the expansion of the genetic code. Here, we review the fundamentals of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase biology and classification, with a focus on mammalian cytoplasmic enzymes. We compile evidence that the localization of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases can be critical in health and disease. In addition, we discuss evidence from synthetic biology which made use of the importance of subcellular localization for efficient manipulation of the protein synthesis machinery. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing Translation > Translation Regulation RNA Processing > tRNA Processing RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Haissi Cui
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kim SY, Ko S, Kang H, Kim MJ, Moon J, Lim BC, Kim KJ, Choi M, Choi HJ, Chae JH. Fatal systemic disorder caused by biallelic variants in FARSA. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2022; 17:306. [PMID: 35918773 PMCID: PMC9344665 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-022-02457-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aminoacyl tRNA transferases play an essential role in protein biosynthesis, and variants of these enzymes result in various human diseases. FARSA, which encodes the α subunit of cytosolic phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase, was recently reported as a suspected causal gene for multiorgan disorder. This study aimed to validate the pathogenicity of variants in the FARSA gene. Results Exome sequencing revealed novel compound heterozygous variants in FARSA, P347L and R475Q, from a patient who initially presented neonatal-onset failure to thrive, liver dysfunction, and frequent respiratory infections. His developmental milestones were nearly arrested, and the patient died at 28 months of age as a result of progressive hepatic and respiratory failure. The P347L variant was predicted to disrupt heterodimer interaction and failed to form a functional heterotetramer by structural and biochemical analyses. R475 is located at a highly conserved site and is reported to be involved in phenylalanine activation and transfer to tRNA. The R475Q mutant FARSA were co-purified with FARSB, but the mutant enzyme showed an approximately 36% reduction in activity in our assay relative to the wild-type protein. Additional functional analyses on variants from previous reports (N410K, F256L, R404C, E418D, and F277V) were conducted. The R404C variant from a patient waiting for organ transplantation also failed to form tetramers but the E418D, N410K, F256L, and F277V variants did not affect tetramer formation. In the functional assay, the N410K located at the phenylalanine-binding site exhibited no catalytic activity, whereas other variants (E418D, F256L and F277V) exhibited lower ATPase activity than wild-type FARSA at low phenylalanine concentrations. Conclusions Our data demonstrated the pathogenicity of biallelic variants in FARSA and suggested the implication of hypomorphic variants in severe phenotypes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13023-022-02457-9.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soo Yeon Kim
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Rare Disease Center, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehakro Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea
| | - Saebom Ko
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyunook Kang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Man Jin Kim
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Rare Disease Center, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehakro Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea
| | - Jangsup Moon
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Rare Disease Center, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehakro Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea
| | - Byung Chan Lim
- Department Pediatrics, Pediatric Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ki Joong Kim
- Department Pediatrics, Pediatric Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Murim Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hee-Jung Choi
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Jong-Hee Chae
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Rare Disease Center, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehakro Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea. .,Department Pediatrics, Pediatric Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Karimzadeh P, Rezakhani S, Miryounesi M, Alijanpour S. Neurodegenerative disorder and diffuse brain calcifications due to FARSB mutation in two siblings. Clin Case Rep 2022; 10:e6195. [PMID: 35937029 PMCID: PMC9347330 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.6195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic mutations in the FARSB gene are associated with neurodevelopmental disorder involving the brain, liver, and lungs. We report genetic analysis of a family including two affected members with this disorder, which revealed a homozygous pathogenic missense variant, FARSB: NM_005687.4:c.853G > A:p.E285K in both affected patients. The parents were heterozygous for this variant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parvaneh Karimzadeh
- Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Neurology Research Center, Mofid Children's HospitalShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Sepideh Rezakhani
- Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Neurology Research Center, Mofid Children's HospitalShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Mohammad Miryounesi
- Medical Genetics, Genomic Research Center, Taleghani HospitalShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Sahar Alijanpour
- Medical Genetics, Genomic Research Center, Taleghani HospitalShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Phenylalanine impairs insulin signaling and inhibits glucose uptake through modification of IRβ. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4291. [PMID: 35879296 PMCID: PMC9314339 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32000-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether amino acids act on cellular insulin signaling remains unclear, given that increased circulating amino acid levels are associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here, we report that phenylalanine modifies insulin receptor beta (IRβ) and inactivates insulin signaling and glucose uptake. Mice fed phenylalanine-rich chow or phenylalanine-producing aspartame or overexpressing human phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (hFARS) develop insulin resistance and T2D symptoms. Mechanistically, FARS phenylalanylate lysine 1057/1079 of IRβ (F-K1057/1079), inactivating IRβ and preventing insulin from promoting glucose uptake by cells. SIRT1 reverse F-K1057/1079 and counteract the insulin-inactivating effects of hFARS and phenylalanine. F-K1057/1079 and SIRT1 levels in white blood cells from T2D patients are positively and negatively correlated with T2D onset, respectively. Blocking F-K1057/1079 with phenylalaninol sensitizes insulin signaling and relieves T2D symptoms in hFARS-transgenic and db/db mice. These findings shed light on the activation of insulin signaling and T2D progression through inhibition of phenylalanylation. Whether amino acids act on cellular insulin signaling remains unclear. Here, the authors find that phenylalanine modifies insulin receptor beta (IRβ) and inactivates insulin signaling and glucose uptake and positively correlated with T2D onset.
Collapse
|
9
|
Inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum phenylalanine tRNA synthetase provides opportunity for antimalarial drug development. Structure 2022; 30:962-972.e3. [PMID: 35460612 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Bicyclic azetidine compounds possess antimalarial activity via targeting of the cytoplasmic Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) protein translation enzyme phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase (cFRS). These drugs kill parasites both in vitro and in vivo, including the blood, liver, and transmission developmental stages. Here we present the co-crystal structure of PfcFRS with a potent inhibitor, the bicyclic azetidine BRD7929. Our studies reveal high-affinity binding of BRD7929 with PfcFRS along with exquisite specificity compared with the human enzyme, leading in turn to potent and selective inhibition of the parasite enzyme. Our co-crystal structure shows that BRD7929 binds in the active site in the α subunit of PfcFRS, where it occupies the amino acid site, an auxiliary site, and partially the ATP site. This structural snapshot of inhibitor-bound PfcFRS thus provides a platform for the structure-guided optimization of novel antimalarial compounds.
Collapse
|
10
|
Ho MT, Lu J, Vazquez-Pianzola P, Suter B. α-Phenylalanyl tRNA synthetase competes with Notch signaling through its N-terminal domain. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010185. [PMID: 35486661 PMCID: PMC9094542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The alpha subunit of the cytoplasmic Phenylalanyl tRNA synthetase (α-PheRS, FARSA in humans) displays cell growth and proliferation activities and its elevated levels can induce cell fate changes and tumor-like phenotypes that are neither dependent on the canonical function of charging tRNAPhe with phenylalanine nor on stimulating general translation. In intestinal stem cells of Drosophila midguts, α-PheRS levels are naturally slightly elevated and human FARSA mRNA levels are elevated in multiple cancers. In the Drosophila midgut model, elevated α-PheRS levels caused the accumulation of many additional proliferating cells resembling intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and enteroblasts (EBs). This phenotype partially resembles the tumor-like phenotype described as Notch RNAi phenotype for the same cells. Genetic interactions between α-PheRS and Notch suggest that their activities neutralize each other and that elevated α-PheRS levels attenuate Notch signaling when Notch induces differentiation into enterocytes, type II neuroblast stem cell proliferation, or transcription of a Notch reporter. These non-canonical functions all map to the N-terminal part of α-PheRS which accumulates naturally in the intestine. This truncated version of α-PheRS (α-S) also localizes to nuclei and displays weak sequence similarity to the Notch intracellular domain (NICD), suggesting that α-S might compete with the NICD for binding to a common target. Supporting this hypothesis, the tryptophan (W) residue reported to be key for the interaction between the NICD and the Su(H) BTD domain is not only conserved in α-PheRS and α-S, but also essential for attenuating Notch signaling. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases charge tRNAs with their cognate amino acid to ensure proper decoding of the genetic code during translation. Independent of its aminoacylation function, the alpha subunit of Drosophila cytoplasmic Phenylalanyl tRNA synthetase (α-PheRS, FARSA in humans) has an additional activity that promotes growth and proliferation. Here we describe that elevated α-PheRS levels also induce cell fate changes and tumorous phenotypes in Drosophila midguts. Excessive proliferating cells with stem and progenitor cell characteristics accumulate and the composition of the terminally differentiated cells changes, too. This phenotype together with observed genetic interactions between α-PheRS and Notch levels show that α-PheRS counteracts Notch signaling in many different tissues and developmental stages. This novel activity of α-PheRS maps to its N-terminal part, which is naturally produced. The fragment contains a DNA binding domain, translocates into nuclei, and displays essential similarities to a Notch domain that binds to the downstream transcription factor. This suggests that it might be competing with Notch for binding to a common target. Not only because Notch plays important roles in many tumors, but also because FARSA mRNA levels are considerably upregulated in many tumors, this novel activity deserves more attention for cancer research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manh Tin Ho
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jiongming Lu
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Beat Suter
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Charbit-Henrion F, Goguyer-Deschaumes R, Borensztajn K, Mirande M, Berthelet J, Rodrigues-Lima F, Khiat A, Frémond ML, Bader-Meunier B, Rodari MM, Seabra L, Rice GI, Legendre M, Drummond D, Berteloot L, Roux CJ, Boddaert N, Drabent P, Molina TJ, Lacaille F, Kossorotoff M, Cerf-Bensussan N, Parlato M, Hadchouel A. Systemic inflammatory syndrome in children with FARSA deficiency. Clin Genet 2022; 101:552-558. [PMID: 35132614 PMCID: PMC9303323 DOI: 10.1111/cge.14120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Variants in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) genes are associated to a broad spectrum of human inherited diseases. Patients with defective PheRS, encoded by FARSA and FARSB, display brain abnormalities, interstitial lung disease and facial dysmorphism. We investigated four children from two unrelated consanguineous families carrying two missense homozygous variants in FARSA with significantly reduced PheRS-mediated aminoacylation activity. In addition to the core ARS-phenotype, all patients showed an inflammatory profile associated with autoimmunity and interferon score, a clinical feature not ascribed to PheRS-deficient patients to date. JAK inhibition improved lung disease in one patient. Our findings expand the genetic and clinical spectrum of FARSA-related disease. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Charbit-Henrion
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Intestinal Immunity, Inserm, UMR1163, Paris, France
| | - Roman Goguyer-Deschaumes
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Intestinal Immunity, Inserm, UMR1163, Paris, France
| | - Keren Borensztajn
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Childhood genetic disorders, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - Marc Mirande
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Pharmacologie Appliquée, UMR8113 CNRS, ENS Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | | | - Fernando Rodrigues-Lima
- Université de Paris, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, CNRS UMR 8251, Paris, France
| | - Anis Khiat
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Intestinal Immunity, Inserm, UMR1163, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Louise Frémond
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Neuroinflammation, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Brigitte Bader-Meunier
- AP-HP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service d'immuno-hématologie pédiatrique, Paris, France
| | - Marco M Rodari
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Intestinal Immunity, Inserm, UMR1163, Paris, France
| | - Luis Seabra
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Neuroinflammation, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Gillian I Rice
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Marie Legendre
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Pharmacologie Appliquée, UMR8113 CNRS, ENS Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - David Drummond
- AP-HP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, Paris, France
| | - Laureline Berteloot
- APHP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service d'imagerie pédiatrique Paris, France
| | - Charles-Joris Roux
- APHP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service d'imagerie pédiatrique Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Boddaert
- APHP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service d'imagerie pédiatrique Paris, France
| | - Philippe Drabent
- APHP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service d'anatomopathologie, Paris, France
| | - Thierry Jo Molina
- APHP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service d'anatomopathologie, Paris, France
| | - Florence Lacaille
- AP-HP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service de gastroentérologie et hépatologie pédiatriques, Paris, France
| | - Manoelle Kossorotoff
- AP-HP, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Service de Neurologie Pédiatrique, Paris, France
| | - Nadine Cerf-Bensussan
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Intestinal Immunity, Inserm, UMR1163, Paris, France
| | - Marianna Parlato
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Intestinal Immunity, Inserm, UMR1163, Paris, France
| | - Alice Hadchouel
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Mukai T, Amikura K, Fu X, Söll D, Crnković A. Indirect Routes to Aminoacyl-tRNA: The Diversity of Prokaryotic Cysteine Encoding Systems. Front Genet 2022; 12:794509. [PMID: 35047015 PMCID: PMC8762117 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.794509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Universally present aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) stringently recognize their cognate tRNAs and acylate them with one of the proteinogenic amino acids. However, some organisms possess aaRSs that deviate from the accurate translation of the genetic code and exhibit relaxed specificity toward their tRNA and/or amino acid substrates. Typically, these aaRSs are part of an indirect pathway in which multiple enzymes participate in the formation of the correct aminoacyl-tRNA product. The indirect cysteine (Cys)-tRNA pathway, originally thought to be restricted to methanogenic archaea, uses the unique O-phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase (SepRS), which acylates the non-proteinogenic amino acid O-phosphoserine (Sep) onto tRNACys. Together with Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA synthase (SepCysS) and the adapter protein SepCysE, SepRS forms a transsulfursome complex responsible for shuttling Sep-tRNACys to SepCysS for conversion of the tRNA-bound Sep to Cys. Here, we report a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of the diversity of indirect Cys encoding systems. These systems are present in more diverse groups of bacteria and archaea than previously known. Given the occurrence and distribution of some genes consistently flanking SepRS, it is likely that this gene was part of an ancient operon that suffered a gradual loss of its original components. Newly identified bacterial SepRS sequences strengthen the suggestion that this lineage of enzymes may not rely on the m1G37 identity determinant in tRNA. Some bacterial SepRSs possess an N-terminal fusion resembling a threonyl-tRNA synthetase editing domain, which interestingly is frequently observed in the vicinity of archaeal SepCysS genes. We also found several highly degenerate SepRS genes that likely have altered amino acid specificity. Cross-analysis of selenocysteine (Sec)-utilizing traits confirmed the co-occurrence of SepCysE and the Sec-utilizing machinery in archaea, but also identified an unusual O-phosphoseryl-tRNASec kinase fusion with an archaeal Sec elongation factor in some lineages, where it may serve in place of SepCysE to prevent crosstalk between the two minor aminoacylation systems. These results shed new light on the variations in SepRS and SepCysS enzymes that may reflect adaptation to lifestyle and habitat, and provide new information on the evolution of the genetic code.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takahito Mukai
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Life Science, College of Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Amikura
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Xian Fu
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Dieter Söll
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ana Crnković
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Chhibber-Goel J, Yogavel M, Sharma A. Structural analyses of the malaria parasite aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases provide new avenues for antimalarial drug discovery. Protein Sci 2021; 30:1793-1803. [PMID: 34184352 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a parasitic illness caused by the genus Plasmodium from the apicomplexan phylum. Five plasmodial species of P. falciparum (Pf), P. knowlesi, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax (Pv) are responsible for causing malaria in humans. According to the World Malaria Report 2020, there were 229 million cases and ~ 0.04 million deaths of which 67% were in children below 5 years of age. While more than 3 billion people are at risk of malaria infection globally, antimalarial drugs are their only option for treatment. Antimalarial drug resistance keeps arising periodically and thus threatens the main line of malaria treatment, emphasizing the need to find new alternatives. The availability of whole genomes of P. falciparum and P. vivax has allowed targeting their unexplored plasmodial enzymes for inhibitor development with a focus on multistage targets that are crucial for parasite viability in both the blood and liver stages. Over the past decades, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) have been explored as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal drug targets, and more recently (since 2009) aaRSs are also the focus of antimalarial drug targeting. Here, we dissect the structure-based knowledge of the most advanced three aaRSs-lysyl- (KRS), prolyl- (PRS), and phenylalanyl- (FRS) synthetases in terms of development of antimalarial drugs. These examples showcase the promising potential of this family of enzymes to provide druggable targets that stall protein synthesis upon inhibition and thereby kill malaria parasites selectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Chhibber-Goel
- Structural Parasitology Group, Molecular Medicine, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Manickam Yogavel
- Structural Parasitology Group, Molecular Medicine, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- Structural Parasitology Group, Molecular Medicine, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.,ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Michalska K, Jedrzejczak R, Wower J, Chang C, Baragaña B, Gilbert IH, Forte B, Joachimiak A. Mycobacterium tuberculosis Phe-tRNA synthetase: structural insights into tRNA recognition and aminoacylation. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:5351-5368. [PMID: 33885823 PMCID: PMC8136816 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, responsible for ∼1.5 million fatalities in 2018, is the deadliest infectious disease. Global spread of multidrug resistant strains is a public health threat, requiring new treatments. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are plausible candidates as potential drug targets, because they play an essential role in translating the DNA code into protein sequence by attaching a specific amino acid to their cognate tRNAs. We report structures of M. tuberculosis Phe-tRNA synthetase complexed with an unmodified tRNAPhe transcript and either L-Phe or a nonhydrolyzable phenylalanine adenylate analog. High-resolution models reveal details of two modes of tRNA interaction with the enzyme: an initial recognition via indirect readout of anticodon stem-loop and aminoacylation ready state involving interactions of the 3′ end of tRNAPhe with the adenylate site. For the first time, we observe the protein gate controlling access to the active site and detailed geometry of the acyl donor and tRNA acceptor consistent with accepted mechanism. We biochemically validated the inhibitory potency of the adenylate analog and provide the most complete view of the Phe-tRNA synthetase/tRNAPhe system to date. The presented topography of amino adenylate-binding and editing sites at different stages of tRNA binding to the enzyme provide insights for the rational design of anti-tuberculosis drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Michalska
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60667, USA.,Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Robert Jedrzejczak
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60667, USA.,Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Jacek Wower
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Changsoo Chang
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60667, USA.,Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Beatriz Baragaña
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Ian H Gilbert
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Barbara Forte
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Andrzej Joachimiak
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60667, USA.,Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ho MT, Lu J, Brunßen D, Suter B. A translation-independent function of PheRS activates growth and proliferation in Drosophila. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:dmm.048132. [PMID: 33547043 PMCID: PMC7988764 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.048132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetases (aaRSs) not only load the appropriate amino acid onto their cognate tRNAs, but many of them also perform additional functions that are not necessarily related to their canonical activities. Phenylalanyl tRNA synthetase (PheRS/FARS) levels are elevated in multiple cancers compared to their normal cell counterparts. Our results show that downregulation of PheRS, or only its α-PheRS subunit, reduces organ size, whereas elevated expression of the α-PheRS subunit stimulates cell growth and proliferation. In the wing disc system, this can lead to a 67% increase in cells that stain for a mitotic marker. Clonal analysis of twin spots in the follicle cells of the ovary revealed that elevated expression of the α-PheRS subunit causes cells to grow and proliferate ∼25% faster than their normal twin cells. This faster growth and proliferation did not affect the size distribution of the proliferating cells. Importantly, this stimulation proliferation turned out to be independent of the β-PheRS subunit and the aminoacylation activity, and it did not visibly stimulate translation. This article has an associated First Person interview with the joint first authors of the paper. Summary: A moonlighting activity of the α-subunit of the Phenylalanyl tRNA synthetase in Drosophila promotes growth and proliferation through a novel mechanism that neither involves aminoacylation nor translation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manh Tin Ho
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Jiongming Lu
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Brunßen
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Beat Suter
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Schuch LA, Forstner M, Rapp CK, Li Y, Smith DEC, Mendes MI, Delhommel F, Sattler M, Emiralioğlu N, Taskiran EZ, Orhan D, Kiper N, Rohlfs M, Jeske T, Hastreiter M, Gerstlauer M, Torrent-Vernetta A, Moreno-Galdó A, Kammer B, Brasch F, Reu-Hofer S, Griese M. FARS1-related disorders caused by bi-allelic mutations in cytosolic phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase genes: Look beyond the lungs! Clin Genet 2021; 99:789-801. [PMID: 33598926 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) catalyze the first step of protein biosynthesis (canonical function) and have additional (non-canonical) functions outside of translation. Bi-allelic pathogenic variants in genes encoding ARSs are associated with various recessive mitochondrial and multisystem disorders. We describe here a multisystem clinical phenotype based on bi-allelic mutations in the two genes (FARSA, FARSB) encoding distinct subunits for tetrameric cytosolic phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (FARS1). Interstitial lung disease with cholesterol pneumonitis on histology emerged as an early characteristic feature and significantly determined disease burden. Additional clinical characteristics of the patients included neurological findings, liver dysfunction, and connective tissue, muscular and vascular abnormalities. Structural modeling of newly identified missense mutations in the alpha subunit of FARS1, FARSA, showed exclusive mapping to the enzyme's conserved catalytic domain. Patient-derived mutant cells displayed compromised aminoacylation activity in two cases, while remaining unaffected in another. Collectively, these findings expand current knowledge about the human ARS disease spectrum and support a loss of canonical and non-canonical function in FARS1-associated recessive disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luise A Schuch
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Forstner
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Christina K Rapp
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Desiree E C Smith
- Metabolic Unit, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marisa I Mendes
- Metabolic Unit, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Florent Delhommel
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Michael Sattler
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Nagehan Emiralioğlu
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ekim Z Taskiran
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Diclehan Orhan
- Department of Pediatric Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nural Kiper
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Meino Rohlfs
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tim Jeske
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian Hastreiter
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Alba Torrent-Vernetta
- Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology Section, Department of Pediatrics, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Moreno-Galdó
- Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology Section, Department of Pediatrics, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Birgit Kammer
- Pediatric Radiology, Clinic for Radiology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Frank Brasch
- Institute for Pathology, Klinikum Bielefeld Mitte, Bielefeld, Germany
| | | | - Matthias Griese
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sharma M, Malhotra N, Yogavel M, Harlos K, Melillo B, Comer E, Gonse A, Parvez S, Mitasev B, Fang FG, Schreiber SL, Sharma A. Structural basis of malaria parasite phenylalanine tRNA-synthetase inhibition by bicyclic azetidines. Nat Commun 2021; 12:343. [PMID: 33436639 PMCID: PMC7803973 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20478-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The inhibition of Plasmodium cytosolic phenylalanine tRNA-synthetase (cFRS) by a novel series of bicyclic azetidines has shown the potential to prevent malaria transmission, provide prophylaxis, and offer single-dose cure in animal models of malaria. To date, however, the molecular basis of Plasmodium cFRS inhibition by bicyclic azetidines has remained unknown. Here, we present structural and biochemical evidence that bicyclic azetidines are competitive inhibitors of L-Phe, one of three substrates required for the cFRS-catalyzed aminoacylation reaction that underpins protein synthesis in the parasite. Critically, our co-crystal structure of a PvcFRS-BRD1389 complex shows that the bicyclic azetidine ligand binds to two distinct sub-sites within the PvcFRS catalytic site. The ligand occupies the L-Phe site along with an auxiliary cavity and traverses past the ATP binding site. Given that BRD1389 recognition residues are conserved amongst apicomplexan FRSs, this work lays a structural framework for the development of drugs against both Plasmodium and related apicomplexans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manmohan Sharma
- Molecular Medicine, Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
- Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Nipun Malhotra
- Molecular Medicine, Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Manickam Yogavel
- Molecular Medicine, Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Karl Harlos
- Division of Structural Biology, Welcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, England
| | - Bruno Melillo
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Eamon Comer
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Arthur Gonse
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Suhel Parvez
- Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Branko Mitasev
- Eisai Inc., 35 Cambridgepark Drive Suite 200, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
| | - Francis G Fang
- Eisai Inc., 35 Cambridgepark Drive Suite 200, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
| | - Stuart L Schreiber
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Amit Sharma
- Molecular Medicine, Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
- National Institute of Malarial Research, Sector 8 Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wang H, Xu M, Engelhart CA, Zhang X, Yan B, Pan M, Xu Y, Fan S, Liu R, Xu L, Hua L, Schnappinger D, Chen S. Rediscovery of PF-3845 as a new chemical scaffold inhibiting phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100257. [PMID: 33837735 PMCID: PMC7948948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains the deadliest pathogenic bacteria worldwide. The search for new antibiotics to treat drug-sensitive as well as drug-resistant tuberculosis has become a priority. The essential enzyme phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS) is an antibacterial drug target because of the large differences between bacterial and human PheRS counterparts. In a high-throughput screening of 2148 bioactive compounds, PF-3845, which is a known inhibitor of human fatty acid amide hydrolase, was identified inhibiting Mtb PheRS at Ki ∼ 0.73 ± 0.06 μM. The inhibition mechanism was studied with enzyme kinetics, protein structural modeling, and crystallography, in comparison to a PheRS inhibitor of the noted phenyl–thiazolylurea–sulfonamide class. The 2.3-Å crystal structure of Mtb PheRS in complex with PF-3845 revealed its novel binding mode, in which a trifluoromethyl–pyridinylphenyl group occupies the phenylalanine pocket, whereas a piperidine–piperazine urea group binds into the ATP pocket through an interaction network enforced by a sulfate ion. It represents the first non-nucleoside bisubstrate competitive inhibitor of bacterial PheRS. PF-3845 inhibits the in vitro growth of Mtb H37Rv at ∼24 μM, and the potency of PF-3845 increased against an engineered strain Mtb pheS–FDAS, suggesting on target activity in mycobacterial whole cells. PF-3845 does not inhibit human cytoplasmic or mitochondrial PheRS in biochemical assay, which can be explained from the crystal structures. Further medicinal chemistry efforts focused on the piperidine–piperazine urea moiety may result in the identification of a selective antibacterial lead compound.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heng Wang
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Min Xu
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Curtis A Engelhart
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xi Zhang
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Baohua Yan
- Center of Protein Science Facility, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Miaomiao Pan
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Xu
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Shilong Fan
- Center of Protein Science Facility, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Renhe Liu
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Lan Xu
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Lan Hua
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Dirk Schnappinger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shawn Chen
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Haidian, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
ProtCID: a data resource for structural information on protein interactions. Nat Commun 2020; 11:711. [PMID: 32024829 PMCID: PMC7002494 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14301-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural information on the interactions of proteins with other molecules is plentiful, and for some proteins and protein families, there may be 100s of available structures. It can be very difficult for a scientist who is not trained in structural bioinformatics to access this information comprehensively. Previously, we developed the Protein Common Interface Database (ProtCID), which provided clusters of the interfaces of full-length protein chains as a means of identifying biological assemblies. Because proteins consist of domains that act as modular functional units, we have extended the analysis in ProtCID to the individual domain level. This has greatly increased the number of large protein-protein clusters in ProtCID, enabling the generation of hypotheses on the structures of biological assemblies of many systems. The analysis of domain families allows us to extend ProtCID to the interactions of domains with peptides, nucleic acids, and ligands. ProtCID provides complete annotations and coordinate sets for every cluster. The authors previously developed the Protein Common Interface Database (ProtCID), which compares and clusters the interfaces of pairs of full-length protein chains with defined Pfam domain architectures in different PDB entries to identify biological assemblies. Here the authors extend ProtCID to the clustering of domain-domain interactions that also allows analyzing domain interactions with peptides, nucleic acids, and ligands.
Collapse
|
20
|
Krenke K, Szczałuba K, Bielecka T, Rydzanicz M, Lange J, Koppolu A, Płoski R. FARSA
mutations mimic phenylalanyl‐tRNA synthetase deficiency caused by
FARSB
defects. Clin Genet 2019; 96:468-472. [DOI: 10.1111/cge.13614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Krenke
- Department of Pediatric Pneumonology and AllergyMedical University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| | | | - Teresa Bielecka
- Department of Pediatric Pneumonology and AllergyMedical University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| | | | - Joanna Lange
- Department of Pediatric Pneumonology and AllergyMedical University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| | - Agnieszka Koppolu
- Department of Medical GeneticsMedical University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
- Postgraduate School of Molecular MedicineMedical University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| | - Rafał Płoski
- Department of Medical GeneticsMedical University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zadjali F, Al-Yahyaee A, Al-Nabhani M, Al-Mubaihsi S, Gujjar A, Raniga S, Al-Maawali A. Homozygosity for FARSB
mutation leads to Phe-tRNA synthetase-related disease of growth restriction, brain calcification, and interstitial lung disease. Hum Mutat 2018; 39:1355-1359. [DOI: 10.1002/humu.23595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fahad Zadjali
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences; Sultan Qaboos University; Muscat Oman
| | - Aida Al-Yahyaee
- Department of Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences; Sultan Qaboos University; Muscat Oman
| | - Maryam Al-Nabhani
- Genetic and Developmental Medicine Clinic; Sultan Qaboos University Hospital; Muscat Oman
| | | | | | - Sameer Raniga
- Department of Radiology and Molecular Imaging; Sultan Qaboos University; Muscat Oman
| | - Almundher Al-Maawali
- Department of Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences; Sultan Qaboos University; Muscat Oman
- Genetic and Developmental Medicine Clinic; Sultan Qaboos University Hospital; Muscat Oman
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Xu Z, Lo WS, Beck DB, Schuch LA, Oláhová M, Kopajtich R, Chong YE, Alston CL, Seidl E, Zhai L, Lau CF, Timchak D, LeDuc CA, Borczuk AC, Teich AF, Juusola J, Sofeso C, Müller C, Pierre G, Hilliard T, Turnpenny PD, Wagner M, Kappler M, Brasch F, Bouffard JP, Nangle LA, Yang XL, Zhang M, Taylor RW, Prokisch H, Griese M, Chung WK, Schimmel P. Bi-allelic Mutations in Phe-tRNA Synthetase Associated with a Multi-system Pulmonary Disease Support Non-translational Function. Am J Hum Genet 2018; 103:100-114. [PMID: 29979980 PMCID: PMC6035289 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The tRNA synthetases catalyze the first step of protein synthesis and have increasingly been studied for their nuclear and extra-cellular ex-translational activities. Human genetic conditions such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth have been attributed to dominant gain-of-function mutations in some tRNA synthetases. Unlike dominantly inherited gain-of-function mutations, recessive loss-of-function mutations can potentially elucidate ex-translational activities. We present here five individuals from four families with a multi-system disease associated with bi-allelic mutations in FARSB that encodes the beta chain of the alpha2beta2 phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase (FARS). Collectively, the mutant alleles encompass a 5'-splice junction non-coding variant (SJV) and six missense variants, one of which is shared by unrelated individuals. The clinical condition is characterized by interstitial lung disease, cerebral aneurysms and brain calcifications, and cirrhosis. For the SJV, we confirmed exon skipping leading to a frameshift associated with noncatalytic activity. While the bi-allelic combination of the SJV with a p.Arg305Gln missense mutation in two individuals led to severe disease, cells from neither the asymptomatic heterozygous carriers nor the compound heterozygous affected individual had any defect in protein synthesis. These results support a disease mechanism independent of tRNA synthetase activities in protein translation and suggest that this FARS activity is essential for normal function in multiple organs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwen Xu
- IAS HKUST - Scripps R&D Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Pangu Biopharma, Edinburgh Tower, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong, China; aTyr Pharma, 3545 John Hopkins Court, Suite 250, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Wing-Sze Lo
- IAS HKUST - Scripps R&D Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Pangu Biopharma, Edinburgh Tower, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong, China
| | - David B Beck
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Luise A Schuch
- Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Pneumology, University Hospital Munich, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337 München, Germany
| | - Monika Oláhová
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Institute of Neuroscience, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Robert Kopajtich
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Yeeting E Chong
- aTyr Pharma, 3545 John Hopkins Court, Suite 250, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Charlotte L Alston
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Institute of Neuroscience, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Elias Seidl
- Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Pneumology, University Hospital Munich, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337 München, Germany
| | - Liting Zhai
- IAS HKUST - Scripps R&D Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ching-Fun Lau
- IAS HKUST - Scripps R&D Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Pangu Biopharma, Edinburgh Tower, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong, China
| | - Donna Timchak
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Goryeb Children's Hospital, Atlantic Health System, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
| | - Charles A LeDuc
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alain C Borczuk
- Department of Pathology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Andrew F Teich
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | - Christina Sofeso
- Center for Human Genetics and Laboratory Diagnostics (AHC) Dr. Klein, Dr. Rost and Colleagues, Lochhamer Str. 29, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Christoph Müller
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, 79085 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Germaine Pierre
- Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol BS2 8BJ, UK
| | - Tom Hilliard
- Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol BS2 8BJ, UK
| | | | - Matias Wagner
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Institut für Neurogenomik, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Kappler
- Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Pneumology, University Hospital Munich, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337 München, Germany
| | - Frank Brasch
- Klinikum Bielefeld Mitte, Institute for Pathology, Teutoburger Straße 50, 33604 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - John Paul Bouffard
- Department Pathology, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
| | - Leslie A Nangle
- aTyr Pharma, 3545 John Hopkins Court, Suite 250, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Xiang-Lei Yang
- IAS HKUST - Scripps R&D Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; The Scripps Laboratories for tRNA Synthetase Research, The Scripps Research Institute, 10650 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Insitute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Mingjie Zhang
- IAS HKUST - Scripps R&D Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Robert W Taylor
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Institute of Neuroscience, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Holger Prokisch
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Griese
- Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Pneumology, University Hospital Munich, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337 München, Germany
| | - Wendy K Chung
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Paul Schimmel
- IAS HKUST - Scripps R&D Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; The Scripps Laboratories for tRNA Synthetase Research, The Scripps Research Institute, 10650 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; The Scripps Laboratories for tRNA Synthetase Research, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Antonellis A, Oprescu SN, Griffin LB, Heider A, Amalfitano A, Innis JW. Compound heterozygosity for loss-of-function FARSB variants in a patient with classic features of recessive aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-related disease. Hum Mutat 2018; 39:834-840. [PMID: 29573043 DOI: 10.1002/humu.23424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) are ubiquitously expressed enzymes that ligate amino acids onto tRNA molecules. Genes encoding ARSs have been implicated in phenotypically diverse dominant and recessive human diseases. The charging of tRNAPHE with phenylalanine is performed by a tetrameric enzyme that contains two alpha (FARSA) and two beta (FARSB) subunits. To date, mutations in the genes encoding these subunits (FARSA and FARSB) have not been implicated in any human disease. Here, we describe a patient with a severe, lethal, multisystem, developmental phenotype who was compound heterozygous for FARSB variants: p.Thr256Met and p.His496Lysfs*14. Expression studies using fibroblasts isolated from the proband revealed a severe depletion of both FARSB and FARSA protein levels. These data indicate that the FARSB variants destabilize total phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase levels, thus causing a loss-of-function effect. Importantly, our patient shows strong phenotypic overlap with patients that have recessive diseases associated with other ARS loci; these observations strongly support the pathogenicity of the identified FARSB variants and are consistent with the essential function of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase in human cells. In sum, our clinical, genetic, and functional analyses revealed the first FARSB variants associated with a human disease phenotype and expand the locus heterogeneity of ARS-related human disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Antonellis
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Stephanie N Oprescu
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Laurie B Griffin
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Amer Heider
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Andrea Amalfitano
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Jeffrey W Innis
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics, Metabolism, and Genomic Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Han L, Guy MP, Kon Y, Phizicky EM. Lack of 2'-O-methylation in the tRNA anticodon loop of two phylogenetically distant yeast species activates the general amino acid control pathway. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007288. [PMID: 29596413 PMCID: PMC5892943 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Modification defects in the tRNA anticodon loop often impair yeast growth and cause human disease. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the phylogenetically distant fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, trm7Δ mutants grow poorly due to lack of 2'-O-methylation of C32 and G34 in the tRNAPhe anticodon loop, and lesions in the human TRM7 homolog FTSJ1 cause non-syndromic X-linked intellectual disability (NSXLID). However, it is unclear why trm7Δ mutants grow poorly. We show here that despite the fact that S. cerevisiae trm7Δ mutants had no detectable tRNAPhe charging defect in rich media, the cells constitutively activated a robust general amino acid control (GAAC) response, acting through Gcn2, which senses uncharged tRNA. Consistent with reduced available charged tRNAPhe, the trm7Δ growth defect was suppressed by spontaneous mutations in phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS) or in the pol III negative regulator MAF1, and by overexpression of tRNAPhe, PheRS, or EF-1A; all of these also reduced GAAC activation. Genetic analysis also demonstrated that the trm7Δ growth defect was due to the constitutive robust GAAC activation as well as to the reduced available charged tRNAPhe. Robust GAAC activation was not observed with several other anticodon loop modification mutants. Analysis of S. pombe trm7 mutants led to similar observations. S. pombe Trm7 depletion also resulted in no observable tRNAPhe charging defect and a robust GAAC response, and suppressors mapped to PheRS and reduced GAAC activation. We speculate that GAAC activation is widely conserved in trm7 mutants in eukaryotes, including metazoans, and might play a role in FTSJ1-mediated NSXLID. The ubiquitous tRNA anticodon loop modifications have important but poorly understood functions in decoding mRNAs in the ribosome to ensure accurate and efficient protein synthesis, and their lack often impairs yeast growth and causes human disease. Here we investigate why ribose methylation of residues 32 and 34 in the anticodon loop is important. Mutations in the corresponding methyltransferase Trm7/FTSJ1 cause poor growth in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and near lethality in the evolutionarily distant fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, each due to reduced functional tRNAPhe. We previously showed that tRNAPhe anticodon loop modification in yeast and humans required two evolutionarily conserved Trm7 interacting proteins for Cm32 and Gm34 modification, which then stimulated G37 modification. We show here that both S. cerevisiae and S. pombe trm7Δ mutants have apparently normal tRNAPhe charging, but constitutively activate a robust general amino acid control (GAAC) response, acting through Gcn2, which senses uncharged tRNA. We also show that S. cerevisiae trm7Δ mutants grow poorly due in part to constitutive GAAC activation as well as to the uncharged tRNAPhe. We propose that TRM7 is important to prevent constitutive GAAC activation throughout eukaryotes, including metazoans, which may explain non-syndromic X-linked intellectual disability associated with human FTSJ1 mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Michael P. Guy
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY, United States of America
| | - Yoshiko Kon
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Eric M. Phizicky
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Teramoto H, Amano Y, Iraha F, Kojima K, Ito T, Sakamoto K. Genetic Code Expansion of the Silkworm Bombyx mori to Functionalize Silk Fiber. ACS Synth Biol 2018; 7:801-806. [PMID: 29480717 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The genetic code in bacteria and animal cells has been expanded to incorporate novel amino acids into proteins. Recent efforts have enabled genetic code expansion in nematodes, flies, and mice, whereas such engineering is rare with industrially useful animals. In the present study, we engineered the silkworm Bombyx mori to synthesize silk fiber functionalized with azidophenylalanine. For this purpose, we developed a bacterial system to screen for B. mori phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases with altered amino-acid specificity. We created four transgenic B. mori lines expressing the selected synthetase variants in silk glands, and found that two of them supported the efficient in vivo incorporation of azidophenylalanine into silk fiber. The obtained silk was bio-orthogonally reactive with fluorescent molecules. The results showed that genetic code expansion in an industrial animal can be facilitated by prior bacterial selection, to accelerate the development of silk fiber with novel properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Teramoto
- Division of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0035, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Amano
- Division of Structural and Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Fumie Iraha
- Division of Structural and Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Katsura Kojima
- Division of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0035, Japan
| | - Takuhiro Ito
- Division of Structural and Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kensaku Sakamoto
- Division of Structural and Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
Inhibition of tRNA aminoacylation has proven to be an effective antimicrobial strategy, impeding an essential step of protein synthesis. Mupirocin, the well-known selective inhibitor of bacterial isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, is one of three aminoacylation inhibitors now approved for human or animal use. However, design of novel aminoacylation inhibitors is complicated by the steadfast requirement to avoid off-target inhibition of protein synthesis in human cells. Here we review available data regarding known aminoacylation inhibitors as well as key amino-acid residues in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) and nucleotides in tRNA that determine the specificity and strength of the aaRS-tRNA interaction. Unlike most ligand-protein interactions, the aaRS-tRNA recognition interaction represents coevolution of both the tRNA and aaRS structures to conserve the specificity of aminoacylation. This property means that many determinants of tRNA recognition in pathogens have diverged from those of humans-a phenomenon that provides a valuable source of data for antimicrobial drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanne M Ho
- a Department of BioSciences , Rice University , Houston , TX , United States
| | | | - Dieter Söll
- c Departments of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry , Yale University , New Haven , CT , United States.,d Department of Chemistry , Yale University , New Haven , CT , United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kartvelishvili E, Tworowski D, Vernon H, Moor N, Wang J, Wong LJ, Chrzanowska-Lightowlers Z, Safro M. Kinetic and structural changes in HsmtPheRS, induced by pathogenic mutations in human FARS2. Protein Sci 2017; 26:1505-1516. [PMID: 28419689 PMCID: PMC5521548 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (mtaaRSs) can cause profound clinical presentations, and have manifested as diseases with very selective tissue specificity. To date most of the mtaaRS mutations could be phenotypically recognized, such that clinicians could identify the affected mtaaRS from the symptoms alone. Among the recently reported pathogenic variants are point mutations in FARS2 gene, encoding the human mitochondrial PheRS. Patient symptoms range from spastic paraplegia to fatal infantile Alpers encephalopathy. How clinical manifestations of these mutations relate to the changes in three-dimensional structures and kinetic characteristics remains unclear, although impaired aminoacylation has been proposed as possible etiology of diseases. Here, we report four crystal structures of HsmtPheRS mutants, and extensive MD simulations for wild-type and nine mutants to reveal the structural changes on dynamic trajectories of HsmtPheRS. Using steady-state kinetic measurements of phenylalanine activation and tRNAPhe aminoacylation, we gained insight into the structural and kinetic effects of mitochondrial disease-related mutations in FARS2 gene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dmitry Tworowski
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
| | - Hilary Vernon
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore
| | - Nina Moor
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry of Enzymes, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Jing Wang
- Ambry Genetics, California.,Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Lee-Jun Wong
- Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Mark Safro
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Exploring the binding sites of Staphylococcus aureus phenylalanine tRNA synthetase: A homology model approach. J Mol Graph Model 2017; 73:36-47. [PMID: 28235746 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2017.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Increased resistance of MRSA (multidrug resistance Staphylococcus aureus) to anti-infective drugs is a threat to global health necessitating the development of anti-infectives with novel mechanisms of action. Phenylalanine tRNA synthetase (PheRS) is a unique enzyme of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), which are essential enzymes for protein biosynthesis. PheRS is an (αb)2 tetrameric enzyme composed of two alpha subunits (PheS) and two larger beta subunits (PheT). Our potential target in the drug development for the treatment of MRSA infections is the phenylalanine tRNA synthetase alpha subunit that contains the binding site for the natural substrate. There is no crystal structure available for S. aureus PheRS, therefore comparative structure modeling is required to establish a putative 3D structure for the required enzyme enabling development of new inhibitors with greater selectivity. The S. aureus PheRS alpha subunit homology model was constructed using Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software. Staphylococcus haemolyticus PheRS was the main template while Thermus thermophilus PheRS was utilised to predict the enzyme binding with tRNAphe. The model has been evaluated and compared with the main template through Ramachandran plots, Verify 3D and Protein Statistical Analysis (ProSA). The query protein active site was predicted from its sequence using a conservation analysis tool. Docking suitable ligands using MOE into the constructed model were used to assess the predicted active sites. The docked ligands involved the PheRS natural substrate (phenylalanine), phenylalanyl-adenylate and several described S. aureus PheRS inhibitors.
Collapse
|
29
|
Conservation of coevolving protein interfaces bridges prokaryote-eukaryote homologies in the twilight zone. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:15018-15023. [PMID: 27965389 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1611861114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions are fundamental for the proper functioning of the cell. As a result, protein interaction surfaces are subject to strong evolutionary constraints. Recent developments have shown that residue coevolution provides accurate predictions of heterodimeric protein interfaces from sequence information. So far these approaches have been limited to the analysis of families of prokaryotic complexes for which large multiple sequence alignments of homologous sequences can be compiled. We explore the hypothesis that coevolution points to structurally conserved contacts at protein-protein interfaces, which can be reliably projected to homologous complexes with distantly related sequences. We introduce a domain-centered protocol to study the interplay between residue coevolution and structural conservation of protein-protein interfaces. We show that sequence-based coevolutionary analysis systematically identifies residue contacts at prokaryotic interfaces that are structurally conserved at the interface of their eukaryotic counterparts. In turn, this allows the prediction of conserved contacts at eukaryotic protein-protein interfaces with high confidence using solely mutational patterns extracted from prokaryotic genomes. Even in the context of high divergence in sequence (the twilight zone), where standard homology modeling of protein complexes is unreliable, our approach provides sequence-based accurate information about specific details of protein interactions at the residue level. Selected examples of the application of prokaryotic coevolutionary analysis to the prediction of eukaryotic interfaces further illustrate the potential of this approach.
Collapse
|
30
|
Valencia-Sánchez MI, Rodríguez-Hernández A, Ferreira R, Santamaría-Suárez HA, Arciniega M, Dock-Bregeon AC, Moras D, Beinsteiner B, Mertens H, Svergun D, Brieba LG, Grøtli M, Torres-Larios A. Structural Insights into the Polyphyletic Origins of Glycyl tRNA Synthetases. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:14430-46. [PMID: 27226617 PMCID: PMC4938167 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.730382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycyl tRNA synthetase (GlyRS) provides a unique case among class II aminoacyl tRNA synthetases, with two clearly widespread types of enzymes: a dimeric (α2) species present in some bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes; and a heterotetrameric form (α2β2) present in most bacteria. Although the differences between both types of GlyRS at the anticodon binding domain level are evident, the extent and implications of the variations in the catalytic domain have not been described, and it is unclear whether the mechanism of amino acid recognition is also dissimilar. Here, we show that the α-subunit of the α2β2 GlyRS from the bacterium Aquifex aeolicus is able to perform the first step of the aminoacylation reaction, which involves the activation of the amino acid with ATP. The crystal structure of the α-subunit in the complex with an analog of glycyl adenylate at 2.8 Å resolution presents a conformational arrangement that properly positions the cognate amino acid. This work shows that glycine is recognized by a subset of different residues in the two types of GlyRS. A structural and sequence analysis of class II catalytic domains shows that bacterial GlyRS is closely related to alanyl tRNA synthetase, which led us to define a new subclassification of these ancient enzymes and to propose an evolutionary path of α2β2 GlyRS, convergent with α2 GlyRS and divergent from AlaRS, thus providing a possible explanation for the puzzling existence of two proteins sharing the same fold and function but not a common ancestor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Igor Valencia-Sánchez
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Apartado Postal 70-243, Mexico City 04510, México
| | - Annia Rodríguez-Hernández
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Apartado Postal 70-243, Mexico City 04510, México, the Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Guanajuato 04510, México
| | - Ruben Ferreira
- the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Hugo Aníbal Santamaría-Suárez
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Apartado Postal 70-243, Mexico City 04510, México
| | - Marcelino Arciniega
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Apartado Postal 70-243, Mexico City 04510, México
| | | | - Dino Moras
- the Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, CNRS UMR 7104, 1 Rue Laurent Fries, Illkirch, France, and
| | - Brice Beinsteiner
- the Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, CNRS UMR 7104, 1 Rue Laurent Fries, Illkirch, France, and
| | - Haydyn Mertens
- the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, Hamburg 22603, Germany
| | - Dmitri Svergun
- the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, Hamburg 22603, Germany
| | - Luis G Brieba
- the Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato, Guanajuato 04510, México
| | - Morten Grøtli
- the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alfredo Torres-Larios
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Apartado Postal 70-243, Mexico City 04510, México,
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Kartvelishvili E, Peretz M, Tworowski D, Moor N, Safro M. Chimeric human mitochondrial PheRS exhibits editing activity to discriminate nonprotein amino acids. Protein Sci 2015; 25:618-26. [PMID: 26645192 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria are considered as the primary source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in nearly all eukaryotic cells during respiration. The harmful effects of these compounds range from direct neurotoxicity to incorporation into proteins producing aberrant molecules with multiple physiological problems. Phenylalanine exposure to ROS produces multiple oxidized isomers: tyrosine, Levodopa, ortho-Tyr, meta-Tyr (m-Tyr), and so on. Cytosolic phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS) exerts control over the translation accuracy, hydrolyzing misacylated products, while monomeric mitochondrial PheRS lacks the editing activity. Recently we showed that "teamwork" of cytosolic and mitochondrial PheRSs cannot prevent incorporation of m-Tyr and l-Dopa into proteins. Here, we present human mitochondrial chimeric PheRS with implanted editing module taken from EcPheRS. The monomeric mitochondrial chimera possesses editing activity, while in bacterial and cytosolic PheRSs this type of activity was detected for the (αβ)2 architecture only. The fusion protein catalyzes aminoacylation of tRNA(Phe) with cognate phenylalanine and effectively hydrolyzes the noncognate aminoacyl-tRNAs: Tyr-tRNA(Phe) and m-Tyr-tRNA(Phe) .
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Moshe Peretz
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Dmitry Tworowski
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Nina Moor
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Mark Safro
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Kugimiya A, Konishi H, Fukada R. Flow Analysis of Amino Acids by Using a Newly Developed Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase-Immobilized, Small Reactor Column-Based Assay. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2015; 178:924-31. [PMID: 26554858 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-015-1918-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal concentrations of amino acids in blood and urine can be indicative of several diseases, including cancer and diabetes. Therefore, analyses that examine amino acid concentrations are useful for the diagnosis of such diseases. In this study, we developed an enzyme-immobilized, small reactor column for flow analysis of amino acid concentrations. For the recognition of asparagine and lysine, asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase and lysyl-tRNA synthase were immobilized onto microparticles, respectively, and coupled with coloration reagents for spectrophotometric detection. This assay has some advantages in the analytical field, such as the ability to detect small amounts of analyte, allowing for the use of a small reaction volume, and ensuring a rapid and efficient reaction rate. This approach provided selective quantitation of up to 480 μM of asparagine and lysine in 200 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.0).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akimitsu Kugimiya
- Center for Industry and Public Relations, Hiroshima City University, 3-8-24 Senda-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, 730-0052, Japan.
| | - Hidenori Konishi
- Center for Industry and Public Relations, Hiroshima City University, 3-8-24 Senda-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, 730-0052, Japan
| | - Rie Fukada
- Center for Industry and Public Relations, Hiroshima City University, 3-8-24 Senda-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, 730-0052, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Kwon I, Lim SI. Tailoring the substrate specificity of yeast phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase toward a phenylalanine analog using multiple-site-specific incorporation. ACS Synth Biol 2015; 4:634-43. [PMID: 25268049 DOI: 10.1021/sb500309r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
A yeast phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase variant with T415G mutation (yPheRS (T415G)) was rationally designed to recognize various phenylalanine (Phe) analogs allowing site-specific incorporation into an amber site of a protein in E. coli. However, the relaxed substrate specificity of yPheRS (T415G) led to a significant tryptophan (Trp) misincorporation restricting the utility of yPheRS for biosynthesis of proteins containing a Phe analog. In order to obtain yPheRS variants with high substrate-specificity toward a Phe analog, we developed a general high-throughput screening method. This method uses fluorescence reduction of green fluorescence protein (GFP) upon efficient introduction of a Phe analog into multiple sites of GFP by breaking the degeneracy of the Phe codons. Combined use of positive and negative screenings of a yPheRS saturation library led to a yPheRS variant (yPheRS_naph) very selective toward 2-l-naphthylalanine (2Nal), a model Phe analog. The yPheRS_naph exhibited 6-fold higher relative activity toward 2Nal (vs Trp) in ATP-PPi exchange assays and led to high-fidelity incorporation of 2Nal into an amber site of murine dihydrofolate reductase in both minimal and rich media. These results successfully demonstrate that the high-throughput screening method developed can be used to evolve yPheRS to be very selective toward a Phe analog.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inchan Kwon
- School
of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4741, United States
| | - Sung In Lim
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4741, United States
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Plasmodium falciparum mitochondria import tRNAs along with an active phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. Biochem J 2015; 465:459-69. [PMID: 25391660 DOI: 10.1042/bj20140998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The Plasmodium falciparum protein translation enzymes aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are an emergent family of drug targets. The aaRS ensemble catalyses transfer of amino acids to cognate tRNAs, thus providing charged tRNAs for ribosomal consumption. P. falciparum proteome expression relies on a total of 36 aaRSs for the three translationally independent compartments of cytoplasm, apicoplast and mitochondria. In the present study, we show that, of this set of 36, a single genomic copy of mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (mFRS) is targeted to the parasite mitochondria, and that the mFRS gene is exclusive to malaria parasites within the apicomplexan phyla. Our protein cellular localization studies based on immunofluorescence data show that, along with mFRS, P. falciparum harbours two more phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (FRS) assemblies that are localized to its apicoplast and cytoplasm. The 'extra' mFRS is found in mitochondria of all asexual blood stage parasites and is competent in aminoacylation. We show further that the parasite mitochondria import tRNAs from the cytoplasmic tRNA pool. Hence drug targeting of FRSs presents a unique opportunity to potentially stall protein production in all three parasite translational compartments.
Collapse
|
35
|
Universal pathway for posttransfer editing reactions: insights from the crystal structure of TtPheRS with puromycin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:3967-72. [PMID: 25775602 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1414852112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
At the amino acid binding and recognition step, phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS) faces the challenge of discrimination between cognate phenylalanine and closely similar noncognate tyrosine. Resampling of Tyr-tRNA(Phe) to PheRS increasing the number of correctly charged tRNA molecules has recently been revealed. Thus, the very same editing site of PheRS promotes hydrolysis of misacylated tRNA species, associated both with cis- and trans-editing pathways. Here we report the crystal structure of Thermus thermophilus PheRS (TtPheRS) at 2.6 Å resolution, in complex with phenylalanine and antibiotic puromycin mimicking the A76 of tRNA acylated with tyrosine. Starting from the complex structure and using a hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics approach, we investigate the pathways of editing reaction catalyzed by TtPheRS. We show that both 2' and 3' isomeric esters undergo mutual transformation via the cyclic intermediate orthoester, and the editing site can readily accommodate a model of Tyr-tRNA(Phe) where deacylation occurs from either the 2'- or 3'-OH. The suggested pathway of the hydrolytic reaction at the editing site of PheRS is of sufficient generality to warrant comparison with other class I and class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.
Collapse
|
36
|
Abstract
Proteomic analysis of rare cells in heterogeneous environments presents difficult challenges. Systematic methods are needed to enrich, identify, and quantify proteins expressed in specific cells in complex biological systems including multicellular plants and animals. Here, we have engineered a Caenorhabditis elegans phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase capable of tagging proteins with the reactive noncanonical amino acid p-azido-L-phenylalanine. We achieved spatiotemporal selectivity in the labeling of C. elegans proteins by controlling expression of the mutant synthetase using cell-selective (body wall muscles, intestinal epithelial cells, neurons, and pharyngeal muscle) or state-selective (heat-shock) promoters in several transgenic lines. Tagged proteins are distinguished from the rest of the protein pool through bioorthogonal conjugation of the azide side chain to probes that permit visualization and isolation of labeled proteins. By coupling our methodology with stable-isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (SILAC), we successfully profiled proteins expressed in pharyngeal muscle cells, and in the process, identified proteins not previously known to be expressed in these cells. Our results show that tagging proteins with spatiotemporal selectivity can be achieved in C. elegans and illustrate a convenient and effective approach for unbiased discovery of proteins expressed in targeted subsets of cells.
Collapse
|
37
|
Popp O, Larraillet V, Kettenberger H, Gorr IH, Hilger M, Lipsmeier F, Zeck A, Beaucamp N. Molecular polygamy: The promiscuity of l-phenylalanyl-tRNA-synthetase triggers misincorporation of meta- and ortho-tyrosine in monoclonal antibodies expressed by Chinese hamster ovary cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2015; 112:1187-99. [PMID: 25545851 DOI: 10.1002/bit.25528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In-depth analytical characterization of biotherapeutics originating from different production batches is mandatory to ensure product safety and consistent molecule efficacy. Previously, we have shown unintended incorporation of tyrosine (Tyr) and leucine/isoleucine (Leu/Ile) at phenylalanine (Phe) positions in a recombinant produced monoclonal antibody (mAb) using an orthogonal MASCOT/SIEVE based approach for mass spectrometry data analysis. The misincorporation could be avoided by sufficient supply of phenylalanine throughout the process. Several non-annotated signals in the primarily chromatographic peptide separation step for apparently single Phe→Tyr sequence variants (SVs) suggest a role for isobar tyrosine isoforms. Meta- and ortho-Tyr are spontaneously generated during aerobic fed-batch production processes using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. Process induced meta- and ortho-Tyr but not proteinogenic para-Tyr are incorporated at Phe locations in Phe-starved CHO cultures expressing a recombinant mAb. Furthermore, meta- and ortho-Tyr are preferably misincorporated over Leu. Structural modeling of the l-phenylalanyl-tRNA-synthetase (PheRS) substrate activation site indicates a possible fit of non-cognate ortho-Tyr and meta-Tyr substrates. Dose-dependent misincorporations of Tyr isoforms support the hypothesis that meta- and ortho-Tyr are competing, alternative substrates for PheRS in CHO processes. Finally, easily accessible at-line surrogate markers for Phe→Tyr SV formation in biotherapeutic production were defined by the calculation of critical ratios for meta-Tyr/Phe and ortho-Tyr/Phe to support early prediction of SV probability, and finally, to allow for immediate process controlled Phe→Tyr SV prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Popp
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Cell Culture Research, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Nonnenwald 2, 82377 Penzberg, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Double-sieving-defective aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase causes protein mistranslation and affects cellular physiology and development. Nat Commun 2014; 5:5650. [PMID: 25427601 PMCID: PMC4263187 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) constitute a family of ubiquitously expressed essential enzymes that ligate amino acids to their cognate tRNAs for protein synthesis. Recently, aaRS mutations have been linked to various human diseases; however, how these mutations lead to diseases has remained unclear. In order to address the importance of aminoacylation fidelity in multicellular organisms, we generated an amino-acid double-sieving model in Drosophila melanogaster using phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS). Double-sieving-defective mutations dramatically misacylate non-cognate Tyr, induce protein mistranslation and cause endoplasmic reticulum stress in flies. Mutant adults exhibit many defects, including loss of neuronal cells, impaired locomotive performance, shortened lifespan and smaller organ size. At the cellular level, the mutations reduce cell proliferation and promote cell death. Our results also reveal the particular importance of the first amino-acid recognition sieve. Overall, these findings provide new mechanistic insights into how malfunctioning of aaRSs can cause diseases. Accurate loading of amino acids to their cognate tRNA is essential to avoid mistranslation during protein synthesis, which has been linked to human diseases. Here, Lu et al. present a Drosophila model that demonstrates the necessity of two distinct ‘sieves’ to ensure accurate amino acid loading for proper development.
Collapse
|
39
|
Yang XL. Structural disorder in expanding the functionome of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 20:1093-9. [PMID: 24054183 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2013] [Revised: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/31/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs) have emerged as a new class of regulatory proteins with widespread functions beyond their classic role in protein synthesis. The functional expansion concurs with the incorporation of new domains and motifs to AARSs and coincides with the emergence of the multi-synthetase complex (MSC) during the course of eukaryotic evolution. Notably, the new domains in AARSs are often found to be structurally disordered or to be linked to the enzyme cores via unstructured linkers. We performed bioinformatic analysis and classified the 20 human cytoplasmic AARSs into three groups based on their propensities for structural disorder. The analysis also suggests that, while the assembly of the MSC mainly involves ordered structural domains, structurally disordered regions play an important role in activating and expanding the regulatory functions of AARSs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Lei Yang
- Departments of Chemical Physiology and Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Abstract
When compared to other conserved housekeeping protein families, such as ribosomal proteins, during the evolution of higher eukaryotes, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) show an apparent high propensity to add new sequences, and especially new domains. The stepwise emergence of those new domains is consistent with their involvement in a broad range of biological functions beyond protein synthesis, and correlates with the increasing biological complexity of higher organisms. These new domains have been extensively characterized based on their evolutionary origins and their sequence, structural, and functional features. While some of the domains are uniquely found in aaRSs and may have originated from nucleic acid binding motifs, others are common domain modules mediating protein-protein interactions that play a critical role in the assembly of the multi-synthetase complex (MSC). Interestingly, the MSC has emerged from a miniature complex in yeast to a large stable complex in humans. The human MSC consists of nine aaRSs (LysRS, ArgRS, GlnRS, AspRS, MetRS, IleRS, LeuRS, GluProRS, and bifunctional aaRs) and three scaffold proteins (AIMP1/p43, AIMP2/p38, and AIMP3/p18), and has a molecular weight of 1.5 million Dalton. The MSC has been proposed to have a functional dualism: facilitating protein synthesis and serving as a reservoir of non-canonical functions associated with its synthetase and non-synthetase components. Importantly, domain additions and functional expansions are not limited to the components of the MSC and are found in almost all aaRS proteins. From a structural perspective, multi-functionalities are represented by multiple conformational states. In fact, alternative conformations of aaRSs have been generated by various mechanisms from proteolysis to alternative splicing and posttranslational modifications, as well as by disease-causing mutations. Therefore, the metamorphosis between different conformational states is connected to the activation and regulation of the novel functions of aaRSs in higher eukaryotes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Guo
- Department of Cancer Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33410, USA,
| | - Xiang-Lei Yang
- Department of Cancer Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Safro M, Klipcan L. The mechanistic and evolutionary aspects of the 2'- and 3'-OH paradigm in biosynthetic machinery. Biol Direct 2013; 8:17. [PMID: 23835000 PMCID: PMC3716924 DOI: 10.1186/1745-6150-8-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The translation machinery underlies a multitude of biological processes within the cell. The design and implementation of the modern translation apparatus on even the simplest course of action is extremely complex, and involves different RNA and protein factors. According to the "RNA world" idea, the critical link in the translation machinery may be assigned to an adaptor tRNA molecule. Its exceptional functional and structural characteristics are of primary importance in understanding the evolutionary relationships among all these macromolecular components. PRESENTATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS The 2'-3' hydroxyls of the tRNA A76 constitute chemical groups of critical functional importance, as they are implicated in almost all phases of protein biosynthesis. They contribute to: a) each step of the tRNA aminoacylation reaction catalyzed by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs); b) the isomerase activity of EF-Tu, involving a mixture of the 2'(3')- aminoacyl tRNA isomers as substrates, thereby producing the required combination of amino acid and tRNA; and c) peptide bond formation at the peptidyl transferase center (PTC) of the ribosome. We hypothesize that specific functions assigned to the 2'-3' hydroxyls during peptide bond formation co-evolved, together with two modes of attack on the aminoacyl-adenylate carbonyl typical for two classes of aaRSs, and alongside the isomerase activity of EF-Tu. Protein components of the translational apparatus are universally recognized as being of ancient origin, possibly replacing RNA-based enzymes that may have existed before the last universal common ancestor (LUCA). We believe that a remnant of these processes is still imprinted on the organization of modern-day translation. TESTING AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE HYPOTHESIS Earlier publications indicate that it is possible to select ribozymes capable of attaching the aa-AMP moiety to RNA molecules. The scenario described herein would gain general acceptance, if a ribozyme able to activate the amino acid and transfer it onto the terminal ribose of the tRNA, would be found in any life form, or generated in vitro. Interestingly, recent studies have demonstrated the plausibility of using metals, likely abandoned under primordial conditions, as biomimetic catalysts of the aminoacylation reaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Safro
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl Street, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
| | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Yao P, Poruri K, Martinis SA, Fox PL. Non-catalytic Regulation of Gene Expression by Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2013; 344:167-87. [DOI: 10.1007/128_2013_422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
|
43
|
Perona JJ, Hadd A. Structural diversity and protein engineering of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Biochemistry 2012; 51:8705-29. [PMID: 23075299 DOI: 10.1021/bi301180x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) are the enzymes that ensure faithful transmission of genetic information in all living cells, and are central to the developing technologies for expanding the capacity of the translation apparatus to incorporate nonstandard amino acids into proteins in vivo. The 24 known aaRS families are divided into two classes that exhibit functional evolutionary convergence. Each class features an active site domain with a common fold that binds ATP, the amino acid, and the 3'-terminus of tRNA, embellished by idiosyncratic further domains that bind distal portions of the tRNA and enhance specificity. Fidelity in the expression of the genetic code requires that the aaRS be selective for both amino acids and tRNAs, a substantial challenge given the presence of structurally very similar noncognate substrates of both types. Here we comprehensively review central themes concerning the architectures of the protein structures and the remarkable dual-substrate selectivities, with a view toward discerning the most important issues that still substantially limit our capacity for rational protein engineering. A suggested general approach to rational design is presented, which should yield insight into the identities of the protein-RNA motifs at the heart of the genetic code, while also offering a basis for improving the catalytic properties of engineered tRNA synthetases emerging from genetic selections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John J Perona
- Department of Chemistry, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon 97207, United States.
| | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Guo M, Schimmel P. Structural analyses clarify the complex control of mistranslation by tRNA synthetases. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2011; 22:119-26. [PMID: 22155179 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2011.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2011] [Revised: 11/13/2011] [Accepted: 11/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Proteins are precisely assembled with amino acids by matching the anticodons of charged transfer RNAs to nucleotide triplets in mRNA sequences. Accurate translation depends on the specific coupling of cognate amino acids and tRNAs - a step carried out by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) and that generates the genetic code. Owing to their intrinsic similarity, aaRSs developed highly differentiated structures to discriminate between amino acids at the active site for aminoacylation. Because this discrimination is not sufficient to prevent toxic mistranslation, aaRSs developed separate structures to further refine recognition by proofreading. From comprehensive structural studies on aaRSs, many of the molecular details have been elucidated for the recognition of cognate amino acids and for the misactivation and editing of noncognate amino acids, Here we review recent advances in the structural description of the binding, activation and editing of amino acids, which collectively reveal many aspects of the fine-tuned systems that resulted in a robust and universal genetic code.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Guo
- Department of Cancer Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Klipcan L, Moor N, Finarov I, Kessler N, Sukhanova M, Safro MG. Crystal structure of human mitochondrial PheRS complexed with tRNA(Phe) in the active "open" state. J Mol Biol 2011; 415:527-37. [PMID: 22137894 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2011] [Accepted: 11/14/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Monomeric human mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS), or hmPheRS, is the smallest known enzyme exhibiting aminoacylation activity. HmPheRS consists of only two structural domains and differs markedly from heterodimeric eukaryotic cytosolic and bacterial analogs both in the domain organization and in the mode of tRNA binding. Here, we describe the first crystal structure of mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) complexed with tRNA at a resolution of 3.0 Å. Unlike bacterial PheRSs, the hmPheRS recognizes C74, the G1-C72 base pair, and the "discriminator" base A73, proposed to contribute to tRNA(Phe) identity in the yeast mitochondrial enzyme. An interaction of the tRNA acceptor stem with the signature motif 2 residues of hmPheRS is of critical importance for the stabilization of the CCA-extended conformation and its correct placement in the synthetic site of the enzyme. The crystal structure of hmPheRS-tRNA(Phe) provides direct evidence that the formation of the complex with tRNA requires a significant rearrangement of the anticodon-binding domain from the "closed" to the productive "open" state. Global repositioning of the domain is tRNA modulated and governed by long-range electrostatic interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liron Klipcan
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Hertzel Street, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Kast P. Making Proteins with Unnatural Amino Acids: The First Engineered Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase Revisited. Chembiochem 2011; 12:2395-8. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201100533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
47
|
Mermershtain I, Finarov I, Klipcan L, Kessler N, Rozenberg H, Safro MG. Idiosyncrasy and identity in the prokaryotic Phe-system: crystal structure of E. coli phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase complexed with phenylalanine and AMP. Protein Sci 2011; 20:160-7. [PMID: 21082706 DOI: 10.1002/pro.549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The crystal structure of Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from E. coli (EcPheRS), a class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, complexed with phenylalanine and AMP was determined at 3.05 Å resolution. EcPheRS is a (αβ)₂ heterotetramer: the αβ heterodimer of EcPheRS consists of 11 structural domains. Three of them: the N-terminus, A1 and A2 belong to the α-subunit and B1-B8 domains to the β subunit. The structure of EcPheRS revealed that architecture of four helix-bundle interface, characteristic of class IIc heterotetrameric aaRSs, is changed: each of the two long helices belonging to CLM transformed into the coil-short helix structural fragments. The N-terminal domain of the α-subunit in EcPheRS forms compact triple helix domain. This observation is contradictory to the structure of the apo form of TtPheRS, where N-terminal domain was not detected in the electron density map. Comparison of EcPheRS structure with TtPheRS has uncovered significant rearrangements of the structural domains involved in tRNA(Phe) binding/translocation. As it follows from modeling experiments, to achieve a tighter fit with anticodon loop of tRNA, a shift of ∼5 Å is required for C-terminal domain B8, and of ∼6 to 7 Å for the whole N terminus. EcPheRSs have emerged as an important target for the incorporation of novel amino acids into genetic code. Further progress in design of novel compounds is anticipated based on the structural data of EcPheRS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inbal Mermershtain
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Klipcan L, Finarov I, Moor N, Safro MG. Structural Aspects of Phenylalanylation and Quality Control in Three Major Forms of Phenylalanyl-tRNA Synthetase. JOURNAL OF AMINO ACIDS 2010; 2010:983503. [PMID: 22331999 PMCID: PMC3275996 DOI: 10.4061/2010/983503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2010] [Accepted: 05/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are a canonical set of enzymes that specifically attach corresponding amino acids to their cognate transfer RNAs in the cytoplasm, mitochondria, and nucleus. The aaRSs display great differences in primary sequence, subunit size, and quaternary structure. Existence of three types of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS)—bacterial (αβ)2, eukaryotic/archaeal cytosolic (αβ)2, and mitochondrial α—is a prominent example of structural diversity within the aaRSs family. Although archaeal/eukaryotic and bacterial PheRSs share common topology of the core domains and the B3/B4 interface, where editing activity of heterotetrameric PheRSs is localized, the detailed investigation of the three-dimensional structures from three kingdoms revealed significant variations in the local design of their synthetic and editing sites. Moreover, as might be expected from structural data eubacterial, Thermus thermophilus and human cytoplasmic PheRSs acquire different patterns of tRNAPhe anticodon recognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liron Klipcan
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, P.O. Box 26, 76100 Rehovot, Israel
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|