1
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Martínez-Pacheco ML, Hernández-Lemus E, Mejía C. Analysis of High-Risk Neuroblastoma Transcriptome Reveals Gene Co-Expression Signatures and Functional Features. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1230. [PMID: 37759629 PMCID: PMC10525871 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma represents a neoplastic expansion of neural crest cells in the developing sympathetic nervous system and is childhood's most common extracranial solid tumor. The heterogeneity of gene expression in different types of cancer is well-documented, and genetic features of neuroblastoma have been described by classification, development stage, malignancy, and progression of tumors. Here, we aim to analyze RNA sequencing datasets, publicly available in the GDC data portal, of neuroblastoma tumor samples from various patients and compare them with normal adrenal gland tissue from the GTEx data portal to elucidate the gene expression profile and regulation networks they share. Our results from the differential expression, weighted correlation network, and functional enrichment analyses that we performed with the count data from neuroblastoma and standard normal gland samples indicate that the analysis of transcriptome data from 58 patients diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma shares the expression pattern of 104 genes. More importantly, our analyses identify the co-expression relationship and the role of these genes in multiple biological processes and signaling pathways strongly associated with this disease phenotype. Our approach proposes a group of genes and their biological functions to be further investigated as essential molecules and possible therapeutic targets of neuroblastoma regardless of the etiology of individual tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carmen Mejía
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro 76010, Mexico;
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2
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Wu T, Cai W, Chen X. Epigenetic regulation of neurotransmitter signaling in neurological disorders. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 184:106232. [PMID: 37479091 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106232] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmission signaling is a highly conserved system attributed to various regulatory events. The excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter systems have been extensively studied, and their role in neuronal cell proliferation, synaptogenesis and dendrite formation in the adult brain is well established. Recent research has shown that epigenetic regulation plays a crucial role in mediating the expression of key genes associated with neurotransmitter pathways, including neurotransmitter receptor and transporter genes. The dysregulation of these genes has been linked to a range of neurological disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. This article focuses on epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that control the expression of genes associated with four major chemical carriers in the brain: dopamine (DA), Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate and serotonin. Additionally, we explore how aberrant epigenetic regulation of these genes can contribute to the pathogenesis of relevant neurological disorders. By targeting the epigenetic mechanisms that control neurotransmitter gene expression, there is a promising opportunity to advance the development of more effective treatments for neurological disorders with the potential to significantly improve the quality of life of individuals impacted by these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyan Wu
- Institute of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Weili Cai
- School of Medical Technology, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huai'an 22305, China.
| | - Xi Chen
- Institute of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China.
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3
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Tu G, Xu B, Luo D, Liu J, Liu Z, Chen G, Xue W. Multi-state Model-Based Identification of Cryptic Allosteric Sites on Human Serotonin Transporter. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:1686-1694. [PMID: 37067527 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonin transporter (SERT) plays a fundamental role in taking the synaptic cleft serotonin back to the presynaptic neuron. The discovery of allosteric SERT modulators represents the next-generation medication for psychiatric disorders such as depression. Here, based on the cryo-EM structures of ibogaine in complex with SERT in distinct conformations, the multiple functional structures of the transporter bound to serotonin, including outward-open (OOholo), outward-occluded (OCholo), and inward-open (IOholo and IOholo'), were carefully characterized by induced-fit docking Gaussian-accelerated molecular dynamics (IFD-GaMD) simulation and the free-energy landscape analysis. Further MM/GBSA binding free energy, per-residue contribution, and molecular interaction fingerprint calculations revealed the interaction variations of serotonin with SERT in functional structures, which confirmed the allostery of SERT during serotonin reuptake. Moreover, five unique cryptic allosteric sites, which are druggable and capable of targeting by small molecules, were identified on the characterized multistate structures. These results provide structural and energetic information for the molecular mechanism of serotonin reuptake and will provide opportunities for the development of novel therapeutics based on the identified new allosteric sites on SERT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gao Tu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Binbin Xu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Ding Luo
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Zerong Liu
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Credit Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd., Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Credit Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd., Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Weiwei Xue
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
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4
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Beeraka NM, Vikram PRH, Greeshma MV, Uthaiah CA, Huria T, Liu J, Kumar P, Nikolenko VN, Bulygin KV, Sinelnikov MY, Sukocheva O, Fan R. Recent Investigations on Neurotransmitters' Role in Acute White Matter Injury of Perinatal Glia and Pharmacotherapies-Glia Dynamics in Stem Cell Therapy. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:2009-2026. [PMID: 35041139 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02700-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and cerebral palsy are two neurological disease conditions developed from the premyelinated white matter ischemic injury (WMI). The significant pathophysiology of these diseases is accompanied by the cognitive deficits due to the loss of function of glial cells and axons. White matter makes up 50% of the brain volume consisting of myelinated and non-myelinated axons, glia, blood vessels, optic nerves, and corpus callosum. Studies over the years have delineated the susceptibility of white matter towards ischemic injury especially during pregnancy (prenatal, perinatal) or immediately after child birth (postnatal). Impairment in membrane depolarization of neurons and glial cells by ischemia-invoked excitotoxicity is mediated through the overactivation of NMDA receptors or non-NMDA receptors by excessive glutamate influx, calcium, or ROS overload and has been some of the well-studied molecular mechanisms conducive to the injury of white matter. Expression of glutamate receptors (GluR) and transporters (GLT1, EACC1, and GST) has significant influence in glial and axonal-mediated injury of premyelinated white matter during PVL and cerebral palsy. Predominantly, the central premyelinated axons express extensive levels of functional NMDA GluR receptors to confer ischemic injury to premyelinated white matter which in turn invoke defects in neural plasticity. Several underlying molecular mechanisms are yet to be unraveled to delineate the complete pathophysiology of these prenatal neurological diseases for developing the novel therapeutic modalities to mitigate pathophysiology and premature mortality of newborn babies. In this review, we have substantially discussed the above multiple pathophysiological aspects of white matter injury along with glial dynamics, and the pharmacotherapies including recent insights into the application of MSCs as therapeutic modality in treating white matter injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narasimha M Beeraka
- Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, People's Republic of China
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CEMR), Department of Biochemistry, JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSS AHER), Mysuru, Karnataka, India
- Department of Human Anatomy, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), St. Trubetskaya, 8, bld. 2, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - P R Hemanth Vikram
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, JSS Pharmacy College, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - M V Greeshma
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CEMR), Department of Biochemistry, JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSS AHER), Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Chinnappa A Uthaiah
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CEMR), Department of Biochemistry, JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSS AHER), Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Tahani Huria
- Faculty of Medicine, Benghazi University, Benghazi, Libya
- Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Junqi Liu
- Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, People's Republic of China
| | - Pramod Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER-Guwahati), SilaKatamur (Halugurisuk), Changsari, Kamrup, 781101, Assam, India
| | - Vladimir N Nikolenko
- Department of Human Anatomy, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), St. Trubetskaya, 8, bld. 2, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Department of Normal and Topographic Anatomy, Faculty of Fundamental Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kirill V Bulygin
- Department of Human Anatomy, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), St. Trubetskaya, 8, bld. 2, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Mikhail Y Sinelnikov
- Department of Human Anatomy, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), St. Trubetskaya, 8, bld. 2, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Research Institute of Human Morphology, 3 Tsyurupy Street, Moscow, 117418, Russian Federation
| | - Olga Sukocheva
- Discipline of Health Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, 5042, Australia
| | - Ruitai Fan
- Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450000, People's Republic of China.
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5
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Chan MC, Selvam B, Young HJ, Procko E, Shukla D. The substrate import mechanism of the human serotonin transporter. Biophys J 2022; 121:715-730. [PMID: 35114149 PMCID: PMC8943754 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The serotonin transporter (SERT) initiates the reuptake of extracellular serotonin in the synapse to terminate neurotransmission. The cryogenic electron microscopy structures of SERT bound to ibogaine and the physiological substrate serotonin resolved in different states have provided a glimpse of the functional conformations at atomistic resolution. However, the conformational dynamics and structural transitions to intermediate states are not fully understood. Furthermore, the molecular basis of how serotonin is recognized and transported remains unclear. In this study, we performed unbiased microsecond-long simulations of the human SERT to investigate the structural dynamics to various intermediate states and elucidated the complete substrate import pathway. Using Markov state models, we characterized a sequential order of conformational-driven ion-coupled substrate binding and transport events and calculated the free energy barriers of conformation transitions associated with the import mechanism. We find that the transition from the occluded to inward-facing state is the rate-limiting step for substrate import and that the substrate decreases the free energy barriers to achieve the inward-facing state. Our study provides insights on the molecular basis of dynamics-driven ion-substrate recognition and transport of SERT that can serve as a model for other closely related neurotransmitter transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Chan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Balaji Selvam
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Heather J Young
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Diwakar Shukla
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.
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6
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Puthenveetil R, Christenson ET, Vinogradova O. New Horizons in Structural Biology of Membrane Proteins: Experimental Evaluation of the Role of Conformational Dynamics and Intrinsic Flexibility. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:227. [PMID: 35207148 PMCID: PMC8877495 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12020227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
A plethora of membrane proteins are found along the cell surface and on the convoluted labyrinth of membranes surrounding organelles. Since the advent of various structural biology techniques, a sub-population of these proteins has become accessible to investigation at near-atomic resolutions. The predominant bona fide methods for structure solution, X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, provide high resolution in three-dimensional space at the cost of neglecting protein motions through time. Though structures provide various rigid snapshots, only an amorphous mechanistic understanding can be inferred from interpolations between these different static states. In this review, we discuss various techniques that have been utilized in observing dynamic conformational intermediaries that remain elusive from rigid structures. More specifically we discuss the application of structural techniques such as NMR, cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography in studying protein dynamics along with complementation by conformational trapping by specific binders such as antibodies. We finally showcase the strength of various biophysical techniques including FRET, EPR and computational approaches using a multitude of succinct examples from GPCRs, transporters and ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robbins Puthenveetil
- Section on Structural and Chemical Biology of Membrane Proteins, Neurosciences and Cellular and Structural Biology Division, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 35A Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - Olga Vinogradova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
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7
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Occlusion of the human serotonin transporter is mediated by serotonin-induced conformational changes in the bundle domain. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101613. [PMID: 35065961 PMCID: PMC8867121 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101613] [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: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The human serotonin transporter (hSERT) terminates neurotransmission by removing serotonin (5HT) from the synaptic cleft, an essential process for proper functioning of serotonergic neurons. Structures of the hSERT have revealed its molecular architecture in four conformations, including the outward-open and occluded states, and show the transporter’s engagement with co-transported ions and the binding mode of inhibitors. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism by which the hSERT occludes and sequesters the substrate 5HT. This first step of substrate uptake into cells is a structural change consisting of the transition from the outward-open to the occluded state. Inhibitors such as the antidepressants citalopram, fluoxetine, and sertraline inhibit this step of the transport cycle. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we reached a fully occluded state, in which the transporter-bound 5HT becomes fully shielded from both sides of the membrane by two closed hydrophobic gates. Analysis of 5HT-triggered occlusion showed that bound 5HT serves as an essential trigger for transporter occlusion. Moreover, simulations revealed a complex sequence of steps and showed that movements of bundle domain helices are only partially correlated. 5HT-triggered occlusion is initially dominated by movements of transmembrane helix 1b, while in the final step, only transmembrane helix 6a moves and relaxes an intermediate change in its secondary structure.
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8
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The antidepressant drug vilazodone is an allosteric inhibitor of the serotonin transporter. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5063. [PMID: 34417466 PMCID: PMC8379219 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25363-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a common mental disorder. The standard medical treatment is the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). All characterized SSRIs are competitive inhibitors of the serotonin transporter (SERT). A non-competitive inhibitor may produce a more favorable therapeutic profile. Vilazodone is an antidepressant with limited information on its molecular interactions with SERT. Here we use molecular pharmacology and cryo-EM structural elucidation to characterize vilazodone binding to SERT. We find that it exhibits non-competitive inhibition of serotonin uptake and impedes dissociation of [3H]imipramine at low nanomolar concentrations. Our SERT structure with bound imipramine and vilazodone reveals a unique binding pocket for vilazodone, expanding the boundaries of the extracellular vestibule. Characterization of the binding site is substantiated with molecular dynamics simulations and systematic mutagenesis of interacting residues resulting in decreased vilazodone binding to the allosteric site. Our findings underline the versatility of SERT allosteric ligands and describe the unique binding characteristics of vilazodone. Vilazodone (VLZ) is a drug for the treatment of major depressive disorders that targets the serotonin transporter (SERT). Here, the authors combine pharmacology measurements and cryo-EM structural analysis to characterize VLZ binding to SERT and observe that VLZ exhibits non-competitive inhibition of serotonin transport and binds with nanomolar affinity to an allosteric site in SERT.
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9
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Efficient Sub-1 Minute Analysis of Selected Biomarker Catecholamines by Core-Shell Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC) with Nanomolar Detection at a Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) Electrode. SEPARATIONS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/separations8080124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A rapid, sensitive method for the separation of catecholamine biomarkers (CAs), of importance in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and in Parkinson’s disease (PD), has been successfully developed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). Dopamine (DA), epinephrine (EPI), and norepinephrine (NE) are known to be three to fivefold elevated above normal in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. HILIC facilitates the rapid and efficient separation of these polar biomarkers, which can be poorly retained by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), while electrochemical detection (ECD) at the boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode provides enhanced nanomolar detection. Three HILIC columns were compared, namely the superficially porous (core-shell) Z-HILIC column and the Z-cHILIC and Z-HILIC fully porous columns. The core-shell Z-HILIC showed the highest efficiency with a rapid separation within 60 s. The HILIC method utilizing the core-shell Z-HILIC column was initially optimized for the simultaneous analysis of DA, EPI, and NE using UV detection. The advantages of using the BDD electrode over UV detection were explored, and the improved limits of detection (LODs, S/N = 3) measured were 40, 50, and 50 nM for DA, EPI, and NE, respectively. Method validation is reported in terms of the linearity, repeatability, reproducibility, and LODs. Furthermore, the proposed method was successfully applied to the real sample analysis of urinary CAs following phenylboronic acid (PBA) solid phase extraction (SPE) pretreatment.
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10
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Ayala-Lopez N, Watts SW. Physiology and Pharmacology of Neurotransmitter Transporters. Compr Physiol 2021; 11:2279-2295. [PMID: 34190339 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c200035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of the ability of a neurotransmitter [our focus: serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine, glycine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)] to reach its receptor targets is regulated in part by controlling the access the neurotransmitter has to receptors. Transporters, located at both the cellular plasma membrane and in subcellular vesicles, carry a myriad of responsibilities that include enabling neurotransmitter release and controlling uptake of neurotransmitter back into a cell or vesicle. Driven largely by electrochemical gradients, these transporters move neurotransmitters. The regulation of the transporters themselves through changes in expression and/or posttranslational modification allows for fine-tuning of this system. Transporters have been best recognized as targets for psychoactive stimulants and remain a mainstay target of primarily central nervous system (CNS) acting drugs for treatment of debilitating diseases such as depression and anxiety. Studies reveal, however, that transporters are found and functional in tissues outside the CNS (gastrointestinal and cardiovascular tissues, for example). The importance of neurotransmitter transporters is underscored with discoveries that dysfunction of transporters can cause life-changing disease. This article provides a high-level review of major classes of both plasma membrane transporters and vesicular transporters. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:2279-2295, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Ayala-Lopez
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Stephanie W Watts
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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11
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Pidathala S, Mallela AK, Joseph D, Penmatsa A. Structural basis of norepinephrine recognition and transport inhibition in neurotransmitter transporters. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2199. [PMID: 33850134 PMCID: PMC8044178 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22385-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Norepinephrine is a biogenic amine neurotransmitter that has widespread effects on alertness, arousal and pain sensation. Consequently, blockers of norepinephrine uptake have served as vital tools to treat depression and chronic pain. Here, we employ the Drosophila melanogaster dopamine transporter as a surrogate for the norepinephrine transporter and determine X-ray structures of the transporter in its substrate-free and norepinephrine-bound forms. We also report structures of the transporter in complex with inhibitors of chronic pain including duloxetine, milnacipran and a synthetic opioid, tramadol. When compared to dopamine, we observe that norepinephrine binds in a different pose, in the vicinity of subsite C within the primary binding site. Our experiments reveal that this region is the binding site for chronic pain inhibitors and a determinant for norepinephrine-specific reuptake inhibition, thereby providing a paradigm for the design of specific inhibitors for catecholamine neurotransmitter transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Deepthi Joseph
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Aravind Penmatsa
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
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12
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Li F, Egea PF, Vecchio AJ, Asial I, Gupta M, Paulino J, Bajaj R, Dickinson MS, Ferguson-Miller S, Monk BC, Stroud RM. Highlighting membrane protein structure and function: A celebration of the Protein Data Bank. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100557. [PMID: 33744283 PMCID: PMC8102919 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological membranes define the boundaries of cells and compartmentalize the chemical and physical processes required for life. Many biological processes are carried out by proteins embedded in or associated with such membranes. Determination of membrane protein (MP) structures at atomic or near-atomic resolution plays a vital role in elucidating their structural and functional impact in biology. This endeavor has determined 1198 unique MP structures as of early 2021. The value of these structures is expanded greatly by deposition of their three-dimensional (3D) coordinates into the Protein Data Bank (PDB) after the first atomic MP structure was elucidated in 1985. Since then, free access to MP structures facilitates broader and deeper understanding of MPs, which provides crucial new insights into their biological functions. Here we highlight the structural and functional biology of representative MPs and landmarks in the evolution of new technologies, with insights into key developments influenced by the PDB in magnifying their impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Pascal F Egea
- Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Alex J Vecchio
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | | | - Meghna Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Joana Paulino
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ruchika Bajaj
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Miles Sasha Dickinson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Shelagh Ferguson-Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Brian C Monk
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute and Department of Oral Sciences, University of Otago, North Dunedin, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Robert M Stroud
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
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13
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Identification of Yak's TLR4 Alternative Spliceosomes and Bioinformatic Analysis of TLR4 Protein Structure and Function. Animals (Basel) 2020; 11:ani11010032. [PMID: 33375267 PMCID: PMC7823342 DOI: 10.3390/ani11010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this study, yak’s TLR4 gene alternative spliceosomes were investigated using PCR amplification and cloning with an aim to improve disease-resistance in yaks and promote efficient utilization of yak’s resources. qRT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression levels of two alternatively spliced TLR4 transcripts in seven distinct yak tissues. To predict the function of proteins expressed by each TLR4 spliceosome, TLR4 protein structure and function were analyzed bioinformatically. Besides, two alternative spliceosomes of yak’s TLR4 gene were also identified, which were in line with predicted variants of the TLR4 gene in NCBI. These two alternative spliceosomes of the TLR4 gene were expressed in each tissue; however, the expression levels of these spliceosomes were significantly different in different tissue. We also observed that deletion of exon-2 in TLR4 affected the function of the corresponding protein. This study will lay a theoretical foundation for future studies on the role of two variants of yak’s TLR4 gene in disease resistance. Besides, data from this study could be analyzed further to explore the molecular mechanism associated with disease-resistance in the yak. Abstract In this study, the yak’s TLR4 gene alternative spliceosomes were investigated using PCR amplification and cloning to improve disease-resistance in yak and promote efficient utilization of yak’s resources. qRT-PCR was used to determine the expression levels of two alternatively spliced transcripts of the TLR4 gene in seven distinct tissues. To predict the function of proteins expressed by each TLR4 spliceosome, bioinformatic analysis of yak’s TLR4 protein structure and function was performed, which led to the identification of two alternative spliceosomes of yak’s TLR4 gene. The TLR4-X1 sequence length was 2526 bp, and it encoded full-length TLR4 protein (841 amino acids). The sequence length of the exon-2 deleted TLR4-X2 sequence was 1926 bp, and it encoded truncated TLR4 protein (641 amino acids). TLR4-X2 sequence was consistent with the predicted sequence of the TLR4 gene in GenBank. Each tissue showed significantly different expression levels of these two alternative spliceosomes. As per the bioinformatic analysis of the structure and function of TLR4 protein, deletion of exon-2 in the TLR4 gene resulted in frameshift mutations of the reading frame in the corresponding protein, which altered its ligand-binding and active sites. Besides, biological property such as substrate specificity of truncated TLR4 protein was also altered, leading to altered protein function. This study has laid a theoretical foundation for exploring the role of two variants of the TLR4 gene in yak’s disease resistance. Besides, this study’s data could be analyzed further to explore the molecular mechanism associated with disease-resistance in the yak.
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Niello M, Gradisch R, Loland CJ, Stockner T, Sitte HH. Allosteric Modulation of Neurotransmitter Transporters as a Therapeutic Strategy. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2020; 41:446-463. [PMID: 32471654 PMCID: PMC7610661 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2020.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neurotransmitter transporters (NTTs) are involved in the fine-tuning of brain neurotransmitter homeostasis. As such, they are implicated in a plethora of complex behaviors, including reward, movement, and cognition. During recent decades, compounds that modulate NTT functions have been developed. Some of them are in clinical use for the management of different neuropsychiatric conditions. The majority of these compounds have been found to selectively interact with the orthosteric site of NTTs. Recently, diverse allosteric sites have been described in a number of NTTs, modulating their function. A more complex NTT pharmacology may be useful in the development of novel therapeutics. Here, we summarize current knowledge on such modulatory allosteric sites, with specific focus on their pharmacological and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Niello
- Centre for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ralph Gradisch
- Centre for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claus Juul Loland
- Laboratory for Membrane Protein Dynamics. Department of Neuroscience. University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Stockner
- Centre for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Harald H Sitte
- Centre for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; AddRess, Centre for Addiction Research and Science, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Giladi M, Khananshvili D. Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass-Spectrometry of Secondary Active Transporters: From Structural Dynamics to Molecular Mechanisms. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:70. [PMID: 32140107 PMCID: PMC7042309 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane transporters allow the selective transport of otherwise poorly permeable solutes across the cell membrane and thus, play a key role in maintaining cellular homeostasis in all kingdoms of life. Importantly, these proteins also serve as important drug targets. Over the last decades, major progress in structural biology methods has elucidated important structure-function relationships in membrane transporters. However, structures obtained using methods such as X-ray crystallography and high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy merely provide static snapshots of an intrinsically dynamic, multi-step transport process. Therefore, there is a growing need for developing new experimental approaches capable of exploiting the data obtained from the high-resolution snapshots in order to investigate the dynamic features of membrane proteins. Here, we present the basic principles of hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass-spectrometry (HDX-MS) and recent advancements in its use to study membrane transporters. In HDX-MS experiments, minute amounts of a protein sample can be used to investigate its structural dynamics under native conditions, without the need for chemical labelling and with practically no limit on the protein size. Thus, HDX-MS is instrumental for resolving the structure-dynamic landscapes of membrane proteins in their apo (ligand-free) and ligand-bound forms, shedding light on the molecular mechanism underlying the transport process and drug binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moshe Giladi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daniel Khananshvili
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Góral I, Łątka K, Bajda M. Structure Modeling of the Norepinephrine Transporter. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E102. [PMID: 31936154 PMCID: PMC7022499 DOI: 10.3390/biom10010102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The norepinephrine transporter (NET) is one of the monoamine transporters. Its X-ray crystal structure has not been obtained yet. Inhibitors of human NET (hNET) play a major role in the treatment of many central and peripheral nervous system diseases. In this study, we focused on the spatial structure of a NET constructed by homology modeling on Drosophila melanogaster dopamine transporter templates. We further examined molecular construction of primary binding pocket (S1) together with secondary binding site (S2) and extracellular loop 4 (EL4). The next stage involved docking of transporter inhibitors: Reboxetine, duloxetine, desipramine, and other commonly used drugs. The procedure revealed the molecular orientation of residues and disclosed ones that are the most important for ligand binding: Phenylalanine F72, aspartic acid D75, tyrosine Y152, and phenylalanine F317. Aspartic acid D75 plays a key role in recognition of the basic amino group present in monoamine transporter inhibitors and substrates. The study also presents a comparison of hNET models with other related proteins, which could provide new insights into their interaction with therapeutics and aid future development of novel bioactive compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marek Bajda
- Department of Physicochemical Drug Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Cracow, Poland; (I.G.); (K.Ł.)
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A Perspective: Active Role of Lipids in Neurotransmitter Dynamics. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 57:910-925. [PMID: 31595461 PMCID: PMC7031182 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01775-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic neurotransmission is generally considered as a function of membrane-embedded receptors and ion channels in response to the neurotransmitter (NT) release and binding. This perspective aims to widen the protein-centric view by including another vital component—the synaptic membrane—in the discussion. A vast set of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and biophysical experiments indicate that NTs are divided into membrane-binding and membrane-nonbinding categories. The binary choice takes place at the water-membrane interface and follows closely the positioning of the receptors’ binding sites in relation to the membrane. Accordingly, when a lipophilic NT is on route to a membrane-buried binding site, it adheres on the membrane and, then, travels along its plane towards the receptor. In contrast, lipophobic NTs, which are destined to bind into receptors with extracellular binding sites, prefer the water phase. This membrane-based sorting splits the neurotransmission into membrane-independent and membrane-dependent mechanisms and should make the NT binding into the receptors more efficient than random diffusion would allow. The potential implications and notable exceptions to the mechanisms are discussed here. Importantly, maintaining specific membrane lipid compositions (MLCs) at the synapses, especially regarding anionic lipids, affect the level of NT-membrane association. These effects provide a plausible link between the MLC imbalances and neurological diseases such as depression or Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, the membrane plays a vital role in other phases of the NT life cycle, including storage and release from the synaptic vesicles, transport from the synaptic cleft, as well as their synthesis and degradation.
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Joseph D, Pidathala S, Mallela AK, Penmatsa A. Structure and Gating Dynamics of Na +/Cl - Coupled Neurotransmitter Transporters. Front Mol Biosci 2019; 6:80. [PMID: 31555663 PMCID: PMC6742698 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2019.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmitters released at the neural synapse through vesicle exocytosis are spatiotemporally controlled by the action of neurotransmitter transporters. Integral membrane proteins of the solute carrier 6 (SLC6) family are involved in the sodium and chloride coupled uptake of biogenic amine neurotransmitters including dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline and inhibitory neurotransmitters including glycine and γ-amino butyric acid. This ion-coupled symport works through a well-orchestrated gating of substrate through alternating-access, which is mediated through movements of helices that resemble a rocking-bundle. A large array of commercially prescribed drugs and psychostimulants selectively target neurotransmitter transporters thereby modulating their levels in the synaptic space. Drug-induced changes in the synaptic neurotransmitter levels can be used to treat depression or neuropathic pain whereas in some instances prolonged usage can lead to habituation. Earlier structural studies of bacterial neurotransmitter transporter homolog LeuT and recent structure elucidation of the Drosophila dopamine transporter (dDAT) and human serotonin transporter (hSERT) have yielded a wealth of information in understanding the transport and inhibition mechanism of neurotransmitter transporters. Computational studies based on the structures of dDAT and hSERT have shed light on the dynamics of varied components of these molecular gates in affecting the uphill transport of neurotransmitters. This review seeks to address structural dynamics of neurotransmitter transporters at the extracellular and intracellular gates and the effect of inhibitors on the ligand-binding pocket. We also delve into the effect of additional factors including lipids and cytosolic domains that influence the translocation of neurotransmitters across the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepthi Joseph
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | | | | | - Aravind Penmatsa
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
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Muller MP, Jiang T, Sun C, Lihan M, Pant S, Mahinthichaichan P, Trifan A, Tajkhorshid E. Characterization of Lipid-Protein Interactions and Lipid-Mediated Modulation of Membrane Protein Function through Molecular Simulation. Chem Rev 2019; 119:6086-6161. [PMID: 30978005 PMCID: PMC6506392 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The cellular membrane constitutes one of the most fundamental compartments of a living cell, where key processes such as selective transport of material and exchange of information between the cell and its environment are mediated by proteins that are closely associated with the membrane. The heterogeneity of lipid composition of biological membranes and the effect of lipid molecules on the structure, dynamics, and function of membrane proteins are now widely recognized. Characterization of these functionally important lipid-protein interactions with experimental techniques is however still prohibitively challenging. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations offer a powerful complementary approach with sufficient temporal and spatial resolutions to gain atomic-level structural information and energetics on lipid-protein interactions. In this review, we aim to provide a broad survey of MD simulations focusing on exploring lipid-protein interactions and characterizing lipid-modulated protein structure and dynamics that have been successful in providing novel insight into the mechanism of membrane protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie P. Muller
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- College of Medicine
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Tao Jiang
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Chang Sun
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Muyun Lihan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shashank Pant
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Paween Mahinthichaichan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Anda Trifan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- College of Medicine
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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20
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Navratna V, Gouaux E. Insights into the mechanism and pharmacology of neurotransmitter sodium symporters. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 54:161-170. [PMID: 30921707 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Neurotransmitter sodium symporters (NSS) belong to the SLC6 family of solute carriers and play an essential role in neurotransmitter homeostasis throughout the body. In the past decade, structural studies employing bacterial orthologs of NSSs have provided insight into the mechanism of neurotransmitter transport. While the overall architecture of SLC6 transporters is conserved among species, in comparison to the bacterial homologs, the eukaryotic SLC6 family members harbor differences in amino acid sequence and molecular structure, which underpins their functional and pharmacological diversity, as well as their ligand specificity. Here, we review the structures and mechanisms of eukaryotic NSSs, focusing on the molecular basis for ligand recognition and on transport mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Navratna
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Eric Gouaux
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States.
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21
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Mahinthichaichan P, Morris DM, Wang Y, Jensen GJ, Tajkhorshid E. Selective Permeability of Carboxysome Shell Pores to Anionic Molecules. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:9110-9118. [PMID: 30193460 PMCID: PMC6311388 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b06822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Carboxysomes are closed polyhedral cellular microcompartments that increase the efficiency of carbon fixation in autotrophic bacteria. Carboxysome shells consist of small proteins that form hexameric units with semipermeable central pores containing binding sites for anions. This feature is thought to selectively allow access to RuBisCO enzymes inside the carboxysome by HCO3- (the dominant form of CO2 in the aqueous solution at pH 7.4) but not O2, which leads to a nonproductive reaction. To test this hypothesis, here we use molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the energetics and permeability of CO2, O2, and HCO3- through the central pores of two different shell proteins, namely, CsoS1A of α-carboxysome and CcmK4 of β-carboxysome shells. We find that the central pores are in fact selectively permeable to anions such as HCO3-, as predicted by the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paween Mahinthichaichan
- Department of Biochemistry, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois 61801-3028 , United States
| | - Dylan M Morris
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering , California Institute of Technology , Pasadena , California 91125 , United States
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Physics , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin , New Territories, Hong Kong SAR , The People's Republic of China
| | - Grant J Jensen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering , California Institute of Technology , Pasadena , California 91125 , United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute , California Insitute of Technology , Pasadena , California 91125 , United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Biochemistry, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois 61801-3028 , United States
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Juhola H, Postila PA, Rissanen S, Lolicato F, Vattulainen I, Róg T. Negatively Charged Gangliosides Promote Membrane Association of Amphipathic Neurotransmitters. Neuroscience 2018; 384:214-223. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Navratna V, Tosh DK, Jacobson KA, Gouaux E. Thermostabilization and purification of the human dopamine transporter (hDAT) in an inhibitor and allosteric ligand bound conformation. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200085. [PMID: 29965988 PMCID: PMC6028122 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The human dopamine transporter (hDAT) plays a major role in dopamine homeostasis and regulation of neurotransmission by clearing dopamine from the extracellular space using secondary active transport. Dopamine is an essential monoamine chemical messenger that regulates reward seeking behavior, motor control, hormonal release, and emotional response in humans. Psychostimulants such as cocaine primarily target the central binding site of hDAT and lock the transporter in an outward-facing conformation, thereby inhibiting dopamine reuptake. The inhibition of dopamine reuptake leads to accumulation of dopamine in the synapse causing heightened signaling. In addition, hDAT is implicated in various neurological disorders and disease-associated neurodegeneration. Despite its significance, the structural studies of hDAT have proven difficult. Instability of hDAT in detergent micelles has been a limiting factor in its successful biochemical, biophysical, and structural characterization. To overcome this hurdle, we identified ligands that stabilize hDAT in detergent micelles. We then screened ~200 single residue mutants of hDAT using a high-throughput scintillation proximity assay and identified a thermostable variant (I248Y). Here we report a robust strategy to overexpress and successfully purify a thermostable variant of hDAT in an inhibitor and allosteric ligand bound conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Navratna
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Dilip K. Tosh
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kenneth A. Jacobson
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Eric Gouaux
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
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24
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Merkle PS, Gotfryd K, Cuendet MA, Leth-Espensen KZ, Gether U, Loland CJ, Rand KD. Substrate-modulated unwinding of transmembrane helices in the NSS transporter LeuT. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaar6179. [PMID: 29756037 PMCID: PMC5947982 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar6179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
LeuT, a prokaryotic member of the neurotransmitter:sodium symporter (NSS) family, is an established structural model for mammalian NSS counterparts. We investigate the substrate translocation mechanism of LeuT by measuring the solution-phase structural dynamics of the transporter in distinct functional states by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). Our HDX-MS data pinpoint LeuT segments involved in substrate transport and reveal for the first time a comprehensive and detailed view of the dynamics associated with transition of the transporter between outward- and inward-facing configurations in a Na+- and K+-dependent manner. The results suggest that partial unwinding of transmembrane helices 1/5/6/7 drives LeuT from a substrate-bound, outward-facing occluded conformation toward an inward-facing open state. These hitherto unknown, large-scale conformational changes in functionally important transmembrane segments, observed for LeuT in detergent-solubilized form and when embedded in a native-like phospholipid bilayer, could be of physiological relevance for the translocation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S. Merkle
- Protein Analysis Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Kamil Gotfryd
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Michel A. Cuendet
- Molecular Modeling Group, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Katrine Z. Leth-Espensen
- Protein Analysis Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Gether
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Claus J. Loland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Kasper D. Rand
- Protein Analysis Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
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Polymer-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotubes: a transformation toward better applications in healthcare. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2018; 9:578-594. [DOI: 10.1007/s13346-018-0505-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Giovanola M, Vollero A, Cinquetti R, Bossi E, Forrest LR, Di Cairano ES, Castagna M. Threonine 67 is a key component in the coupling of the NSS amino acid transporter KAAT1. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1860:1179-1186. [PMID: 29409909 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M Giovanola
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Trentacoste 2, 20134, Milano, Italy
| | - A Vollero
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - R Cinquetti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - E Bossi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - L R Forrest
- Computational Structural Biology Section, NIH NINDS, 35 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-3761, USA
| | - E S Di Cairano
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Trentacoste 2, 20134, Milano, Italy
| | - M Castagna
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Trentacoste 2, 20134, Milano, Italy.
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Zhekova HR, Ngo V, da Silva MC, Salahub D, Noskov S. Selective ion binding and transport by membrane proteins – A computational perspective. Coord Chem Rev 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2017.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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28
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Gutiérrez Aguilar GF, Alquisiras-Burgos I, Espinoza-Rojo M, Aguilera P. Glial Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters and Glucose Incorporation. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2017; 16:269-282. [PMID: 28828615 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-55769-4_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) expressed in astrocytes remove the glutamate released by neurons in and around the synaptic cleft. In this manner, astrocytes preserve the signaling functions mediated by glutamate on synapses and prevent excitotoxicity. Additionally, EAAT activation stimulates glucose utilization in astrocytes, linking neuronal activity with astrocyte metabolism. In this chapter, we briefly review the characteristics of the EAATs and the glucose transporters (GLUTs) expressed in the brain. Thereafter, we focus on the effect of EAATs activation and its association with glucose utilization in astrocytes, specifically addressing the role played by Na+ and Ca2+ ions. Next, we analyze evidence that proposes mechanisms by which the activity of GLUTs could be modulated after EAAT activation (e.g., kinases altering GLUTs traffic to cell membrane). Finally, we analyzed the current knowledge on EAAT function during energy deficiency as a possible inducer of GLUT expression to prevent neuronal damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germán Fernando Gutiérrez Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Patología Vascular Cerebral, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "Manuel Velasco Suárez", Insurgentes Sur #3877, Col. La Fama, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México, 14269, México
| | - Ivan Alquisiras-Burgos
- Laboratorio de Patología Vascular Cerebral, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "Manuel Velasco Suárez", Insurgentes Sur #3877, Col. La Fama, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México, 14269, México
| | - Mónica Espinoza-Rojo
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, 39087, México
| | - Penélope Aguilera
- Laboratorio de Patología Vascular Cerebral, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía "Manuel Velasco Suárez", Insurgentes Sur #3877, Col. La Fama, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México, 14269, México.
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Fichtner M, Voigt K, Schuster S. The tip and hidden part of the iceberg: Proteinogenic and non-proteinogenic aliphatic amino acids. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2017; 1861:3258-3269. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Characterisation of the DAACS Family Escherichia coli Glutamate/Aspartate-Proton Symporter GltP Using Computational, Chemical, Biochemical and Biophysical Methods. J Membr Biol 2016; 250:145-162. [DOI: 10.1007/s00232-016-9942-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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31
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Golovko AI, Bonitenko EY, Ivanov MB, Barinov VA, Zatsepin EP. The neurochemical bases of the pharmacological activity of ligands of monoamine-transport systems. NEUROCHEM J+ 2016. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712416030065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Abstract
Interaction of multiple ligands with a protein or protein complex is a widespread phenomenon that allows for cooperativity. Here, we review the use of the Hill equation, which is commonly used to analyze binding or kinetic data, to analyze the kinetics of ion-coupled transporters and show how the mechanism of transport affects the Hill coefficient. Importantly, the Hill analysis of ion-coupled transporters can provide the exact number of transported co-ions, regardless of the extent of the cooperativity in ion binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juke S Lolkema
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Department of Membrane Enzymology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Dirk-Jan Slotboom
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Department of Membrane Enzymology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
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Postila PA, Vattulainen I, Róg T. Selective effect of cell membrane on synaptic neurotransmission. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19345. [PMID: 26782980 PMCID: PMC4725992 DOI: 10.1038/srep19345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were performed with 13 non-peptidic neurotransmitters (NTs) in three different membrane environments. The results provide compelling evidence that NTs are divided into membrane-binding and membrane-nonbinding molecules. NTs adhere to the postsynaptic membrane surface whenever the ligand-binding sites of their synaptic receptors are buried in the lipid bilayer. In contrast, NTs that have extracellular ligand-binding sites do not have a similar tendency to adhere to the membrane surface. This finding is a seemingly simple yet important addition to the paradigm of neurotransmission, essentially dividing it into membrane-independent and membrane-dependent mechanisms. Moreover, the simulations also indicate that the lipid composition especially in terms of charged lipids can affect the membrane partitioning of NTs. The revised paradigm, highlighting the importance of cell membrane and specific lipids for neurotransmission, should to be of interest to neuroscientists, drug industry and the general public alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pekka A. Postila
- Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 692, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 92093-0340 San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ilpo Vattulainen
- Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 692, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland
- MEMPHYS– Center for Biomembrane Physics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomasz Róg
- Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 692, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland
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34
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Khelashvili G, Stanley N, Sahai MA, Medina J, LeVine MV, Shi L, De Fabritiis G, Weinstein H. Spontaneous inward opening of the dopamine transporter is triggered by PIP2-regulated dynamics of the N-terminus. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:1825-37. [PMID: 26255829 PMCID: PMC4653762 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5b00179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
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We
present the dynamic mechanism of concerted motions in a full-length
molecular model of the human dopamine transporter (hDAT), a member
of the neurotransmitter/sodium symporter (NSS) family, involved in
state-to-state transitions underlying function. The findings result
from an analysis of unbiased atomistic molecular dynamics simulation
trajectories (totaling >14 μs) of the hDAT molecule immersed
in lipid membrane environments with or without phosphatidylinositol
4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) lipids. The N-terminal region of
hDAT (N-term) is shown to have an essential mechanistic role in correlated
rearrangements of specific structural motifs relevant to state-to-state
transitions in the hDAT. The mechanism involves PIP2-mediated
electrostatic interactions between the N-term and the intracellular
loops of the transporter molecule. Quantitative analyses of collective
motions in the trajectories reveal that these interactions correlate
with the inward-opening dynamics of hDAT and are allosterically coupled
to the known functional sites of the transporter. The observed large-scale
motions are enabled by specific reconfiguration of the network of
ionic interactions at the intracellular end of the protein. The isomerization
to the inward-facing state in hDAT is accompanied by concomitant movements
in the extracellular vestibule and results in the release of an Na+ ion from the Na2 site and destabilization of the substrate
dopamine in the primary substrate binding S1 site. The dynamic mechanism
emerging from the findings highlights the involvement of the PIP2-regulated interactions between the N-term and the intracellular
loop 4 in the functionally relevant conformational transitions that
are also similar to those found to underlie state-to-state transitions
in the leucine transporter (LeuT), a prototypical bacterial homologue
of the NSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Khelashvili
- Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University (WCMC), New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Nathaniel Stanley
- Computational
Biophysics Laboratory (GRIB-IMIM), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona
Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), C/Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michelle A. Sahai
- Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University (WCMC), New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Jaime Medina
- Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University (WCMC), New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Michael V. LeVine
- Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University (WCMC), New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Lei Shi
- Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University (WCMC), New York, New York 10065, United States
- HRH
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute of Computational
Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Gianni De Fabritiis
- Computational
Biophysics Laboratory (GRIB-IMIM), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona
Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), C/Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Passeig Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Harel Weinstein
- Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University (WCMC), New York, New York 10065, United States
- HRH
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute of Computational
Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065, United States
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Raiteri L, Raiteri M. Multiple functions of neuronal plasma membrane neurotransmitter transporters. Prog Neurobiol 2015; 134:1-16. [PMID: 26300320 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Removal from receptors of neurotransmitters just released into synapses is one of the major steps in neurotransmission. Transporters situated on the plasma membrane of nerve endings and glial cells perform the process of neurotransmitter (re)uptake. Because the density of transporters in the membranes can fluctuate, transporters can determine the transmitter concentrations at receptors, thus modulating indirectly the excitability of neighboring neurons. Evidence is accumulating that neurotransmitter transporters can exhibit multiple functions. Being bidirectional, neurotransmitter transporters can mediate transmitter release by working in reverse, most often under pathological conditions that cause ionic gradient dysregulations. Some transporters reverse to release transmitters, like dopamine or serotonin, when activated by 'indirectly acting' substrates, like the amphetamines. Some transporters exhibit as one major function the ability to capture transmitters into nerve terminals that perform insufficient synthesis. Transporter activation can generate conductances that regulate directly neuronal excitability. Synaptic and non-synaptic transporters play different roles. Cytosolic Na(+) elevations accompanying transport can interact with plasmalemmal or/and mitochondrial Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers thus generating calcium signals. Finally, neurotransmitter transporters can behave as receptors mediating releasing stimuli able to cause transmitter efflux through multiple mechanisms. Neurotransmitter transporters are therefore likely to play hitherto unknown roles in multiple therapeutic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Raiteri
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Section, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maurizio Raiteri
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology Section, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience, Genoa, Italy.
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36
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Chen R, Chung SH. Molecular dynamics simulations of Na+ and leucine transport by LeuT. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 464:281-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.06.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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37
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Role of N-glycosylation in renal betaine transport. Biochem J 2015; 470:169-79. [PMID: 26348906 DOI: 10.1042/bj20131031] [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: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The osmolyte and folding chaperone betaine is transported by the renal Na(+)-coupled GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) symporter BGT-1 (betaine/GABA transporter 1), a member of the SLC6 (solute carrier 6) family. Under hypertonic conditions, the transcription, translation and plasma membrane (PM) insertion of BGT-1 in kidney cells are significantly increased, resulting in elevated betaine and GABA transport. Re-establishing isotonicity involves PM depletion of BGT-1. The molecular mechanism of the regulated PM insertion of BGT-1 during changes in osmotic stress is unknown. In the present study, we reveal a link between regulated PM insertion and N-glycosylation. Based on homology modelling, we identified two sites (Asn(171) and Asn(183)) in the extracellular loop 2 (EL2) of BGT-1, which were investigated with respect to trafficking, insertion and transport by immunogold-labelling, electron microscopy (EM), mutagenesis and two-electrode voltage clamp measurements in Xenopus laevis oocytes and uptake of radiolabelled substrate into MDCK (Madin-Darby canine kidney) and HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) cells. Trafficking and PM insertion of BGT-1 was clearly promoted by N-glycosylation in both oocytes and MDCK cells. Moreover, association with N-glycans at Asn(171) and Asn(183) contributed equally to protein activity and substrate affinity. Substitution of Asn(171) and Asn(183) by aspartate individually caused no loss of BGT-1 activity, whereas the double mutant was inactive, suggesting that N-glycosylation of at least one of the sites is required for function. Substitution by alanine or valine at either site caused a dramatic loss in transport activity. Furthermore, in MDCK cells PM insertion of N183D was no longer regulated by osmotic stress, highlighting the impact of N-glycosylation in regulation of this SLC6 transporter.
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38
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Functional mechanisms of neurotransmitter transporters regulated by lipid-protein interactions of their terminal loops. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1848:1765-74. [PMID: 25847498 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The physiological functions of neurotransmitter:sodium symporters (NSS) in reuptake of neurotransmitters from the synapse into the presynaptic nerve have been shown to be complemented by their involvement, together with non-plasma membrane neurotransmitter transporters, in the reverse transport of substrate (efflux) in response to psychostimulants. Recent experimental evidence implicates highly anionic phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP(2)) lipids in such functions of the serotonin (SERT) and dopamine (DAT) transporters. Thus, for both SERT and DAT, neurotransmitter efflux has been shown to be strongly regulated by the presence of PIP(2) lipids in the plasma membrane, and the electrostatic interaction of the N-terminal region of DAT with the negatively charged PIP(2) lipids. We examine the experimentally established phenotypes in a structural context obtained from computational modeling based on recent crystallographic data. The results are shown to set the stage for a mechanistic understanding of physiological actions of neurotransmitter transporters in the NSS family of membrane proteins. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Lipid-protein interactions.
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Abraham SJ, Cheng RC, Chew TA, Khantwal CM, Liu CW, Gong S, Nakamoto RK, Maduke M. 13C NMR detects conformational change in the 100-kD membrane transporter ClC-ec1. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2015; 61:209-26. [PMID: 25631353 PMCID: PMC4398623 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-015-9898-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
CLC transporters catalyze the exchange of Cl(-) for H(+) across cellular membranes. To do so, they must couple Cl(-) and H(+) binding and unbinding to protein conformational change. However, the sole conformational changes distinguished crystallographically are small movements of a glutamate side chain that locally gates the ion-transport pathways. Therefore, our understanding of whether and how global protein dynamics contribute to the exchange mechanism has been severely limited. To overcome the limitations of crystallography, we used solution-state (13)C-methyl NMR with labels on methionine, lysine, and engineered cysteine residues to investigate substrate (H(+)) dependent conformational change outside the restraints of crystallization. We show that methyl labels in several regions report H(+)-dependent spectral changes. We identify one of these regions as Helix R, a helix that extends from the center of the protein, where it forms the part of the inner gate to the Cl(-)-permeation pathway, to the extracellular solution. The H(+)-dependent spectral change does not occur when a label is positioned just beyond Helix R, on the unstructured C-terminus of the protein. Together, the results suggest that H(+) binding is mechanistically coupled to closing of the intracellular access-pathway for Cl(-).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherwin J. Abraham
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive West, Stanford, CA 94035
| | - Ricky C. Cheng
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive West, Stanford, CA 94035
| | - Thomas A. Chew
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive West, Stanford, CA 94035
| | - Chandra M. Khantwal
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive West, Stanford, CA 94035
| | - Corey W. Liu
- Stanford Magnetic Resonance Laboratory, Stanford University School of Medicine, 299 Campus Drive West, D105 Fairchild Science Building, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Shimei Gong
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, PO Box 10011, Charlottesville, VA 22906-0011
| | - Robert K. Nakamoto
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, PO Box 10011, Charlottesville, VA 22906-0011
| | - Merritt Maduke
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive West, Stanford, CA 94035
- corresponding author, , tel (650)-723-9075, fax (650)-725-8021
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40
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Evidence for a Revised Ion/Substrate Coupling Stoichiometry of GABA Transporters. J Membr Biol 2015; 248:795-810. [DOI: 10.1007/s00232-015-9797-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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41
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Preobraschenski J, Zander JF, Suzuki T, Ahnert-Hilger G, Jahn R. Vesicular Glutamate Transporters Use Flexible Anion and Cation Binding Sites for Efficient Accumulation of Neurotransmitter. Neuron 2014; 84:1287-301. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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42
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Allosteric regulation of γ-secretase activity by a phenylimidazole-type γ-secretase modulator. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:10544-9. [PMID: 25009180 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1402171111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-Secretase is an intramembrane-cleaving protease responsible for the generation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. Recently, a series of compounds called γ-secretase modulators (GSMs) has been shown to decrease the levels of long toxic Aβ species (i.e., Aβ42), with a concomitant elevation of the production of shorter Aβ species. In this study, we show that a phenylimidazole-type GSM allosterically induces conformational changes in the catalytic site of γ-secretase to augment the proteolytic activity. Analyses using the photoaffinity labeling technique and systematic mutational studies revealed that the phenylimidazole-type GSM targets a previously unidentified extracellular binding pocket within the N-terminal fragment of presenilin (PS). Collectively, we provide a model for the mechanism of action of the phenylimidazole-type GSM in which binding at the luminal side of PS induces a conformational change in the catalytic center of γ-secretase to modulate Aβ production.
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43
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Asymmetric perturbations of signalling oligomers. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 114:153-69. [PMID: 24650570 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2014.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on rapid and reversible noncovalent interactions for symmetric oligomers of signalling proteins. Symmetry mismatch, transient symmetry breaking and asymmetric perturbations via chemical (ligand binding) and physical (electric or mechanic) effects can initiate the signalling events. Advanced biophysical methods can reveal not only structural symmetries of stable membrane-bound signalling proteins but also asymmetric functional transition states. Relevant techniques amenable to distinguish between symmetric and asymmetric architectures are discussed including those with the capability of capturing low-populated transient conformational states. Typical examples of signalling proteins are overviewed for symmetry breaking in dimers (GPCRs, growth factor receptors, transcription factors); trimers (acid-sensing ion channels); tetramers (voltage-gated cation channels, ionotropic glutamate receptor, CNG and CHN channels); pentameric ligand-gated and mechanosensitive channels; higher order oligomers (gap junction channel, chaperonins, proteasome, virus capsid); as well as primary and secondary transporters. In conclusion, asymmetric perturbations seem to play important functional roles in a broad range of communicating networks.
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44
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Grewer C, Gameiro A, Rauen T. SLC1 glutamate transporters. Pflugers Arch 2013; 466:3-24. [PMID: 24240778 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-013-1397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Revised: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The plasma membrane transporters for the neurotransmitter glutamate belong to the solute carrier 1 family. They are secondary active transporters, taking up glutamate into the cell against a substantial concentration gradient. The driving force for concentrative uptake is provided by the cotransport of Na(+) ions and the countertransport of one K(+) in a step independent of the glutamate translocation step. Due to eletrogenicity of transport, the transmembrane potential can also act as a driving force. Glutamate transporters are expressed in many tissues, but are of particular importance in the brain, where they contribute to the termination of excitatory neurotransmission. Glutamate transporters can also run in reverse, resulting in glutamate release from cells. Due to these important physiological functions, glutamate transporter expression and, therefore, the transport rate, are tightly regulated. This review summarizes recent literature on the functional and biophysical properties, structure-function relationships, regulation, physiological significance, and pharmacology of glutamate transporters. Particular emphasis is on the insight from rapid kinetic and electrophysiological studies, transcriptional regulation of transporter expression, and reverse transport and its importance for pathophysiological glutamate release under ischemic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Grewer
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, 13902-6000, NY, USA,
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