Charge distribution in 7-methylguanine regarding cation-pi interaction with protein factor eIF4E

Elucidating the influence of RNA modifications and Magnesium ions on tRNA Phe conformational dynamics in S. cerevisiae : Insights from Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics simulations

Post-transcriptional modifications in RNA can significantly impact their structure and function. In particular, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are heavily modified, with around 100 different naturally occurring nucleotide modifications contributing to codon bias and decoding efficiency. Here, we describe our efforts to investigate the impact of RNA modifications on the structure and stability of tRNA Phenylalanine (tRNA Phe ) from S. cerevisiae using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Through temperature replica exchange MD (T-REMD) studies, we explored the unfolding pathway to understand how RNA modifications influence the conformational dynamics of tRNA Phe , both in the presence and absence of magnesium ions (Mg 2+ ). We observe that modified nucleotides in key regions of the tRNA establish a complex network of hydrogen bonds and stacking interactions which is essential for tertiary structure stability of the tRNA. Furthermore, our simulations show that modifications facilitate the formation of ion binding sites on the tRNA. However, high concentrations of Mg 2+ ions can stabilize the tRNA tertiary structure in the absence of modifications. Our findings illuminate the intricate interactions between modifications, magnesium ions, and RNA structural stability.

Taking a re-look at cap-binding signatures of the mRNA cap-binding protein eIF4E orthologues in trypanosomatids

Protein translation leading to polypeptide synthesis involves three distinct events, namely, initiation, elongation, and termination. Translation initiation is a multi-step process that is carried out by ribosomes on the mRNA with the assistance of a large number of proteins called translation initiation factors. Trypanosomatids are kinetoplastidas (flagellated protozoans), some of which cause acute disease syndromes in humans. Vector-borne transmission of protozoan parasites like Leishmania and Trypanosoma causes diseases that affect a large section of the world population and lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms of translation initiation in higher eukaryotes are relatively well understood. However, structural and functional conservation of initiation factors in trypanosomatids are only beginning to be understood. Studies carried out so far suggests that at least in Leishmania and Trypanosoma eIF4E function may not be restricted to canonical translation initiation and some of the homologues may have alternate/non-canonical functions. Nonetheless, all of them bind the cap analogs, albeit with different efficiencies, indicating that this property may play an important role in the functionality of eIF4Es. Here, I give a brief background of trypanosomatid eIF4Es and revisit the cap-binding signatures of eIF4E orthologues in trypanosomatids, whose genome sequences are available, in detail, in comparison to human eIF4E1 and Trypanosoma cruzi eIF4E5, with an expanded list of members of this group in light of newer findings. The group 1 and 2 eIF4Es may use either a variation of heIF4E1 or T. cruzi eIF4E5 cap-4-binding signatures, while eIF4E5 and eIF4E6 use distinct amino acid contacts.

Modified ARCA analogs providing enhanced translational properties of capped mRNAs

Nowadays gene manipulation techniques ("DNA therapy") undergo progressive development and become widely used in industry and medicine. Since new advances in mRNA technologies are capable for obtaining particles with increased stability and translational efficiency, RNA become an attractive alternative for advancement of DNA therapy. For the past years studies have been conducted to explore different modification in mRNA cap structure and its effect on RNA properties. Recently we have shown that modification of the cap structure at the N2 position of 7-methylguanosine leads to an enhancement in translation inhibition. Currently, we have decided to exploit translational properties of mRNA capped with the ARCA (anti-reversed cap) analogs modified within N2 position of purine moiety s. We designed and synthesized three new dinucleotide cap analogs and investigated them in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL) and the human embryonic kidney derived HEK293 cell line, in vitro translational model systems. The obtained data indicate that, in both translational assays, the cap analogs synthesized by us when incorporated into mRNA improved its translational properties compared to the ARCA capped transcripts. Furthermore, the introduced modifications enhanced stability of the capped transcripts in HEK293 cells, which become higher compared to that of the transcripts capped with regular cap or with ARCA. Additionally one of the synthesized cap analogs revealed strong translation inhibition potency in RRL system, with IC₅₀ value 1.7 µM.

High-resolution Digital Mapping of N-Methylpurines in Human Cells Reveals Modulation of Their Induction and Repair by Nearest-neighbor Nucleotides

N-Methylpurines (NMPs), including N(7)-methylguanine (7MeG) and N(3)-methyladenine (3MeA), can be induced by environmental methylating agents, chemotherapeutics, and natural cellular methyl donors. In human cells, NMPs are repaired by the multi-step base excision repair pathway initiated by human alkyladenine glycosylase. Repair of NMPs has been shown to be affected by DNA sequence contexts. However, the nature of the sequence contexts has been poorly understood. We developed a sensitive method, LAF-Seq (Lesion-Adjoining Fragment Sequencing), which allows nucleotide-resolution digital mapping of DNA damage and repair in multiple genomic fragments of interest in human cells. We also developed a strategy that allows accurate measurement of the excision kinetics of NMP bases in vitro. We demonstrate that 3MeAs are induced to a much lower level by the SN2 methylating agent dimethyl sulfate and repaired much faster than 7MeGs in human fibroblasts. Induction of 7MeGs by dimethyl sulfate is affected by nearest-neighbor nucleotides, being enhanced at sites neighbored by a G or T on the 3' side, but impaired at sites neighbored by a G on the 5' side. Repair of 7MeGs is also affected by nearest-neighbor nucleotides, being slow if the lesions are between purines, especially Gs, and fast if the lesions are between pyrimidines, especially Ts. Excision of 7MeG bases from the DNA backbone by human alkyladenine glycosylase in vitro is similarly affected by nearest-neighbor nucleotides, suggesting that the effect of nearest-neighbor nucleotides on repair of 7MeGs in the cells is primarily achieved by modulating the initial step of the base excision repair process.

Crystal structures of the novel cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase IIIB explain its preference for m7GMP

5′-nucleotidases catalyze the hydrolytic dephosphorylation of nucleoside monophosphates. As catabolic enzymes they contribute significantly to the regulation of cellular nucleotide levels; misregulation of nucleotide metabolism and nucleotidase deficiencies are associated with a number of diseases. The seven human 5′-nucleotidases differ with respect to substrate specificity and cellular localization. Recently, the novel cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase III-like protein, or cN-IIIB, has been characterized in human and Drosophila. cN-IIIB exhibits a strong substrate preference for the modified nucleotide 7-methylguanosine monophosphate but the structural reason for this preference was unknown. Here, we present crystal structures of cN-IIIB from Drosophila melanogaster bound to the reaction products 7-methylguanosine or cytidine. The structural data reveal that the cytosine- and 7-methylguanine moieties of the products are stacked between two aromatic residues in a coplanar but off-centered position. 7-methylguanosine is specifically bound through π-π interactions and distinguished from unmodified guanosine by additional cation-π coulomb interactions between the aromatic side chains and the positively charged 7-methylguanine. Notably, the base is further stabilized by T-shaped edge-to-face stacking of an additional tryptophan packing perpendicularly against the purine ring and forming, together with the other aromates, an aromatic slot. The structural data in combination with site-directed mutagenesis experiments reveal the molecular basis for the broad substrate specificity of cN-IIIB but also explain the substrate preference for 7-methylguanosine monophosphate. Analyzing the substrate specificities of cN-IIIB and the main pyrimidine 5′-nucleotidase cN-IIIA by mutagenesis studies, we show that cN-IIIA dephosphorylates the purine m⁷GMP as well, hence redefining its substrate spectrum. Docking calculations with cN-IIIA and m⁷GMP as well as biochemical data reveal that Asn69 does not generally exclude the turnover of purine substrates thus correcting previous suggestions.

Structural basis for nematode eIF4E binding an m(2,2,7)G-Cap and its implications for translation initiation

Metazoan spliced leader (SL) trans-splicing generates mRNAs with an m^2,2,7G-cap and a common downstream SL RNA sequence. The mechanism for eIF4E binding an m^2,2,7G-cap is unknown. Here, we describe the first structure of an eIF4E with an m^2,2,7G-cap and compare it to the cognate m⁷G-eIF4E complex. These structures and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) data indicate that the nematode Ascaris suum eIF4E binds the two different caps in a similar manner except for the loss of a single hydrogen bond on binding the m^2,2,7G-cap. Nematode and mammalian eIF4E both have a low affinity for m^2,2,7G-cap compared with the m⁷G-cap. Nematode eIF4E binding to the m⁷G-cap, m^2,2,7G-cap and the m^2,2,7G-SL 22-nt RNA leads to distinct eIF4E conformational changes. Additional interactions occur between Ascaris eIF4E and the SL on binding the m^2,2,7G-SL. We propose interactions between Ascaris eIF4E and the SL impact eIF4G and contribute to translation initiation, whereas these interactions do not occur when only the m^2,2,7G-cap is present. These data have implications for the contribution of 5′-UTRs in mRNA translation and the function of different eIF4E isoforms.

Thermodynamics of molecular recognition of mRNA 5' cap by yeast eukaryotic initiation factor 4E

Molecular mechanisms underlying the recognition of the mRNA 5' terminal structure called "cap" by the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) are crucial for cap-dependent translation. To gain a deeper insight into how the yeast eIF4E interacts with the cap structure, isothermal titration calorimetry and the van't Hoff analysis based on intrinsic protein fluorescence quenching upon titration with a series of chemical cap analogs were performed, providing a consistent thermodynamic description of the binding process in solution. Equilibrium association constants together with thermodynamic parameters revealed similarities and differences between yeast and mammalian eIF4Es. The yeast eIF4E complex formation was enthalpy-driven and entropy-opposed for each cap analog at 293 K. A nontrivial isothermal enthalpy–entropy compensation was found, described by a compensation temperature, T(c) = 411 ± 18 K. For a low affinity analog, 7-methylguanosine monophosphate, a heat capacity change was detected, ΔC(p)° = +5.2 ± 1.3 kJ·mol(-1)·K(-1). The charge-related interactions involving the 5′-5′ triphosphate bridge of the cap and basic amino acid side chains at the yeast eIF4E cap-binding site were significantly weaker (by ΔΔH°(vH) of about +10 kJ·mol(-1)) than those for the mammalian homologues, suggesting their optimization during the evolution.

Mesoionic heterocyclic compounds as candidate messenger RNA cap analogue inhibitors of the influenza virus RNA polymerase cap-binding activity

BACKGROUND

An unusual feature of influenza viral -messenger RNA (mRNA) synthesis is its dependence upon host cell mRNAs as a source of capped RNA primers. A crucial activity of the influenza polymerase is to steal these primers by binding and cleaving the caps from host mRNAs. The recent structural analysis of the cap-binding fragment of the influenza virus PB2 protein has highlighted the importance of the mesoionic properties of the N7-methylguanine (N(7m)G) component of the mRNA cap in this interaction.

METHODS

A series of mesoionic heterocycles with 5,6-fused ring systems analogous to the N(7m)G component of mRNA cap structures were synthesized and examined for the ability to inhibit the cap-binding activity of the influenza virus RNA polymerase complex using a bead-based in vitro cap-binding assay.

RESULTS

None of the compounds tested were able to significantly inhibit binding and subsequent endonucleolytic cleavage of a synthetic radiolabelled capped mRNA substrate by recombinant influenza virus polymerase in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Compounds analogous to the mesoionic N(7m)G component of mRNA cap structures comprise a large class of potential inhibitors of the influenza virus polymerase. Although this preliminary assessment of a small group of related analogues was unsuccessful, further screening of this class of compounds is warranted.

Structural insights into parasite eIF4E binding specificity for m7G and m2,2,7G mRNA caps

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E recognizes the mRNA cap, a key step in translation initiation. Here we have characterized eIF4E from the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni. Schistosome mRNAs have either the typical monomethylguanosine (m(7)G) or a trimethylguanosine (m(2,2,7)G) cap derived from spliced leader trans-splicing. Quantitative fluorescence titration analyses demonstrated that schistosome eIF4E has similar binding specificity for both caps. We present the first crystal structure of an eIF4E with similar binding specificity for m(7)G and m(2,2,7)G caps. The eIF4E.m(7)GpppG structure demonstrates that the schistosome protein binds monomethyl cap in a manner similar to that of single specificity eIF4Es and exhibits a structure similar to other known eIF4Es. The structure suggests an alternate orientation of a conserved, key Glu-90 in the cap-binding pocket that may contribute to dual binding specificity and a position for mRNA bound to eIF4E consistent with biochemical data. Comparison of NMR chemical shift perturbations in schistosome eIF4E on binding m(7)GpppG and m(2,2,7)GpppG identified key differences between the two complexes. Isothermal titration calorimetry demonstrated significant thermodynamics differences for the binding process with the two caps (m(7)G versus m(2,2,7)G). Overall the NMR and isothermal titration calorimetry data suggest the importance of intrinsic conformational flexibility in the schistosome eIF4E that enables binding to m(2,2,7)G cap.

Characterization of pokeweed antiviral protein binding to mRNA cap analogs: competition with nucleotides and enhancement by translation initiation factor iso4G

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is a type I ribosomal inactivating protein (RIP). PAP binds to and depurinates the sarcin/ricin loop (SRL) of ribosomal RNA resulting in the cessation of protein synthesis. PAP has also been shown to bind to mRNA cap analogs and depurinate mRNA downstream of the cap structure. The biological role of cap binding and its possible role in PAP activity are not known. Here we show the first direct quantitative evidence for PAP binding to the cap analog m(7)GTP. We report a binding affinity of 43.3+/-0.1 nM at 25 degrees C as determined by fluorescence quenching experiments. This is similar to the values reported for wheat cap-binding proteins eIFiso4E and eIFiso4F. van't Hoff analysis of m(7)GTP-PAP equilibrium reveals a binding reaction that is enthalpy driven and entropy favored with TDeltaS degrees contributing 15% to the overall value of DeltaG degrees . This is in contrast to the wheat cap-binding proteins which are enthalpically driven in the DeltaG degrees for binding. Competition experiments indicate that ATP and GTP compete for the cap-binding site on PAP with slightly different affinities. Fluorescence studies of PAP-eIFiso4G binding reveal a protein-protein interaction with a K(d) of 108.4+/-0.3 nM. eIFiso4G was shown to enhance the interaction of PAP with m(7)GTP cap analog by 2.4-fold. These results suggest the involvement of PAP-translation initiation factor complexes in RNA selection and depurination.

Stacking efficiency and flexibility analysis of aromatic amino acids in cap-binding proteins

Recognition of the ribonucleic acid 5' termini (RNA 5' cap) by a wide class of cap-binding proteins is largely accomplished by cation-pi stacking that involves the positively charged 7-methylguanine ring and aromatic amino acid side chains. Quantum calculations of the stacking energy were performed by means of MP2 perturbation method for binary and ternary associates composed of the 7-methylguanine moiety and tryptophan, tyrosine, or phenylalanine, in their spatial orientations known from the crystalline cap-protein complexes. The results clearly pointed to an enhancement of the stacking energy due to a net positive charge in the cap guanine moiety and allowed analysis of a role of various amino acids in stabilization of the complexes. Conformational flexibility of the aromatic amino acids taking part in binding ligands to a wide class of RNA-recognizing proteins, including the cap-binding proteins, was determined by regional order neural network (RONN) algorithm that provides results close to those of the crystallographic B-factors analysis. Interestingly, some of the tyrosines that are classified in general as "rigid" showed high flexibility when engaged in binding the cap to nuclear cap-binding protein complex CBC and to viral methyltransferase VP39. Parallel analyses of the binding energy and flexibility of the protein fragments engaged in the binding leads to understanding differences in molecular mechanisms of the cap recognition by various proteins, CBC compared with the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4E, and enzymes vs. other protein factors.

Interpretation of fluorescence decay kinetics in 3-methylbenzimidazolyl(5'-5')guanosine dinucleotides: exponential dependence on the number of phosphates in the polyphosphate bridge

The number of phosphate groups in the 5',5'-polyphosphate bridge of mRNA-cap dinucleotide analogues affects kinetics of long-range electron transfer (ET) responsible for 3-methylbenzimidazole (m(3)B) fluorescence quenching in model dinucleotides. For instance, 3-methylbenzimidazolyl(5'-5')guanosine dinucleotides (m(3)Bp( n )G, n = 2, 3, 4) having m(3)B donor, 5'-5' polyphosphate bridge, and guanine (G) acceptor, exhibit exponential dependence of the ET rate on the number of phosphates, i.e. donor-acceptor distance. Involvement of the 5'-5' polyphosphate bridge in the ET is strongly indicated by lack of m(3)B-G stacking effect on the exponential factor, which is the same at 20 degrees C, where m(3)B-G intramolecular stacking dominates, as that at 75 degrees C where stacking-unstacking equilibrium is shifted in favour of the unstacked structure.

Structures of the human eIF4E homologous protein, h4EHP, in its m7GTP-bound and unliganded forms

All eukaryotic cellular mRNAs contain a 5' m(7)GpppN cap. In addition to conferring stability to the mRNA, the cap is required for pre-mRNA splicing, nuclear export and translation by providing an anchor point for protein binding. In translation, the interaction between the cap and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is important in the recruitment of the mRNAs to the ribosome. Human 4EHP (h4EHP) is a homologue of eIF4E. Like eIF4E it is able to bind the cap but it appears to play a different cellular role, possibly being involved in the fine-tuning of protein expression levels. Here we use X-ray crystallography and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to investigate further the binding of cap analogues and peptides to h4EHP. m(7)GTP binds to 4EHP 200-fold more weakly than it does to eIF4E with the guanine base sandwiched by a tyrosine and a tryptophan instead of two tryptophan residues as seen in eIF4E. The tyrosine resides on a loop that is longer in h4EHP than in eIF4E. The consequent conformational difference between the proteins allows the tyrosine to mimic the six-membered ring of the tryptophan in eIF4E and adopt an orientation that is similar to that seen for equivalent residues in other non-homologous cap-binding proteins. In the absence of ligand the binding site is incompletely formed with one of the aromatic residues being disordered and the side-chain of the other adopting a novel conformation. A peptide derived from the eIF4E inhibitory protein, 4E-BP1 binds h4EHP 100-fold less strongly than eIF4E but in a similar manner. Overall the data, combined with sequence analyses of 4EHP from evolutionary diverse species, strongly support the hypothesis that 4EHP plays a physiological role utilizing both cap-binding and protein-binding functions but which is distinct from eIF4E.

Interpretation of intramolecular stacking effect on the fluorescence intensity decay of 3-methylbenzimidazolyl(5'-5')guanosine dinucleotides using a model of lifetime distribution

Time-resolved fluorescence of 3-methylbenzimidazole (m(3)B) was used to study stacking interaction between base moieties in di-, tri- and tetra-phosphate analogues of 3-methylbenzimidazolyl(5'-5')guanosine (m(3)Bp( n )G, n = 2, 3, 4), using 5'-triphosphate of 3-methylbenzimidazole riboside (m(3)BTP) as reference. Fluorescence intensity decays of all compounds cannot be satisfactory fitted with single-exponential function. Although an increase of a number of exponents led to better fits, interpretation of the individual exponential terms, i.e. pre-exponential amplitudes and fluorescence lifetimes, cannot be adequately characterized. We show that these fluorescence decays are best fitted by power-like function derived from physically justified distribution of the fluorescence lifetimes, and characterized by the mean value of the excited-state lifetime and relative variance of lifetime fluctuations around the mean value. The latter led to the parameter of heterogeneity and number of decay paths, which depend on the factors responsible for non-radiative decay of the excited state, including base-base stacking interaction. This was studied by means of changes of temperature and the number of phosphate groups in dinucleotides. It was shown that the strongest effect of stacking interactions, characterized by lowest values of both fluorescence mean decay time and relative variance, occurs in the case of m(3)Bp(3)G containing the same number of phosphates as natural mRNA cap. The possible importance of these results for interpretation of the mechanism of function of the mRNA cap structure is discussed.

Deaggregation of eIF4E induced by mRNA 5' cap binding

All eukaryotic mRNAs contain a 5' terminal cap structure, which consists of 7-methylguanosine linked by a 5-5' triphosphate bridge to the first transcribed nucleoside (m7GpppN). Specific recognition of the cap by the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4E plays a key role in regulation of translation initiation as a rate-limiting step. Using dynamic light scattering (DLS), the apo-form of murine eIF4E (33-217) was shown to aggregate. After addition of m7G7P, progressive deaggregation with the time of incubation in the presence of the cap analogue has been observed.