1
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Clarke A, Farr CV, El-Kasaby A, Szöllősi D, Freissmuth M, Sucic S, Stockner T. Probing binding and occlusion of substrate in the human creatine transporter-1 by computation and mutagenesis. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4842. [PMID: 38032325 PMCID: PMC10751730 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
In chordates, energy buffering is achieved in part through phosphocreatine, which requires cellular uptake of creatine by the membrane-embedded creatine transporter (CRT1/SLC6A8). Mutations in human slc6a8 lead to creatine transporter deficiency syndrome, for which there is only limited treatment. Here, we used a combined homology modeling, molecular dynamics, and experimental approach to generate a structural model of CRT1. Our observations support the following conclusions: contrary to previous proposals, C144, a key residue in the substrate binding site, is not present in a charged state. Similarly, the side chain D458 must be present in a protonated form to maintain the structural integrity of CRT1. Finally, we identified that the interaction chain Y148-creatine-Na+ is essential to the process of occlusion, which occurs via a "hold-and-pull" mechanism. The model should be useful to study the impact of disease-associated point mutations on the folding of CRT1 and identify approaches which correct folding-deficient mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Clarke
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clemens V Farr
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ali El-Kasaby
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Szöllősi
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Freissmuth
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonja Sucic
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Stockner
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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2
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Corin K, Bowie JU. How physical forces drive the process of helical membrane protein folding. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e53025. [PMID: 35133709 PMCID: PMC8892262 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein folding is a fundamental process of life with important implications throughout biology. Indeed, tens of thousands of mutations have been associated with diseases, and most of these mutations are believed to affect protein folding rather than function. Correct folding is also a key element of design. These factors have motivated decades of research on protein folding. Unfortunately, knowledge of membrane protein folding lags that of soluble proteins. This gap is partly caused by the greater technical challenges associated with membrane protein studies, but also because of additional complexities. While soluble proteins fold in a homogenous water environment, membrane proteins fold in a setting that ranges from bulk water to highly charged to apolar. Thus, the forces that drive folding vary in different regions of the protein, and this complexity needs to be incorporated into our understanding of the folding process. Here, we review our understanding of membrane protein folding biophysics. Despite the greater challenge, better model systems and new experimental techniques are starting to unravel the forces and pathways in membrane protein folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Corin
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryMolecular Biology InstituteUCLA‐DOE InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - James U Bowie
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryMolecular Biology InstituteUCLA‐DOE InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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3
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Zlatkov N, Nadeem A, Uhlin BE, Wai SN. Eco-evolutionary feedbacks mediated by bacterial membrane vesicles. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:fuaa047. [PMID: 32926132 PMCID: PMC7968517 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa047] [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: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial membrane vesicles (BMVs) are spherical extracellular organelles whose cargo is enclosed by a biological membrane. The cargo can be delivered to distant parts of a given habitat in a protected and concentrated manner. This review presents current knowledge about BMVs in the context of bacterial eco-evolutionary dynamics among different environments and hosts. BMVs may play an important role in establishing and stabilizing bacterial communities in such environments; for example, bacterial populations may benefit from BMVs to delay the negative effect of certain evolutionary trade-offs that can result in deleterious phenotypes. BMVs can also perform ecosystem engineering by serving as detergents, mediators in biochemical cycles, components of different biofilms, substrates for cross-feeding, defense systems against different dangers and enzyme-delivery mechanisms that can change substrate availability. BMVs further contribute to bacteria as mediators in different interactions, with either other bacterial species or their hosts. In short, BMVs extend and deliver phenotypic traits that can have ecological and evolutionary value to both their producers and the ecosystem as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Zlatkov
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Aftab Nadeem
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bernt Eric Uhlin
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Sun Nyunt Wai
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
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4
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Corin K, Bowie JU. How bilayer properties influence membrane protein folding. Protein Sci 2020; 29:2348-2362. [PMID: 33058341 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The question of how proteins manage to organize into a unique three-dimensional structure has been a major field of study since the first protein structures were determined. For membrane proteins, the question is made more complex because, unlike water-soluble proteins, the solvent is not homogenous or even unique. Each cell and organelle has a distinct lipid composition that can change in response to environmental stimuli. Thus, the study of membrane protein folding requires not only understanding how the unfolded chain navigates its way to the folded state, but also how changes in bilayer properties can affect that search. Here we review what we know so far about the impact of lipid composition on bilayer physical properties and how those properties can affect folding. A better understanding of the lipid bilayer and its effects on membrane protein folding is not only important for a theoretical understanding of the folding process, but can also have a practical impact on our ability to work with and design membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Corin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA-DOE Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - James U Bowie
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA-DOE Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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5
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Marinko J, Huang H, Penn WD, Capra JA, Schlebach JP, Sanders CR. Folding and Misfolding of Human Membrane Proteins in Health and Disease: From Single Molecules to Cellular Proteostasis. Chem Rev 2019; 119:5537-5606. [PMID: 30608666 PMCID: PMC6506414 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Advances over the past 25 years have revealed much about how the structural properties of membranes and associated proteins are linked to the thermodynamics and kinetics of membrane protein (MP) folding. At the same time biochemical progress has outlined how cellular proteostasis networks mediate MP folding and manage misfolding in the cell. When combined with results from genomic sequencing, these studies have established paradigms for how MP folding and misfolding are linked to the molecular etiologies of a variety of diseases. This emerging framework has paved the way for the development of a new class of small molecule "pharmacological chaperones" that bind to and stabilize misfolded MP variants, some of which are now in clinical use. In this review, we comprehensively outline current perspectives on the folding and misfolding of integral MPs as well as the mechanisms of cellular MP quality control. Based on these perspectives, we highlight new opportunities for innovations that bridge our molecular understanding of the energetics of MP folding with the nuanced complexity of biological systems. Given the many linkages between MP misfolding and human disease, we also examine some of the exciting opportunities to leverage these advances to address emerging challenges in the development of therapeutics and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin
T. Marinko
- Department
of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, United States
- Center
for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, United States
| | - Hui Huang
- Department
of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, United States
- Center
for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, United States
| | - Wesley D. Penn
- Department
of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - John A. Capra
- Center
for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, United States
- Department
of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37245, United States
| | - Jonathan P. Schlebach
- Department
of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Charles R. Sanders
- Department
of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, United States
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6
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Infield DT, Matulef K, Galpin JD, Lam K, Tajkhorshid E, Ahern CA, Valiyaveetil FI. Main-chain mutagenesis reveals intrahelical coupling in an ion channel voltage-sensor. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5055. [PMID: 30498243 PMCID: PMC6265297 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07477-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane proteins are universal signal decoders. The helical transmembrane segments of these proteins play central roles in sensory transduction, yet the mechanistic contributions of secondary structure remain unresolved. To investigate the role of main-chain hydrogen bonding on transmembrane function, we encoded amide-to-ester substitutions at sites throughout the S4 voltage-sensing segment of Shaker potassium channels, a region that undergoes rapid, voltage-driven movement during channel gating. Functional measurements of ester-harboring channels highlight a transitional region between α-helical and 310 segments where hydrogen bond removal is particularly disruptive to voltage-gating. Simulations of an active voltage sensor reveal that this region features a dynamic hydrogen bonding pattern and that its helical structure is reliant upon amide support. Overall, the data highlight the specialized role of main-chain chemistry in the mechanism of voltage-sensing; other catalytic transmembrane segments may enlist similar strategies in signal transduction mechanisms. The helical transmembrane segments of membrane proteins play central roles in sensory transduction but the mechanistic basis for their function remains unresolved. Here the authors identify regions in the S4 voltage-sensing segment of Shaker potassium channels where local helical structure is reliant upon backbone amide support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Infield
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Kimberly Matulef
- Program in Chemical Biology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, 97239, OR, USA
| | - Jason D Galpin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Kin Lam
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.,NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.,NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Christopher A Ahern
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Francis I Valiyaveetil
- Program in Chemical Biology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, 97239, OR, USA.
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7
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Poms M, Ansorge P, Martinez-Gil L, Jurt S, Gottstein D, Fracchiolla KE, Cohen LS, Güntert P, Mingarro I, Naider F, Zerbe O. NMR Investigation of Structures of G-protein Coupled Receptor Folding Intermediates. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:27170-27186. [PMID: 27864365 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.740985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Folding of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) according to the two-stage model (Popot, J. L., and Engelman, D. M. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 4031-4037) is postulated to proceed in 2 steps: partitioning of the polypeptide into the membrane followed by diffusion until native contacts are formed. Herein we investigate conformational preferences of fragments of the yeast Ste2p receptor using NMR. Constructs comprising the first, the first two, and the first three transmembrane (TM) segments, as well as a construct comprising TM1-TM2 covalently linked to TM7 were examined. We observed that the isolated TM1 does not form a stable helix nor does it integrate well into the micelle. TM1 is significantly stabilized upon interaction with TM2, forming a helical hairpin reported previously (Neumoin, A., Cohen, L. S., Arshava, B., Tantry, S., Becker, J. M., Zerbe, O., and Naider, F. (2009) Biophys. J. 96, 3187-3196), and in this case the protein integrates into the hydrophobic interior of the micelle. TM123 displays a strong tendency to oligomerize, but hydrogen exchange data reveal that the center of TM3 is solvent exposed. In all GPCRs so-far structurally characterized TM7 forms many contacts with TM1 and TM2. In our study TM127 integrates well into the hydrophobic environment, but TM7 does not stably pack against the remaining helices. Topology mapping in microsomal membranes also indicates that TM1 does not integrate in a membrane-spanning fashion, but that TM12, TM123, and TM127 adopt predominantly native-like topologies. The data from our study would be consistent with the retention of individual helices of incompletely synthesized GPCRs in the vicinity of the translocon until the complete receptor is released into the membrane interior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Poms
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Ansorge
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luis Martinez-Gil
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ERI BioTecMed, University of Valencia, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Simon Jurt
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Gottstein
- the Institute of Biophysical Chemistry and Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Katrina E Fracchiolla
- the Department of Chemistry, The College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY), Staten Island, New York 10314, the Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, and
| | - Leah S Cohen
- the Department of Chemistry, The College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY), Staten Island, New York 10314, the Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, and
| | - Peter Güntert
- the Institute of Biophysical Chemistry and Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ismael Mingarro
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ERI BioTecMed, University of Valencia, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Fred Naider
- the Department of Chemistry, The College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY), Staten Island, New York 10314, the Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, and
| | - Oliver Zerbe
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland,
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8
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Ultrasound enhanced aqueous extraction from rapeseed green biomass for polyphenol and protein valorization. CR CHIM 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crci.2016.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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9
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Ando C, Liu N, Yoshimura K. A cytoplasmic helix is required for pentamer formation of the Escherichia coli MscL mechanosensitive channel. J Biochem 2015; 158:109-14. [PMID: 25697390 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvv019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many membrane proteins such as ion channels are oligomers, but the determinants of the degree of oligomerization are not fully understood. Mechanosensitive channel with large conductance (MscL), which is ubiquitous in bacteria, is a homopentamer with two transmembrane helices and a cytoplasmic helix in each subunit. The carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic helices assemble into a pentameric bundle that resembles cartilage oligomeric matrix protein. To address the role of cytoplasmic helices in the pentamer formation of Escherichia coli MscL, we generated MscL constructs with various deletions at the carboxyl terminus and translated them in a cell-free system. Deletions of Leu-129 and the downstream sequence resulted in formation of various oligomers without preference to pentamers, suggesting that nearly the whole cytoplasmic helix is required for MscL pentamer formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chie Ando
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
| | - Naili Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 1210 Biology-Psychology Bldg., College Park, MD 20742, USA; and
| | - Kenjiro Yoshimura
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan; Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 1210 Biology-Psychology Bldg., College Park, MD 20742, USA; and Department of Machinery and Control Systems, Shibaura Institute of Technology, 307 Fukasaku, Minuma-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama 337-8570, Japan
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10
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Toward understanding driving forces in membrane protein folding. Arch Biochem Biophys 2014; 564:297-313. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2014.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Revised: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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11
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Huang CH, Ye M. The Rh protein family: gene evolution, membrane biology, and disease association. Cell Mol Life Sci 2010; 67:1203-18. [PMID: 19953292 PMCID: PMC11115862 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-009-0217-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2009] [Revised: 11/10/2009] [Accepted: 11/12/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The Rh (Rhesus) genes encode a family of conserved proteins that share a structural fold of 12 transmembrane helices with members of the major facilitator superfamily. Interest in this family has arisen from the discovery of Rh factor's involvement in hemolytic disease in the fetus and newborn, and of its homologs widely expressed in epithelial tissues. The Rh factor and Rh-associated glycoprotein (RhAG), with epithelial cousins RhBG and RhCG, form four subgroups conferring upon vertebrates a genealogical commonality. The past decade has heralded significant advances in understanding the phylogenetics, allelic diversity, crystal structure, and biological function of Rh proteins. This review describes recent progress on this family and the molecular insights gleaned from its gene evolution, membrane biology, and disease association. The focus is on its long evolutionary history and surprising structural conservation from prokaryotes to humans, pointing to the importance of its functional role, related to but distinct from ammonium transport proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Han Huang
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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12
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Abstract
Membrane-spanning α-helices represent major sites of protein-protein interaction in membrane protein oligomerization and folding. As such, these interactions may be of exquisite specificity. Specificity often rests on a complex interplay of different types of residues forming the helix-helix interfaces via dense packing and different non-covalent forces, including van der Waal’s forces, hydrogen bonding, charge-charge interactions, and aromatic interactions. These interfaces often contain complex residue motifs where the contribution of constituent amino acids depends on the context of the surrounding sequence. Moreover, transmembrane helix-helix interactions are increasingly recognized as being dynamic and dependent on the functional state of a given protein.
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13
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Zheng Y, Struck DK, Young R. Purification and functional characterization of phiX174 lysis protein E. Biochemistry 2009; 48:4999-5006. [PMID: 19379010 DOI: 10.1021/bi900469g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Two classes of bacteriophages, the single-stranded DNA Microviridae and the single-stranded RNA Alloleviviridae, accomplish lysis by expressing "protein antibiotics", or polypeptides that inhibit cell wall biosynthesis. Previously, we have provided genetic and physiological evidence that E, a 91-amino acid membrane protein encoded by the prototype microvirus, varphiX174, is a specific inhibitor of the translocase MraY, an essential membrane-embedded enzyme that catalyzes the formation of the murein precursor, Lipid I, from UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid-pentapeptide and the lipid carrier, undecaprenol phosphate. Here we report the first purification of E, which has been refractory to overexpression because of its lethality to Escherichia coli. Moreover, using a fluorescently labeled analogue of the sugar-nucleotide substrate, we demonstrate that E acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor of detergent-solubilized MraY, with respect to both soluble and lipid substrates. In addition, we show that the E sensitivity of five MraY mutant proteins, produced from alleles selected for resistance to E, can be correlated to the apparent affinities determined by in vivo multicopy suppression experiments. These results are inconsistent with previous reports that E inhibited membrane-embedded MraY but not the detergent-solubilized enzyme, which led to a model in which E functions by binding MraY and blocking the formation of an essential heteromultimeric complex involving MraY and other murein biosynthesis enzymes. We discuss a new model in which E binds to MraY at a site composed of the two transmembrane domains within which the E resistance mutations map and the fact that the result of this binding is a conformational change that inactivates the enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-2128, USA
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14
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Langosch D, Arkin IT. Interaction and conformational dynamics of membrane-spanning protein helices. Protein Sci 2009; 18:1343-58. [PMID: 19530249 PMCID: PMC2775205 DOI: 10.1002/pro.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2009] [Revised: 04/19/2009] [Accepted: 04/20/2009] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Within 1 or 2 decades, the reputation of membrane-spanning alpha-helices has changed dramatically. Once mostly regarded as dull membrane anchors, transmembrane domains are now recognized as major instigators of protein-protein interaction. These interactions may be of exquisite specificity in mediating assembly of stable membrane protein complexes from cognate subunits. Further, they can be reversible and regulatable by external factors to allow for dynamic changes of protein conformation in biological function. Finally, these helices are increasingly regarded as dynamic domains. These domains can move relative to each other in different functional protein conformations. In addition, small-scale backbone fluctuations may affect their function and their impact on surrounding lipid shells. Elucidating the ways by which these intricate structural features are encoded by the amino acid sequences will be a fascinating subject of research for years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter Langosch
- Lehrstuhl Chemie der Biopolymere, Technische Universität München, Weihenstephaner Berg 3, 85354 Freising, Germany.
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15
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Moore DT, Berger BW, DeGrado WF. Protein-protein interactions in the membrane: sequence, structural, and biological motifs. Structure 2008; 16:991-1001. [PMID: 18611372 PMCID: PMC3771515 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2008.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2008] [Revised: 05/25/2008] [Accepted: 05/30/2008] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Single-span transmembrane (TM) helices have structural and functional roles well beyond serving as mere anchors to tether water-soluble domains in the vicinity of the membrane. They frequently direct the assembly of protein complexes and mediate signal transduction in ways analogous to small modular domains in water-soluble proteins. This review highlights different sequence and structural motifs that direct TM assembly and discusses their roles in diverse biological processes. We believe that TM interactions are potential therapeutic targets, as evidenced by natural proteins that modulate other TM interactions and recent developments in the design of TM-targeting peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T. Moore
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6059, USA
| | - Bryan W. Berger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6059, USA
| | - William F. DeGrado
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6059, USA
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16
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Noy D. Natural photosystems from an engineer's perspective: length, time, and energy scales of charge and energy transfer. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2008; 95:23-35. [PMID: 17968671 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-007-9269-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2007] [Accepted: 10/03/2007] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The vast structural and functional information database of photosynthetic enzymes includes, in addition to detailed kinetic records from decades of research on physical processes and chemical reaction-pathways, a variety of high and medium resolution crystal structures of key photosynthetic enzymes. Here, it is examined from an engineer's point of view with the long-term goal of reproducing the key features of natural photosystems in novel biological and non-biological solar-energy conversion systems. This survey reveals that the basic physics of the transfer processes, namely, the time constraints imposed by the rates of incoming photon flux and the various decay processes allow for a large degree of tolerance in the engineering parameters. Furthermore, the requirements to guarantee energy and electron transfer rates that yield high efficiency in natural photosystems are largely met by control of distance between chromophores and redox cofactors. This underlines a critical challenge for projected de novo designed constructions, that is, the control of spatial organization of cofactor molecules within dense array of different cofactors, some well within 1 nm from each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dror Noy
- Plant Sciences Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
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17
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Abstract
Amt/MEP/Rh proteins are a family of integral membrane proteins implicated in the transport of NH3, CH(2)NH2, and CO2. Whereas Amt/MEP proteins are agreed to transport ammonia (NH3/NH4+), the primary substrate for Rh proteins has been controversial. Initial studies suggested that Rh proteins also transport ammonia, but more recent evidence suggests that they transport CO2. Here we report the first structure of an Rh family member, the Rh protein from the chemolithoautotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea. This Rh protein exhibits a number of similarities to its Amt cousins, including a trimeric oligomeric state, a central pore with an unusual twin-His site in the middle, and a Phe residue that blocks the channel for small-molecule transport. However, there are some significant differences, the most notable being the presence of an additional cytoplasmic C-terminal alpha-helix, an increased number of internal proline residues along the transmembrane helices, and a specific set of residues that appear to link the C-terminal helix to Phe blockage. This latter linkage suggests a mechanism in which binding of a partner protein to the C terminus could regulate channel opening. Another difference is the absence of the extracellular pi-cation binding site conserved in Amt/Mep structures. Instead, CO2 pressurization experiments identify a CO2 binding site near the intracellular exit of the channel whose residues are highly conserved in all Rh proteins, except those belonging to the Rh30 subfamily. The implications of these findings on the functional role of the human Rh antigens are discussed.
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18
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Abstract
The fold of a helical membrane protein is largely determined by interactions between membrane-imbedded helices. To elucidate recurring helix-helix interaction motifs, we dissected the crystallographic structures of membrane proteins into a library of interacting helical pairs. The pairs were clustered according to their three-dimensional similarity (rmsd </=1.5 A), allowing 90% of the library to be assigned to clusters consisting of at least five members. Surprisingly, three quarters of the helical pairs belong to one of five tightly clustered motifs whose structural features can be understood in terms of simple principles of helix-helix packing. Thus, the universe of common transmembrane helix-pairing motifs is relatively simple. The largest cluster, which comprises 29% of the library members, consists of an antiparallel motif with left-handed packing angles, and it is frequently stabilized by packing of small side chains occurring every seven residues in the sequence. Right-handed parallel and antiparallel structures show a similar tendency to segregate small residues to the helix-helix interface but spaced at four-residue intervals. Position-specific sequence propensities were derived for the most populated motifs. These structural and sequential motifs should be quite useful for the design and structural prediction of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - W. F. DeGrado
- Departments of *Biochemistry and Biophysics and
- Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6059
- To whom correspondence should be addressed at:
1009B Stellar–Chance Building, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6059.
E-mail:
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19
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Noy D, Moser CC, Dutton PL. Design and engineering of photosynthetic light-harvesting and electron transfer using length, time, and energy scales. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2006; 1757:90-105. [PMID: 16457774 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2005.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2005] [Revised: 11/16/2005] [Accepted: 11/21/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Decades of research on the physical processes and chemical reaction-pathways in photosynthetic enzymes have resulted in an extensive database of kinetic information. Recently, this database has been augmented by a variety of high and medium resolution crystal structures of key photosynthetic enzymes that now include the two photosystems (PSI and PSII) of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms. Here, we examine the currently available structural and functional information from an engineer's point of view with the long-term goal of reproducing the key features of natural photosystems in de novo designed and custom-built molecular solar energy conversion devices. We find that the basic physics of the transfer processes, namely, the time constraints imposed by the rates of incoming photon flux and the various decay processes allow for a large degree of tolerance in the engineering parameters. Moreover, we find that the requirements to guarantee energy and electron transfer rates that yield high efficiency in natural photosystems are largely met by control of distance between chromophores and redox cofactors. Thus, for projected de novo designed constructions, the control of spatial organization of cofactor molecules within a dense array is initially given priority. Nevertheless, constructions accommodating dense arrays of different cofactors, some well within 1 nm from each other, still presents a significant challenge for protein design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dror Noy
- Johnson Research Foundation, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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20
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Goldberg AFX. Role of Peripherin/rds in Vertebrate Photoreceptor Architecture and Inherited Retinal Degenerations. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CYTOLOGY 2006; 253:131-75. [PMID: 17098056 DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7696(06)53004-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The vertebrate photoreceptor outer segment (OS) is a highly structured and dynamic organelle specialized to transduce light signals. The elaborate membranous architecture of the OS requires peripherin/rds (P/rds), an integral membrane protein and tetraspanin protein family member. Gene-level defects in P/rds cause a broad variety of late-onset progressive retinal degenerations in humans and dysmorphic photoreceptors in murine and Xenopus models. Although proposed to fulfill numerous roles related to OS structural stability and renewal, P/rds molecular function remains uncertain. An increasingly resolved model of this protein's oligomeric structure can account for disease inheritance patterns and severity in some instances. Nonetheless, the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the uniquely broad spectrum of retinal diseases associated with P/rds defects are not currently well understood. Recent findings point to the possibility that P/rds acts as a multifunctional scaffolding protein for OS architecture and that partial-loss-of-function mutations contribute to the hallmark phenotypic heterogeneity associated with inherited defects in RDS.
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21
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Ridder A, Skupjen P, Unterreitmeier S, Langosch D. Tryptophan Supports Interaction of Transmembrane Helices. J Mol Biol 2005; 354:894-902. [PMID: 16280130 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2005.09.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2005] [Revised: 09/27/2005] [Accepted: 09/27/2005] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Interactions of transmembrane helices play an important role in folding and oligomerization of integral membrane proteins. The interfacial residues of these helices frequently correspond to heptad repeat motifs. In order to uncover novel mechanisms underlying these interactions, we randomised a heptad repeat pattern with a complete set of amino acids. Those sequences that were capable of high-affinity self-interaction upon integration into bacterial inner membranes were selected by means of the POSSYCCAT system. A comparison between selected and non-selected sequences reveals that high-affinity sequences were strongly enriched in tryptophan residues that accumulated at specific positions of the heptad motif. Mutation of Trp in selected clones significantly reduced self-interaction of the transmembrane segments without affecting their efficiency of membrane integration. Conversely, grafting Trp onto artificial transmembrane segments strongly enhanced their interaction. We conclude that tryptophan supports interaction of transmembrane segments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Ridder
- Technische Universität München, Lehrstuhl für Chemie der Biopolymere Weihenstephaner Berg 3, D-85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
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22
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Abstract
One of the great challenges for molecular biologists is to learn how a protein sequence defines its three-dimensional structure. For many years, the problem was even more difficult for membrane proteins because so little was known about what they looked like. The situation has improved markedly in recent years, and we now know over 90 unique structures. Our enhanced view of the structure universe, combined with an increasingly quantitative understanding of fold determination, engenders optimism that a solution to the folding problem for membrane proteins can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- James U Bowie
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-DOE Center for Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Biology Institute, Boyer Hall, UCLA, 611 Charles E. Young Drive E, Los Angeles, California 90095-1570, USA.
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23
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Noy D, Discher BM, Rubtsov IV, Hochstrasser RM, Dutton PL. Design of amphiphilic protein maquettes: enhancing maquette functionality through binding of extremely hydrophobic cofactors to lipophilic domains. Biochemistry 2005; 44:12344-54. [PMID: 16156647 PMCID: PMC2597482 DOI: 10.1021/bi050696e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate coordination of the extremely hydrophobic 13(2)-OH-Ni-bacteriochlorophyll (Ni-BChl) to the lipophilic domain of a novel, designed amphiphilic protein maquette (AP3) dispersed in detergent micelles [Discher et al. (2005) Biochemistry 44, 12329-12343]. Sedimentation velocity and equilibrium experiments and steady-state absorption spectra indicate that Ni-BChl-AP3 is a four-helix bundle containing one Ni-BChl axially ligated by one or two histidines. The nature of the ligation was pursued with ultrafast visible spectroscopy. While it is well established that light excitation of axially ligated mono- and bisimidazole Ni-BChl in solution leads to rapid imidazole dissociation and nanosecond recombination, there is no evidence of axial ligand dissociation in the light-excited Ni-BChl-AP3. This indicates that Ni-BChl is confined within the AP3 protein, ligated to histidines with severely restricted mobility. Dissociation constants show that Ni-BChl binding to AP3 is considerably weaker than the nanomolar range usual for heme and hydrophilic (HP) maquettes; moreover, there is a tendency for the Ni-BChl-AP3 four-helix bundles to dimerize into eight-helix bundles. Nevertheless, the preparation of the Ni-BChl-AP3 four-alpha-helix maquettes, supported by time-resolved spectroscopic analysis of the nature of the ligation, provides a viable new approach to AP maquette designs that address the challenges involved in binding extremely hydrophobic cofactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dror Noy
- Johnson Research Foundation, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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24
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Sparr E, Ash WL, Nazarov PV, Rijkers DTS, Hemminga MA, Tieleman DP, Killian JA. Self-association of transmembrane alpha-helices in model membranes: importance of helix orientation and role of hydrophobic mismatch. J Biol Chem 2005; 280:39324-31. [PMID: 16169846 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m502810200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between transmembrane helices play a key role in almost all cellular processes involving membrane proteins. We have investigated helix-helix interactions in lipid bilayers with synthetic tryptophan-flanked peptides that mimic the membrane spanning parts of membrane proteins. The peptides were functionalized with pyrene to allow the self-association of the helices to be monitored by pyrene fluorescence and Trp-pyrene fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Specific labeling of peptides at either their N or C terminus has shown that helix-helix association occurs almost exclusively between antiparallel helices. Furthermore, computer modeling suggested that antiparallel association arises primarily from the electrostatic interactions between alpha-helix backbone atoms. We propose that such interactions may provide a force for the preferentially antiparallel association of helices in polytopic membrane proteins. Helix-helix association was also found to depend on the lipid environment. In bilayers of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, in which the hydrophobic length of the peptides approximately matched the bilayer thickness, association between the helices was found to require peptide/lipid ratios exceeding 1/25. Self-association of the helices was promoted by either increasing or decreasing the bilayer thickness, and by adding cholesterol. These results indicate that helix-helix association in membrane proteins can be promoted by unfavorable protein-lipid interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Sparr
- Department of Biochemistry of Membranes, Institute of Biomembranes and Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, NL-3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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25
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Im W, Brooks CL. Interfacial folding and membrane insertion of designed peptides studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102:6771-6. [PMID: 15860587 PMCID: PMC1100747 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0408135102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2004] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanism of interfacial folding and membrane insertion of designed peptides is explored by using an implicit membrane generalized Born model and replica-exchange molecular dynamics. Folding/insertion simulations initiated from fully extended peptide conformations in the aqueous phase, at least 28 A away from the membrane interface, demonstrate a general mechanism for structure formation and insertion (when it occurs). The predominately hydrophobic peptides from the synthetic WALP and TMX series first become localized at the membrane-solvent interface where they form significant helical secondary structure via a helix-turn-helix motif that inserts the central hydrophobic residues into the membrane interior, and then fluctuations occur that provide a persistent helical structure throughout the peptide and it inserts with its N-terminal end moving across the membrane. More specifically, we observed that: (i) the WALP peptides (WALP16, WALP19, and WALP23) spontaneously insert in the membrane as just noted; (ii) TMX-1 also inserts spontaneously after a similar mechanism and forms a transmembrane helix with a population of approximately 50% at 300 K; and (iii) TMX-3 does not insert, but exists in a fluctuating membrane interface-bound form. These findings are in excellent agreement with available experimental data and demonstrate the potential for new implicit solvent/membrane models together with advanced simulation protocols to guide experimental programs in exploring the nature and mechanism of membrane-associated folding and insertion of biologically important peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonpil Im
- Department of Molecular Biology (TPC6) and Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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26
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Gimpelev M, Forrest LR, Murray D, Honig B. Helical packing patterns in membrane and soluble proteins. Biophys J 2004; 87:4075-86. [PMID: 15465852 PMCID: PMC1304916 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.104.049288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This article presents the results of a detailed analysis of helix-helix interactions in membrane and soluble proteins. A data set of interacting pairs of helices in membrane proteins of known structure was constructed and a structure alignment algorithm was used to identify pairs of helices in soluble proteins that superimpose well with pairs of helices in the membrane-protein data set. Most helix pairs in membrane proteins are found to have a significant number of structural homologs in soluble proteins, although in some cases, primarily involving irregular helices, no close homologs exist. An analysis of geometric relationships between interacting helices in the two sets of proteins identifies some differences in the distributions of helix length, interfacial area, packing angle, and distance between the polypeptide backbones. However, a subset of soluble-protein helix pairs that are close structural homologs to membrane-protein helix pairs exhibits distributions that mirror those observed in membrane proteins. The larger average interface size and smaller distance of closest approach seen for helices in membrane proteins appears due in part to a relative enrichment of alanines and glycines, particularly as components of the AxxxA and GxxxG motifs. It is argued that membrane helices are not on average more tightly packed than helices in soluble proteins; they are simply able to approach each other more closely. This enables them to interact over longer distances, which may in turn facilitate their remaining in contact over much of the width of the lipid bilayer. The close structural similarity seen between some pairs of helices in membrane and soluble proteins suggests that packing patterns observed in soluble proteins may be useful in the modeling of membrane proteins. Moreover, there do not appear to be fundamental differences between the magnitude of the forces that drive helix packing in membrane and soluble proteins, suggesting that strategies to make membrane proteins more soluble by mutating surface residues are likely to encounter success, at least in some cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Gimpelev
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA
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27
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Senes A, Engel DE, DeGrado WF. Folding of helical membrane proteins: the role of polar, GxxxG-like and proline motifs. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2004; 14:465-79. [PMID: 15313242 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2004.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 350] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Helical integral membrane proteins share several structural determinants that are widely conserved across their universe. The discovery of common motifs has furthered our understanding of the features that are important to stability in the membrane environment, while simultaneously providing clues about proteins that lack high-resolution structures. Motif analysis also helps to target mutagenesis studies, and other experimental and computational work. Three types of transmembrane motifs have recently seen interesting developments: the GxxxG motif and its like; polar and hydrogen bonding motifs; and proline motifs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Senes
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6059, USA
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28
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Abstract
Medical genetics so far has identified approximately 16,000 missense mutations leading to single amino acid changes in protein sequences that are linked to human disease. A majority of these mutations affect folding or trafficking, rather than specifically affecting protein function. Many disease-linked mutations occur in integral membrane proteins, a class of proteins about whose folding we know very little. We examine the phenomenon of disease-linked misassembly of membrane proteins and describe model systems currently being used to study the delicate balance between proper folding and misassembly. We review a mechanism by which cells recognize membrane proteins with a high potential to misfold before they actually do, and which targets these culprits for degradation. Serious disease phenotypes can result from loss of protein function and from misfolded proteins that the cells cannot degrade, leading to accumulation of toxic aggregates. Misassembly may be averted by small-molecule drugs that bind and stabilize the native state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles R Sanders
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-8725, USA.
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29
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Chamberlain AK, Lee Y, Kim S, Bowie JU. Snorkeling Preferences Foster an Amino Acid Composition Bias in Transmembrane Helices. J Mol Biol 2004; 339:471-9. [PMID: 15136048 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2004.03.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2003] [Accepted: 03/21/2004] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
By analyzing transmembrane (TM) helices in known structures, we find that some polar amino acids are more frequent at the N terminus than at the C terminus. We propose the asymmetry occurs because most polar amino acids are better able to snorkel their polar atoms away from the membrane core at the N terminus than at the C terminus. Two findings lead us to this proposition: (1) side-chain conformations are influenced strongly by the N or C-terminal position of the amino acid in the bilayer, and (2) the favored snorkeling direction of an amino acid correlates well with its N to C-terminal composition bias. Our results suggest that TM helix predictions should incorporate an N to C-terminal composition bias, that rotamer preferences of TM side-chains are position-dependent, and that the ability to snorkel influences the evolutionary selection of amino acids for the helix N and C termini.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron K Chamberlain
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-DOE Center for Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Biology Institute, Boyer Hall, 611 Charles E. Young Drive E, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1570, USA
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30
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Im W, Brooks CL. De novo folding of membrane proteins: an exploration of the structure and NMR properties of the fd coat protein. J Mol Biol 2004; 337:513-9. [PMID: 15019773 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2004.01.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2003] [Revised: 01/27/2004] [Accepted: 01/27/2004] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
De novo folding simulations of the major pVIII coat protein from filamentous fd bacteriophage, using a newly developed implicit membrane generalized Born model and replica-exchange molecular dynamics, are presented and discussed. The quality of the predicted structures, judged by comparison of the root-mean-square deviations of a room temperature ensemble of conformations from the replica-exchange simulations and experimental structures from both solid-state NMR in lipid bilayers and solution-phase NMR on the protein in micelles, was quite good, reinforcing the general quality of the folding simulations. The transmembrane helical segment of the protein was well defined in comparison with experiment and the amphipathic helical fragment remained at the membrane/aqueous phase boundary while undergoing significant conformational flexibility due to the loop connecting the two helical segments of the protein. Additional comparisons of computed solid-state NMR properties, the 15N chemical shift and 15N-1H dipolar coupling constants, showed semi-quantitative agreement with the corresponding measurements. These findings suggest an emerging potential for the de novo investigation of integral membrane peptides and proteins and a mechanism to assist experimental approaches to the characterization and structure determination of these important systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonpil Im
- Department of Molecular Biology (TPC6) and Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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31
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Affiliation(s)
- James U Bowie
- Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-Dept. of Energy Center for Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Biology Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Boyer Hall, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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32
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Yohannan S, Faham S, Yang D, Whitelegge JP, Bowie JU. The evolution of transmembrane helix kinks and the structural diversity of G protein-coupled receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2004; 101:959-63. [PMID: 14732697 PMCID: PMC327124 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0306077101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the hallmarks of membrane protein structure is the high frequency of transmembrane helix kinks, which commonly occur at proline residues. Because the proline side chain usually precludes normal helix geometry, it is reasonable to expect that proline residues generate these kinks. We observe, however, that the three prolines in bacteriorhodopsin transmembrane helices can be changed to alanine with little structural consequences. This finding leads to a conundrum: if proline is not required for helix bending, why are prolines commonly present at bends in transmembrane helices? We propose an evolutionary hypothesis in which a mutation to proline initially induces the kink. The resulting packing defects are later repaired by further mutation, thereby locking the kink in the structure. Thus, most prolines in extant proteins can be removed without major structural consequences. We further propose that nonproline kinks are places where vestigial prolines were later removed during evolution. Consistent with this hypothesis, at 14 of 17 nonproline kinks in membrane proteins of known structure, we find prolines in homologous sequences. Our analysis allows us to predict kink positions with >90% reliability. Kink prediction indicates that different G protein-coupled receptor proteins have different kink patterns and therefore different structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Yohannan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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33
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Faham S, Yang D, Bare E, Yohannan S, Whitelegge JP, Bowie JU. Side-chain Contributions to Membrane Protein Structure and Stability. J Mol Biol 2004; 335:297-305. [PMID: 14659758 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2003.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The molecular forces that stabilize membrane protein structure are poorly understood. To investigate these forces we introduced alanine substitutions at 24 positions in the B helix of bacteriorhodopsin and examined their effects on structure and stability. Although most of the results can be rationalized in terms of the folded structure, there are a number of surprises. (1) We find a remarkably high frequency of stabilizing mutations (17%), indicating that membrane proteins are not highly optimized for stability. (2) Helix B is kinked, with the kink centered around Pro50. The P50A mutation has no effect on stability, however, and a crystal structure reveals that the helix remains bent, indicating that tertiary contacts dominate in the distortion of this helix. (3) We find that the protein is stabilized by about 1kcal/mol for every 38A(2) of surface area buried, which is quite similar to soluble proteins in spite of their dramatically different environments. (4) We find little energetic difference, on average, in the burial of apolar surface or polar surface area, implying that van der Waals packing is the dominant force that drives membrane protein folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salem Faham
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-DOE Center for Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1570, USA
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34
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Crozier PS, Stevens MJ, Forrest LR, Woolf TB. Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Dark-adapted Rhodopsin in an Explicit Membrane Bilayer: Coupling between Local Retinal and Larger Scale Conformational Change. J Mol Biol 2003; 333:493-514. [PMID: 14556740 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2003.08.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The light-driven photocycle of rhodopsin begins the photoreceptor cascade that underlies visual response. In a sequence of events, the retinal covalently attached to the rhodopsin protein undergoes a conformational change that communicates local changes to a global conformational change throughout the whole protein. In turn, the large-scale protein change then activates G-proteins and signal amplification throughout the cell. The nature of this change, involving a coupling between a local process and larger changes throughout the protein, may be important for many membrane proteins. In addition, functional work has shown that this coupling occurs with different efficiency in different lipid settings. To begin to understand the nature of the efficiency of this coupling in different lipid settings, we present a molecular dynamics study of rhodopsin in an explicit dioleoyl-phosphatidylcholine bilayer. Our system was simulated for 40 ns and provides insights into the very early events of the visual cascade, before the full transition and activation have occurred. In particular, we see an event near 10 ns that begins with a change in hydrogen bonding near the retinal and that leads through a series of coupled changes to a shift in helical tilt. This type of event, though rare on the molecular dynamics time-scale, could be an important clue to the types of coupling that occur between local and large-scale conformational change in many membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul S Crozier
- Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, MS 1411, Albuquerque, NM 87185-1411, USA
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35
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Huang Y, Lemieux MJ, Song J, Auer M, Wang DN. Structure and mechanism of the glycerol-3-phosphate transporter from Escherichia coli. Science 2003; 301:616-20. [PMID: 12893936 DOI: 10.1126/science.1087619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 776] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The major facilitator superfamily represents the largest group of secondary membrane transporters in the cell. Here we report the 3.3 angstrom resolution structure of a member of this superfamily, GlpT, which transports glycerol-3-phosphate into the cytoplasm and inorganic phosphate into the periplasm. The amino- and carboxyl-terminal halves of the protein exhibit a pseudo two-fold symmetry. Closed off to the periplasm, a centrally located substrate-translocation pore contains two arginines at its closed end, which comprise the substrate-binding site. Upon substrate binding, the protein adopts a more compact conformation. We propose that GlpT operates by a single-binding site, alternating-access mechanism through a rocker-switch type of movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Huang
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
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