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Arad E, Levi T, Yosefi G, Kass I, Cohen-Erez I, Azoulay Z, Bitton R, Jelinek R, Rapaport H. A Matter of Charge: Electrostatically Tuned Coassembly of Amphiphilic Peptides. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2404324. [PMID: 39155426 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202404324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Coassembly of peptide biomaterials offers a compelling avenue to broaden the spectrum of hierarchically ordered supramolecular nanoscale structures that may be relevant for biomedical and biotechnological applications. In this work coassemblies of amphiphilic and oppositely charged, anionic and cationic, β-sheet peptides are studied, which may give rise to a diverse range of coassembled forms. Mixtures of the peptides show significantly lower critical coassembly concentration (CCC) values compared to those of the individual pure peptides. Intriguingly, the highest formation of coassembled fibrils is found to require excess of the cationic peptide whereas equimolar mixtures of the peptides exhibited the maximum folding into β-sheet structures. Mixtures of the peptides coassembled sequentially from solutions at concentrations surpassing each peptide's intrinsic critical assembly concentration (CAC), are also found to require a higher portion of the cationic peptide to stabilize hydrogels. This study illuminates a systematic investigation of oppositely charged β-sheet peptides over a range of concentrations, in solutions and in hydrogels. The results may be relevant to the fundamental understanding of such intricate charge-driven assembly systems and to the formulation of peptide-based nanostructures with diverse functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elad Arad
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Topaz Levi
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 8410501, Israel
| | - Gal Yosefi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
| | - Itamar Kass
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
| | - Ifat Cohen-Erez
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 8410501, Israel
| | - Ziv Azoulay
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 8410501, Israel
| | - Ronit Bitton
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
| | - Raz Jelinek
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
| | - Hanna Rapaport
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 8410501, Israel
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DiGiorno MC, Vithanage N, Victorio CG, Kreitler DF, Outlaw VK, Sawyer N. Structural Characterization of Disulfide-Linked p53-Derived Peptide Dimers. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4644285. [PMID: 39070635 PMCID: PMC11275974 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4644285/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Disulfide bonds provide a convenient method for chemoselective alteration of peptide and protein structure and function. We previously reported that mild oxidation of a p53-derived bisthiol peptide (CTFANLWRLLAQNC) under dilute non-denaturing conditions led to unexpected disulfide-linked dimers as the exclusive product. The dimers were antiparallel, significantly α-helical, resistant to protease degradation, and easily reduced back to the original bisthiol peptide. Here we examine the intrinsic factors influencing peptide dimerization using a combination of amino acid substitution, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. CD analysis of peptide variants suggests critical roles for Leu6 and Leu10 in the formation of stable disulfide-linked dimers. The 1.0 Å resolution crystal structure of the peptide dimer supports these data, revealing a leucine-rich LxxLL dimer interface with canonical knobs-into-holes packing. Two levels of higher-order oligomerization are also observed in the crystal: an antiparallel "dimer of dimers" mediated by Phe3 and Trp7 residues in the asymmetric unit and a tetramer of dimers mediated by Trp7 and Leu10. In CD spectra of Trp-containing peptide variants, minima at 227 nm provide evidence for the dimer of dimers in dilute aqueous solution. Importantly, and in contrast to the original dimer model, the canonical leucine-rich core and robust dimerization of most peptide variants suggests a tunable molecular architecture to target various proteins and evaluate how folding and oligomerization impact various properties, such as cell permeability.
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Victorio CG, Sawyer N. Folding-Assisted Peptide Disulfide Formation and Dimerization. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1480-1486. [PMID: 37390465 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Disulfide bonds form covalent bonds between distal regions of peptides and proteins to dramatically impact their folding, stability, and oligomerization. Given the prevalence of disulfide bonds in many natural products, considerable effort has been invested in site-selective disulfide bond formation approaches to control the folding of chemically synthesized peptides and proteins. Here, we show that the careful choice of thiol oxidation conditions can lead to monomeric or dimeric species from fully deprotected linear bisthiol peptides. Starting from a p53-derived peptide, we found that oxidation under aqueous (nondenaturing) conditions produces antiparallel dimers with enhanced α-helical character, while oxidation under denaturing conditions promotes formation of a nonhelical intramolecular disulfide species. Examination across peptide variants suggests that intramolecular disulfide formation is robust across diverse peptide sequences, while dimerization is sensitive to both the α-helical folding of the linear peptide and aromatic residues at the dimerization interface. All disulfide species are more resistant to protease degradation than the linear peptide but are easily reduced to restore the initial bisthiol peptide. Both disulfide formation approaches are compatible with α-helix-stabilizing cross-linkers. These results provide an approach for using disulfide bonds to control peptide folding and oligomerization to better understand how folding influences interactions with diverse molecular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara G Victorio
- Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Rd., Bronx, New York 10458, United States
| | - Nicholas Sawyer
- Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Rd., Bronx, New York 10458, United States
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Woolfson DN. Understanding a protein fold: the physics, chemistry, and biology of α-helical coiled coils. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104579. [PMID: 36871758 PMCID: PMC10124910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein science is being transformed by powerful computational methods for structure prediction and design: AlphaFold2 can predict many natural protein structures from sequence, and other AI methods are enabling the de novo design of new structures. This raises a question: how much do we understand the underlying sequence-to-structure/function relationships being captured by these methods? This perspective presents our current understanding of one class of protein assembly, the α-helical coiled coils. At first sight, these are straightforward: sequence repeats of hydrophobic (h) and polar (p) residues, (hpphppp)n, direct the folding and assembly of amphipathic α helices into bundles. However, many different bundles are possible: they can have two or more helices (different oligomers); the helices can have parallel, antiparallel or mixed arrangements (different topologies); and the helical sequences can be the same (homomers) or different (heteromers). Thus, sequence-to-structure relationships must be present within the hpphppp repeats to distinguish these states. I discuss the current understanding of this problem at three levels: First, physics gives a parametric framework to generate the many possible coiled-coil backbone structures. Second, chemistry provides a means to explore and deliver sequence-to-structure relationships. Third, biology shows how coiled coils are adapted and functionalized in nature, inspiring applications of coiled coils in synthetic biology. I argue that the chemistry is largely understood; the physics is partly solved, though the considerable challenge of predicting even relative stabilities of different coiled-coil states remains; but there is much more to explore in the biology and synthetic biology of coiled coils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek N Woolfson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, United Kingdom; BrisEngBio, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
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Heide F, Stetefeld J. A Structural Analysis of Proteinaceous Nanotube Cavities and Their Applications in Nanotechnology. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:4080. [PMID: 36432365 PMCID: PMC9698212 DOI: 10.3390/nano12224080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Protein nanotubes offer unique properties to the materials science field that allow them to fulfill various functions in drug delivery, biosensors and energy storage. Protein nanotubes are chemically diverse, modular, biodegradable and nontoxic. Furthermore, although the initial design or repurposing of such nanotubes is highly complex, the field has matured to understand underlying chemical and physical properties to a point where applications are successfully being developed. An important feature of a nanotube is its ability to bind ligands via its internal cavities. As ligands of interest vary in size, shape and chemical properties, cavities have to be able to accommodate very specific features. As such, understanding cavities on a structural level is essential for their effective application. The objective of this review is to present the chemical and physical diversity of protein nanotube cavities and highlight their potential applications in materials science, specifically in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Heide
- Correspondence: (F.H.); (J.S.); Tel.: +1-(204)-332-0853 (F.H.); +1-(204)-474-9731 (J.S.)
| | - Jörg Stetefeld
- Correspondence: (F.H.); (J.S.); Tel.: +1-(204)-332-0853 (F.H.); +1-(204)-474-9731 (J.S.)
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Shi WT, Zhang B, Li ML, Liu KH, Jiao J, Tian CF. The convergent xenogeneic silencer MucR predisposes α-proteobacteria to integrate AT-rich symbiosis genes. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:8580-8598. [PMID: 36007892 PMCID: PMC9410896 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial adaptation is largely shaped by horizontal gene transfer, xenogeneic silencing mediated by lineage-specific DNA bridgers (H-NS, Lsr2, MvaT and Rok), and various anti-silencing mechanisms. No xenogeneic silencing DNA bridger is known for α-proteobacteria, from which mitochondria evolved. By investigating α-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium fredii, a facultative legume microsymbiont, here we report the conserved zinc-finger bearing MucR as a novel xenogeneic silencing DNA bridger. Self-association mediated by its N-terminal domain (NTD) is required for DNA–MucR–DNA bridging complex formation, maximizing MucR stability, transcriptional silencing, and efficient symbiosis in legume nodules. Essential roles of NTD, CTD (C-terminal DNA-binding domain), or full-length MucR in symbiosis can be replaced by non-homologous NTD, CTD, or full-length protein of H-NS from γ-proteobacterium Escherichia coli, while NTD rather than CTD of Lsr2 from Gram-positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis can replace the corresponding domain of MucR in symbiosis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing reveals similar recruitment profiles of H-NS, MucR and various functional chimeric xenogeneic silencers across the multipartite genome of S. fredii, i.e. preferring AT-rich genomic islands and symbiosis plasmid with key symbiosis genes as shared targets. Collectively, the convergently evolved DNA bridger MucR predisposed α-proteobacteria to integrate AT-rich foreign DNA including symbiosis genes, horizontal transfer of which is strongly selected in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Tao Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research Center, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
| | - Biliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research Center, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
| | - Meng-Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research Center, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
| | - Ke-Han Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research Center, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
| | - Jian Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research Center, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
| | - Chang-Fu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research Center, China Agricultural University , Beijing , China
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Marchetti C, Vaglietti S, Rizzo F, Di Nardo G, Colnaghi L, Ghirardi M, Fiumara F. Heptad stereotypy, S/Q layering, and remote origin of the SARS-CoV-2 fusion core. Virus Evol 2022; 7:veab097. [PMID: 35039783 PMCID: PMC8754743 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veab097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fusion of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with cells, a key event in the pathogenesis of Covid-19, depends on the assembly of a six-helix fusion core (FC) formed by portions of the spike protein heptad repeats (HRs) 1 and 2. Despite the critical role in regulating infectivity, its distinctive features, origin, and evolution are scarcely understood. Thus, we undertook a structure-guided positional and compositional analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 FC, in comparison with FCs of related viruses, tracing its origin and ongoing evolution. We found that clustered amino acid substitutions within HR1, distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 from SARS-CoV-1, enhance local heptad stereotypy and increase sharply the FC serine-to-glutamine (S/Q) ratio, determining a neat alternate layering of S-rich and Q-rich subdomains along the post-fusion structure. Strikingly, SARS-CoV-2 ranks among viruses with the highest FC S/Q ratio, together with highly syncytiogenic respiratory pathogens (RSV, NDV), whereas MERS-Cov, HIV, and Ebola viruses display low ratios, and this feature reflects onto S/Q segregation and H-bonding patterns. Our evolutionary analyses revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 FC occurs in other SARS-CoV-1-like Sarbecoviruses identified since 2005 in Hong Kong and adjacent regions, tracing its origin to >50 years ago with a recombination-driven spread. Finally, current mutational trends show that the FC is varying especially in the FC1 evolutionary hotspot. These findings establish a novel analytical framework illuminating the sequence/structure evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 FC, tracing its long history within Sarbecoviruses, and may help rationalize the evolution of the fusion machinery in emerging pathogens and the design of novel therapeutic fusion inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Marchetti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy
| | - Serena Vaglietti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, Torino 10148, Italy
| | - Giovanna Di Nardo
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS), University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino 10123, Italy
| | - Luca Colnaghi
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milano 20132, Italy
| | - Mirella Ghirardi
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Fiumara
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy
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