1
|
ProteinCT: An implementation of the protein circuit topology framework. MethodsX 2022; 9:101861. [PMID: 36187158 PMCID: PMC9520010 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2022.101861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to describe the topology of a folded protein conformation is critically important for functional analysis, protein engineering, and drug design. Circuit topology is a unique topological framework which is widely applicable to protein analysis, yet a state-of-the art implementation of this concept is lacking. Here, we present an open-source Python-implemented circuit topology tool called ProteinCT. The platform provides a method for acquiring, visualizing, analyzing, and quantifying circuit topology data from proteins of interest. We mapped the universe of human proteins to a circuit topology space using conventional hardware within a few hours, demonstrating the performance of ProteinCT. In brief,•A Python-implemented circuit topology tool is developed to extract global and local topological information from a protein structure file.•Modules are developed to combine topological information with geometric and energetic information.•It is demonstrated that the method can be efficiently applied to a large set of proteins, opening a wide range of possibilities for structural proteomics research.
Collapse
|
2
|
Woodard J, Iqbal S, Mashaghi A. Circuit topology predicts pathogenicity of missense mutations. Proteins 2022; 90:1634-1644. [PMID: 35394672 PMCID: PMC9543832 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The contact topology of a protein determines important aspects of the folding process. The topological measure of contact order has been shown to be predictive of the rate of folding. Circuit topology is emerging as another fundamental descriptor of biomolecular structure, with predicted effects on the folding rate. We analyze the residue‐based circuit topological environments of 21 K mutations labeled as pathogenic or benign. Multiple statistical lines of reasoning support the conclusion that the number of contacts in two specific circuit topological arrangements, namely inverse parallel and cross relations, with contacts involving the mutated residue have discriminatory value in determining the pathogenicity of human variants. We investigate how results vary with residue type and according to whether the gene is essential. We further explore the relationship to a number of structural features and find that circuit topology provides nonredundant information on protein structures and pathogenicity of mutations. Results may have implications for the polymer physics of protein folding and suggest that “local” topological information, including residue‐based circuit topology and residue contact order, could be useful in improving state‐of‐the‐art machine learning algorithms for pathogenicity prediction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaie Woodard
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Sumaiya Iqbal
- Center for the Development of Therapeutics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alireza Mashaghi
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sheikhhassani V, Scalvini B, Ng J, Heling LWHJ, Ayache Y, Evers TMJ, Estébanez‐Perpiñá E, McEwan IJ, Mashaghi A. Topological dynamics of an intrinsically disordered N‐terminal domain of the human androgen receptor. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4334. [PMID: 35634773 PMCID: PMC9134807 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Human androgen receptor contains a large N‐terminal domain (AR‐NTD) that is highly dynamic and this poses a major challenge for experimental and computational analysis to decipher its conformation. Misfolding of the AR‐NTD is implicated in prostate cancer and Kennedy's disease, yet our knowledge of its structure is limited to primary sequence information of the chain and a few functionally important secondary structure motifs. Here, we employed an innovative combination of molecular dynamics simulations and circuit topology (CT) analysis to identify the tertiary structure of AR‐NTD. We found that the AR‐NTD adopts highly dynamic loopy conformations with two identifiable regions with distinct topological make‐up and dynamics. This consists of a N‐terminal region (NR, residues 1–224) and a C‐terminal region (CR, residues 225–538), which carries a dense core. Topological mapping of the dynamics reveals a traceable time‐scale dependent topological evolution. NR adopts different positioning with respect to the CR and forms a cleft that can partly enclose the hormone‐bound ligand‐binding domain (LBD) of the androgen receptor. Furthermore, our data suggest a model in which dynamic NR and CR compete for binding to the DNA‐binding domain of the receptor, thereby regulating the accessibility of its DNA‐binding site. Our approach allowed for the identification of a previously unknown regulatory binding site within the CR core, revealing the structural mechanisms of action of AR inhibitor EPI‐001, and paving the way for other drug discovery applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Sheikhhassani
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Scalvini
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Julian Ng
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Laurens W. H. J. Heling
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Yosri Ayache
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Tom M. J. Evers
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Eva Estébanez‐Perpiñá
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB) of the University of Barcelona (UB) Barcelona Spain
| | - Iain J. McEwan
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen Scotland UK
| | - Alireza Mashaghi
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Faculty of Science Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Golovnev A, Mashaghi A. Generalized Circuit Topology of Folded Linear Chains. iScience 2020; 23:101492. [PMID: 32896769 PMCID: PMC7481252 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A wide range of physical systems can be formally mapped to a linear chain of sorted objects. Upon introduction of intrachain interactions, such a chain can "fold" to elaborate topological structures, analogous to folded linear polymer systems. Two distinct chain-topology theories, knot theory and circuit topology, have separately provided insight into the structure, dynamics, and evolution of folded linear polymers such as proteins and genomic DNA. Knot theory, however, ignores intrachain interactions (contacts), whereas chain crossings are ignored in circuit topology. Thus, there is a need for a universal approach that can provide topological description of any folded linear chain. Here, we generalize circuit topology in order to grasp particularities typically addressed by knot theory. We develop a generic approach that is simple, mathematically rigorous, and practically useful for structural classification, analysis of structural dynamics, and engineering applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anatoly Golovnev
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, 2333CC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Alireza Mashaghi
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, 2333CC Leiden, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Heidari M, Schiessel H, Mashaghi A. Circuit Topology Analysis of Polymer Folding Reactions. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2020; 6:839-847. [PMID: 32607431 PMCID: PMC7318069 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.0c00308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Circuit topology is emerging as a versatile measure to classify the internal structures of folded linear polymers such as proteins and nucleic acids. The topology framework can be applied to a wide range of problems, most notably molecular folding reactions that are central to biology and molecular engineering. In this Outlook, we discuss the state-of-the art of the technology and elaborate on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maziar Heidari
- Leiden
Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden2300 RA, The Netherlands
- Laboratoire
Gulliver, UMR 7083, ESPCI Paris and PSL
University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Helmut Schiessel
- Institute
Lorentz for Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 CA, The Netherlands
| | - Alireza Mashaghi
- Leiden
Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden2300 RA, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Heidari M, Satarifard V, Mashaghi A. Mapping a single-molecule folding process onto a topological space. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:20338-20345. [PMID: 31497825 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp03175h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Physics of protein folding has been dominated by conceptual frameworks including the nucleation-propagation mechanism and the diffusion-collision model, and none address the topological properties of a chain during a folding process. Single-molecule interrogation of folded biomolecules has enabled real-time monitoring of folding processes at an unprecedented resolution. Despite these advances, the topology landscape has not been fully mapped for any chain. Using a novel circuit topology approach, we map the topology landscape of a model polymeric chain. Inspired by single-molecule mechanical interrogation studies, we restrained the ends of a chain and followed fold nucleation dynamics. We find that, before the nucleation, transient local entropic loops dominate. Although the nucleation length of globules is dependent on the cohesive interaction, the ultimate topological states of the collapsed polymer are largely independent of the interaction but depend on the speed of the folding process. After the nucleation, transient topological rearrangements are observed that converge to a steady-state, where the fold grows in a self-similar manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maziar Heidari
- Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|