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Parlato R, Volarić J, Lasorsa A, Bagherpoor Helabad M, Kobauri P, Jain G, Miettinen MS, Feringa BL, Szymanski W, van der Wel PCA. Photocontrol of the β-Hairpin Polypeptide Structure through an Optimized Azobenzene-Based Amino Acid Analogue. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:2062-2071. [PMID: 38226790 PMCID: PMC10811659 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
A family of neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxias, are associated with an abnormal polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in mutant proteins that become prone to form amyloid-like aggregates. Prior studies have suggested a key role for β-hairpin formation as a driver of nucleation and aggregation, but direct experimental studies have been challenging. Toward such research, we set out to enable spatiotemporal control over β-hairpin formation by the introduction of a photosensitive β-turn mimic in the polypeptide backbone, consisting of a newly designed azobenzene derivative. The reported derivative overcomes the limitations of prior approaches associated with poor photochemical properties and imperfect structural compatibility with the desired β-turn structure. A new azobenzene-based β-turn mimic was designed, synthesized, and found to display improved photochemical properties, both prior and after incorporation into the backbone of a polyQ polypeptide. The two isomers of the azobenzene-polyQ peptide showed different aggregate structures of the polyQ peptide fibrils, as demonstrated by electron microscopy and solid-state NMR (ssNMR). Notably, only peptides in which the β-turn structure was stabilized (azobenzene in the cis configuration) closely reproduced the spectral fingerprints of toxic, β-hairpin-containing fibrils formed by mutant huntingtin protein fragments implicated in HD. These approaches and findings will enable better deciphering of the roles of β-hairpin structures in protein aggregation processes in HD and other amyloid-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Parlato
- Zernike
Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jana Volarić
- Stratingh
Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747
AG Groningen, The
Netherlands
| | - Alessia Lasorsa
- Zernike
Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mahdi Bagherpoor Helabad
- Department
of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute
of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Piermichele Kobauri
- Stratingh
Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747
AG Groningen, The
Netherlands
| | - Greeshma Jain
- Zernike
Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Markus S. Miettinen
- Computational
Biology Unit, Departments of Chemistry and Informatics, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Ben L. Feringa
- Stratingh
Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747
AG Groningen, The
Netherlands
| | - Wiktor Szymanski
- Stratingh
Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747
AG Groningen, The
Netherlands
- Medical
Imaging Center, University Medical Center
Groningen, Hanzeplein
1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick C. A. van der Wel
- Zernike
Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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Vieweg S, Mahul-Mellier AL, Ruggeri FS, Riguet N, DeGuire SM, Chiki A, Cendrowska U, Dietler G, Lashuel HA. The Nt17 Domain and its Helical Conformation Regulate the Aggregation, Cellular Properties and Neurotoxicity of Mutant Huntingtin Exon 1. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167222. [PMID: 34492254 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Converging evidence points to the N-terminal domain comprising the first 17 amino acids of the Huntingtin protein (Nt17) as a key regulator of its aggregation, cellular properties and toxicity. In this study, we further investigated the interplay between Nt17 and the polyQ domain repeat length in regulating the aggregation and inclusion formation of exon 1 of the Huntingtin protein (Httex1). In addition, we investigated the effect of removing Nt17 or modulating its local structure on the membrane interactions, neuronal uptake, and toxicity of monomeric or fibrillar Httex1. Our results show that the polyQ and Nt17 domains synergistically modulate the aggregation propensity of Httex1 and that the Nt17 domain plays important roles in shaping the surface properties of mutant Httex1 fibrils and regulating their poly-Q-dependent growth, lateral association and neuronal uptake. Removal of Nt17 or disruption of its transient helical conformations slowed the aggregation of monomeric Httex1 in vitro, reduced inclusion formation in cells, enhanced the neuronal uptake and nuclear accumulation of monomeric Httex1 proteins, and was sufficient to prevent cell death induced by Httex1 72Q overexpression. Finally, we demonstrate that the uptake of Httex1 fibrils into primary neurons and the resulting toxicity are strongly influenced by mutations and phosphorylation events that influence the local helical propensity of Nt17. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the Nt17 domain serves as one of the key master regulators of Htt aggregation, internalization, and toxicity and represents an attractive target for inhibiting Htt aggregate formation, inclusion formation, and neuronal toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Vieweg
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Laure Mahul-Mellier
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Francesco S Ruggeri
- Laboratory of the Physics of Living Matter, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathan Riguet
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sean M DeGuire
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anass Chiki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Urszula Cendrowska
- Laboratory of the Physics of Living Matter, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni Dietler
- Laboratory of the Physics of Living Matter, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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3
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Tseng WH, Chen SH, Hiramatsu H. pH-controlled stacking direction of the β-strands in peptide fibrils. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22199. [PMID: 33335192 PMCID: PMC7747703 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79001-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides provide a framework for generating functional biopolymers. In this study, the pH-dependent structural changes in the 21-29 fragment peptide of β2-microglobulin (β2m21-29) during self-aggregation, i.e., the formation of an amyloid fibril, were discussed. The β-sheet structures formed during parallel stacking under basic conditions (pH ≥ 7.7) adopted an anti-parallel stacking configuration under acidic conditions (pH ≤ 7.6). The parallel and anti-parallel β-sheets existed separately at the intermediate pH (pH = 7.6-7.7). These results were attributed to the rigidity of the β-sheets in the fibrils, which prevented the stable hydrogen bonding interactions between the parallel and anti-parallel β-sheet moieties. This observed pH dependence was ascribed to two phenomena: (i) the pH-dependent collapse of the β2m21-29 fibrils, which consisted of 16 ± 3 anti-parallel β-sheets containing a total of 2000 β-strands during the deprotonation of the NH3+ group (pKa = 8.0) of the β-strands that occurred within 0.7 ± 0.2 strands of each other and (ii) the subsequent formation of the parallel β-sheets. We propose a framework for a functional biopolymer that could alternate between the two β-sheet structures in response to pH changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Hsuan Tseng
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30010, Taiwan
| | - Szu-Hua Chen
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30010, Taiwan
| | - Hirotsugu Hiramatsu
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30010, Taiwan.
- Center for Emergent Functional Matter Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30010, Taiwan.
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Payne TD, Moody AS, Wood AL, Pimiento PA, Elliott JC, Sharma B. Raman spectroscopy and neuroscience: from fundamental understanding to disease diagnostics and imaging. Analyst 2020; 145:3461-3480. [PMID: 32301450 DOI: 10.1039/d0an00083c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Neuroscience would directly benefit from more effective detection techniques, leading to earlier diagnosis of disease. The specificity of Raman spectroscopy is unparalleled, given that a molecular fingerprint is attained for each species. It also allows for label-free detection with relatively inexpensive instrumentation, minimal sample preparation, and rapid sample analysis. This review summarizes Raman spectroscopy-based techniques that have been used to advance the field of neuroscience in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor D Payne
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
| | - Amber S Moody
- National Center of Toxicological Research, 3900 NCTR Rd, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Avery L Wood
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
| | - Paula A Pimiento
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
| | - James C Elliott
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
| | - Bhavya Sharma
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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Smith NL, Coukouma AE, Jakubek RS, Asher SA. Mechanisms by Which Organic Solvent Exchange Transforms Responsive Pure Protein Hydrogels into Responsive Organogels. Biomacromolecules 2019; 21:839-853. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Lynn Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Andrew Eagle Coukouma
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Ryan S. Jakubek
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Sanford A. Asher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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Jakubek RS, Workman RJ, White SE, Asher SA. Polyglutamine Solution-State Structural Propensity Is Repeat Length Dependent. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:4193-4203. [PMID: 31008597 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b01433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts in proteins, which are known to induce their aggregation, are associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases. Longer polyQ tracts correlate with faster protein aggregation kinetics and a decreased age of onset for polyQ disease symptoms. Here, we use UV resonance Raman spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and metadynamics simulations to investigate the solution-state structures of the D2Q15K2 (Q15) and D2Q20K2 (Q20) peptides. Using metadynamics, we explore the conformational energy landscapes of Q15 and Q20 and investigate the relative energies and activation barriers between these low-energy structures. We compare the solution-state structures of D2Q10K2 (Q10), Q15, and Q20 to determine the dependence of polyQ structure on the Q tract length. We show that these peptides can adopt two distinct monomeric conformations: an aggregation-resistant PPII-like conformation and an aggregation-prone β-strand-like conformation. We find that longer polyQ peptides have an increased preference for the aggregation-prone β-strand-like conformation. This preference may play an important role in the increased aggregation rate of longer polyQ peptides that is thought to lead to decreased neurodegenerative disease age of onset for polyQ disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Riley J Workman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Computational Sciences , Duquesne University , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania 15282 , United States
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