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Reifs A, Fernandez-Calvo A, Alonso-Lerma B, Schönfelder J, Franco D, Ortega-Muñoz M, Casares S, Jimenez-Lopez C, Saa L, Cortajarena AL, De Sancho D, San Sebastian E, Perez-Jimenez R. High-throughput virtual search of small molecules for controlling the mechanical stability of human CD4. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107133. [PMID: 38432632 PMCID: PMC11065764 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein mechanical stability determines the function of a myriad of proteins, especially proteins from the extracellular matrix. Failure to maintain protein mechanical stability may result in diseases and disorders such as cancer, cardiomyopathies, or muscular dystrophy. Thus, developing mutation-free approaches to enhance and control the mechanical stability of proteins using pharmacology-based methods may have important implications in drug development and discovery. Here, we present the first approach that employs computational high-throughput virtual screening and molecular docking to search for small molecules in chemical libraries that function as mechano-regulators of the stability of human cluster of differentiation 4, receptor of HIV-1. Using single-molecule force spectroscopy, we prove that these small molecules can increase the mechanical stability of CD4D1D2 domains over 4-fold in addition to modifying the mechanical unfolding pathways. Our experiments demonstrate that chemical libraries are a source of mechanoactive molecules and that drug discovery approaches provide the foundation of a new type of molecular function, that is, mechano-regulation, paving the way toward mechanopharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Reifs
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio-Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Alba Fernandez-Calvo
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio-Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Borja Alonso-Lerma
- Center for Cooperative Research in Nanoscience (CIC nanoGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia-San Sabestian, Spain
| | - Jörg Schönfelder
- Center for Cooperative Research in Nanoscience (CIC nanoGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia-San Sabestian, Spain
| | | | - Mariano Ortega-Muñoz
- Faculty of Science, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Salvador Casares
- Faculty of Science, Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Laura Saa
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Aitziber L Cortajarena
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - David De Sancho
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), San Sebastian, Spain; Faculty of Chemistry, Applied Chemistry Department, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Eider San Sebastian
- Faculty of Chemistry, Applied Chemistry Department, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain.
| | - Raul Perez-Jimenez
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio-Bizkaia, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
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Weston TGR, Rees M, Gautel M, Fraternali F. Walking with giants: The challenges of variant impact assessment in the giant sarcomeric protein titin. WIREs Mech Dis 2024; 16:e1638. [PMID: 38155593 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1638] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Titin, the so-called "third filament" of the sarcomere, represents a difficult challenge for the determination of damaging genetic variants. A single titin molecule extends across half the length of a sarcomere in striated muscle, fulfilling a variety of vital structural and signaling roles, and has been linked to an equally varied range of myopathies, resulting in a significant burden on individuals and healthcare systems alike. While the consequences of truncating variants of titin are well-documented, the ramifications of the missense variants prevalent in the general population are less so. We here present a compendium of titin missense variants-those that result in a single amino-acid substitution in coding regions-reported to be pathogenic and discuss these in light of the nature of titin and the variant position within the sarcomere and their domain, the structural, pathological, and biophysical characteristics that define them, and the methods used for characterization. Finally, we discuss the current knowledge and integration of the multiple fields that have contributed to our understanding of titin-related pathology and offer suggestions as to how these concurrent methodologies may aid the further development in our understanding of titin and hopefully extend to other, less well-studied giant proteins. This article is categorized under: Cardiovascular Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Congenital Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Congenital Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timir G R Weston
- Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Martin Rees
- Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mathias Gautel
- Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Franca Fraternali
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, UK
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Doyle LA, Takushi B, Kibler RD, Milles LF, Orozco CT, Jones JD, Jackson SE, Stoddard BL, Bradley P. De novo design of knotted tandem repeat proteins. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6746. [PMID: 37875492 PMCID: PMC10598012 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42388-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
De novo protein design methods can create proteins with folds not yet seen in nature. These methods largely focus on optimizing the compatibility between the designed sequence and the intended conformation, without explicit consideration of protein folding pathways. Deeply knotted proteins, whose topologies may introduce substantial barriers to folding, thus represent an interesting test case for protein design. Here we report our attempts to design proteins with trefoil (31) and pentafoil (51) knotted topologies. We extended previously described algorithms for tandem repeat protein design in order to construct deeply knotted backbones and matching designed repeat sequences (N = 3 repeats for the trefoil and N = 5 for the pentafoil). We confirmed the intended conformation for the trefoil design by X ray crystallography, and we report here on this protein's structure, stability, and folding behaviour. The pentafoil design misfolded into an asymmetric structure (despite a 5-fold symmetric sequence); two of the four repeat-repeat units matched the designed backbone while the other two diverged to form local contacts, leading to a trefoil rather than pentafoil knotted topology. Our results also provide insights into the folding of knotted proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey A Doyle
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Brittany Takushi
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Ryan D Kibler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lukas F Milles
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Carolina T Orozco
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Jonathan D Jones
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Sophie E Jackson
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Barry L Stoddard
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
| | - Philip Bradley
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. North, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
- Division of Public Health Sciences and Program in Computational Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N, Seattle, WA, 98009, USA.
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