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Saliminasab M, Yamazaki Y, Palmateer A, Harris A, Schubert L, Langner P, Heberle J, Bondar AN, Brown LS. A Proteorhodopsin-Related Photosensor Expands the Repertoire of Structural Motifs Employed by Sensory Rhodopsins. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:7872-7886. [PMID: 37694950 PMCID: PMC10519204 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c04032] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Microbial rhodopsins are light-activated retinal-binding membrane proteins that perform a variety of ion transport and photosensory functions. They display several cases of convergent evolution where the same function is present in unrelated or very distant protein groups. Here we report another possible case of such convergent evolution, describing the biophysical properties of a new group of sensory rhodopsins. The first representative of this group was identified in 2004 but none of the members had been expressed and characterized. The well-studied haloarchaeal sensory rhodopsins interacting with methyl-accepting Htr transducers are close relatives of the halobacterial proton pump bacteriorhodopsin. In contrast, the sensory rhodopsins we describe here are relatives of proteobacterial proton pumps, proteorhodopsins, but appear to interact with Htr-like transducers likewise, even though they do not conserve the residues important for the interaction of haloarchaeal sensory rhodopsins with their transducers. The new sensory rhodopsins display many unusual amino acid residues, including those around the retinal chromophore; most strikingly, a tyrosine in place of a carboxyl counterion of the retinal Schiff base on helix C. To characterize their unique sequence motifs, we augment the spectroscopy and biochemistry data by structural modeling of the wild-type and three mutants. Taken together, the experimental data, bioinformatics sequence analyses, and structural modeling suggest that the tyrosine/aspartate complex counterion contributes to a complex water-mediated hydrogen-bonding network that couples the protonated retinal Schiff base to an extracellular carboxylic dyad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Saliminasab
- Department
of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Yoichi Yamazaki
- Division
of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Alyssa Palmateer
- Department
of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Andrew Harris
- Department
of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Luiz Schubert
- Experimental
Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Pit Langner
- Experimental
Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Joachim Heberle
- Experimental
Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ana-Nicoleta Bondar
- University
of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, Atomiştilor 405, Măgurele 077125, Romania
- Forschungszentrum
Jülich, Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine and Institute
for Advanced Simulations (IAS-5/INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Wilhelm-Johnen Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Leonid S. Brown
- Department
of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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2
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My remembrances of H.G. Khorana: exploring the mechanism of bacteriorhodopsin with site-directed mutagenesis and FTIR difference spectroscopy. Biophys Rev 2023; 15:103-110. [PMID: 36909952 PMCID: PMC9995631 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-023-01046-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
H.G. Khorana's seminal contributions to molecular biology are well-known. He also had a lesser known but still major influence on current application of advanced vibrational spectroscopic techniques such as FTIR difference spectroscopy to explore the mechanism of bacteriorhodopsin and other integral membrane proteins. In this review, I provide a personal perspective of my collaborative research and interactions with Gobind, from 1982 to 1995 when our groups published over 25 papers together which resulted in an early picture of key features of the bacteriorhodopsin proton pump mechanism. Much of this early work served as a blueprint for subsequent advances based on combining protein bioengineering and vibrational spectroscopic techniques to study integral membrane proteins.
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3
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Mei G, Cavini CM, Mamaeva N, Wang P, DeGrip WJ, Rothschild KJ. Optical Switching Between Long-lived States of Opsin Transmembrane Voltage Sensors. Photochem Photobiol 2021; 97:1001-1015. [PMID: 33817800 PMCID: PMC8596844 DOI: 10.1111/php.13428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Opsin-based transmembrane voltage sensors (OTVSs) are membrane proteins increasingly used in optogenetic applications to measure voltage changes across cellular membranes. In order to better understand the photophysical properties of OTVSs, we used a combination of UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence and FT-Raman spectroscopy to characterize QuasAr2 and NovArch, two closely related mutants derived from the proton pump archaerhodopsin-3 (AR3). We find both QuasAr2 and NovArch can be optically cycled repeatedly between O-like and M-like states using 5-min exposure to red (660 nm) and near-UV (405 nm) light. Longer red-light exposure resulted in the formation of a long-lived photoproduct similar to pink membrane, previously found to be a photoproduct of the BR O intermediate with a 9-cis retinylidene chromophore configuration. However, unlike QuasAr2 whose O-like state is stable in the dark, NovArch exhibits an O-like state which slowly partially decays in the dark to a stable M-like form with a deprotonated Schiff base and a 13-cis,15-anti retinylidene chromophore configuration. These results reveal a previously unknown complexity in the photochemistry of OTVSs including the ability to optically switch between different long-lived states. The possible molecular basis of these newly discovered properties along with potential optogenetic and biotechnological applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoxiang Mei
- Molecular Biophysics LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsPhotonics CenterBoston UniversityBostonMA
| | - Cesar M. Cavini
- Molecular Biophysics LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsPhotonics CenterBoston UniversityBostonMA
| | - Natalia Mamaeva
- Molecular Biophysics LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsPhotonics CenterBoston UniversityBostonMA
| | | | - Willem J. DeGrip
- Department of Biophysical Organic ChemistryLeiden Institute of ChemistryLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
- Department of BiochemistryRadboud Institute for Molecular Life SciencesRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Kenneth J. Rothschild
- Molecular Biophysics LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsPhotonics CenterBoston UniversityBostonMA
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4
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Li H, Huang CY, Govorunova EG, Sineshchekov OA, Yi A, Rothschild KJ, Wang M, Zheng L, Spudich JL. The crystal structure of bromide-bound GtACR1 reveals a pre-activated state in the transmembrane anion tunnel. eLife 2021; 10:65903. [PMID: 33998458 PMCID: PMC8172240 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The crystal structure of the light-gated anion channel GtACR1 reported in our previous Research Article (Li et al., 2019) revealed a continuous tunnel traversing the protein from extracellular to intracellular pores. We proposed the tunnel as the conductance channel closed by three constrictions: C1 in the extracellular half, mid-membrane C2 containing the photoactive site, and C3 on the cytoplasmic side. Reported here, the crystal structure of bromide-bound GtACR1 reveals structural changes that relax the C1 and C3 constrictions, including a novel salt-bridge switch mechanism involving C1 and the photoactive site. These findings indicate that substrate binding induces a transition from an inactivated state to a pre-activated state in the dark that facilitates channel opening by reducing free energy in the tunnel constrictions. The results provide direct evidence that the tunnel is the closed form of the channel of GtACR1 and shed light on the light-gated channel activation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Membrane Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center - McGovern Medical School, Houston, United States
| | - Chia-Ying Huang
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Elena G Govorunova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Membrane Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center - McGovern Medical School, Houston, United States
| | - Oleg A Sineshchekov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Membrane Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center - McGovern Medical School, Houston, United States
| | - Adrian Yi
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Kenneth J Rothschild
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Meitian Wang
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Lei Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Membrane Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center - McGovern Medical School, Houston, United States
| | - John L Spudich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Membrane Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center - McGovern Medical School, Houston, United States
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5
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Tomida S, Ito S, Mato T, Furutani Y, Inoue K, Kandori H. Infrared spectroscopic analysis on structural changes around the protonated Schiff base upon retinal isomerization in light-driven sodium pump KR2. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1861:148190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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6
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Mei G, Mamaeva N, Ganapathy S, Wang P, DeGrip WJ, Rothschild KJ. Analog Retinal Redshifts Visible Absorption of QuasAr Transmembrane Voltage Sensors into Near-infrared. Photochem Photobiol 2019; 96:55-66. [PMID: 31556123 PMCID: PMC7004139 DOI: 10.1111/php.13169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Opsin‐based transmembrane voltage sensors (OTVSs) are increasingly important tools for neuroscience enabling neural function in complex brain circuits to be explored in live, behaving animals. However, the visible wavelengths required for fluorescence excitation of the current generation of OTVSs limit optogenetic imaging in the brain to depths of only a few mm due to the strong absorption and scattering of visible light by biological tissues. We report that substitution of the native A1 retinal chromophore of the widely used QuasAr1/2 OTVSs with the retinal analog MMAR containing a methylamino‐modified dimethylphenyl ring results in over a 100‐nm redshift of the maxima of the absorption and fluorescence emission bands to near 700 and 840 nm, respectively. FT‐Raman spectroscopy reveals that at pH 7 QuasAr1 with both the A1 and MMAR chromophores possess predominantly an all‐trans protonated Schiff base configuration with the MMAR chromophore exhibiting increased torsion of the polyene single‐/double‐bond system similar to the O‐intermediate of the BR photocycle. In contrast, the A1 and the MMAR chromophores of QuasAr2 exist partially in a 13‐cis PSB configuration. These results demonstrate that QuasArs containing the MMAR chromophore are attractive candidates for use as NIR‐OTVSs, especially for applications such as deep brain imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoxiang Mei
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Natalia Mamaeva
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Srividya Ganapathy
- Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Willem J DeGrip
- Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Biochemistry, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kenneth J Rothschild
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA
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7
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Hontani Y, Ganapathy S, Frehan S, Kloz M, de Grip WJ, Kennis JTM. Photoreaction Dynamics of Red-Shifting Retinal Analogues Reconstituted in Proteorhodopsin. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:4242-4250. [PMID: 30998011 PMCID: PMC6526469 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b01136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Microbial rhodopsins
constitute a key protein family in optobiotechnological
applications such as optogenetics and voltage imaging. Spectral tuning
of rhodopsins into the deep-red and near-infrared spectral regions
is of great demand in such applications because more bathochromic
light into the near-infrared range penetrates deeper in living tissue.
Recently, retinal analogues have been successfully used in ion transporting
and fluorescent rhodopsins to achieve red-shifted absorption, activity,
and emission properties. Understanding their photochemical mechanism
is essential for further design of appropriate retinal analogues but
is yet only poorly understood for most retinal analogue pigments.
Here, we report the photoreaction dynamics of red-shifted analogue
pigments of the proton pump proteorhodopsin (PR) containing A2 (all-trans-3,4-dehydroretinal), MOA2 (all-trans-3-methoxy-3,4-dehydroretinal), or DMAR (all-trans-3-dimethylamino-16-nor-1,2,3,4-didehydroretinal), utilizing femto-
to submillisecond transient absorption spectroscopy. We found that
the A2 analogue photoisomerizes in 1.4, 3.0, and/or 13 ps upon 510
nm light illumination, which is comparable to the native retinal (A1)
in PR. On the other hand, the deprotonation of the A2 pigment Schiff
base was observed with a dominant time constant of 67 μs, which
is significantly slower than the A1 pigment. In the MOA2 pigment,
no isomerization or photoproduct formation was detected upon 520 nm
excitation, implying that all the excited molecules returned to the
initial ground state in 2.0 and 4.2 ps. The DMAR pigment showed very
slow excited state dynamics similar to the previously studied MMAR
pigment, but only very little photoproduct was formed. The low efficiency
of the photoproduct formation likely is the reason why DMAR analogue
pigments of PR showed very weak proton pumping activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusaku Hontani
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , Vrije Universiteit , Amsterdam 1081 HV , The Netherlands
| | - Srividya Ganapathy
- Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories , Leiden University , Leiden 2300 RA , The Netherlands
| | - Sean Frehan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , Vrije Universiteit , Amsterdam 1081 HV , The Netherlands
| | - Miroslav Kloz
- ELI-Beamlines , Institute of Physics , Na Slovance 2 , Praha 8 182 21 , Czech Republic
| | - Willem J de Grip
- Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories , Leiden University , Leiden 2300 RA , The Netherlands.,Department of Biochemistry , Radboud University Medical Center , Nijmegen 6500 HB , The Netherlands
| | - John T M Kennis
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , Vrije Universiteit , Amsterdam 1081 HV , The Netherlands
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8
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Mei G, Mamaeva N, Ganapathy S, Wang P, DeGrip WJ, Rothschild KJ. Raman spectroscopy of a near infrared absorbing proteorhodopsin: Similarities to the bacteriorhodopsin O photointermediate. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0209506. [PMID: 30586409 PMCID: PMC6306260 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial rhodopsins have become an important tool in the field of optogenetics. However, effective in vivo optogenetics is in many cases severely limited due to the strong absorption and scattering of visible light by biological tissues. Recently, a combination of opsin site-directed mutagenesis and analog retinal substitution has produced variants of proteorhodopsin which absorb maximally in the near-infrared (NIR). In this study, UV-Visible-NIR absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopy were used to study the double mutant, D212N/F234S, of green absorbing proteorhodopsin (GPR) regenerated with MMAR, a retinal analog containing a methylamino modified β-ionone ring. Four distinct subcomponent absorption bands with peak maxima near 560, 620, 710 and 780 nm are detected with the NIR bands dominant at pH <7.3, and the visible bands dominant at pH 9.5. FT-Raman using 1064-nm excitation reveal two strong ethylenic bands at 1482 and 1498 cm-1 corresponding to the NIR subcomponent absorption bands based on an extended linear correlation between λmax and γC = C. This spectrum exhibits two intense bands in the fingerprint and HOOP mode regions that are highly characteristic of the O640 photointermediate from the light-adapted bacteriorhodopsin photocycle. In contrast, 532-nm excitation enhances the 560-nm component, which exhibits bands very similar to light-adapted bacteriorhodopsin and/or the acid-purple form of bacteriorhodopsin. Native GPR and its mutant D97N when regenerated with MMAR also exhibit similar absorption and Raman bands but with weaker contributions from the NIR absorbing components. Based on these results it is proposed that the NIR absorption in GPR-D212N/F234S with MMAR arises from an O-like chromophore, where the Schiff base counterion D97 is protonated and the MMAR adopts an all-trans configuration with a non-planar geometry due to twists in the conjugated polyene segment. This configuration is characterized by extensive charge delocalization, most likely involving nitrogens atoms in the MMAR chromophore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoxiang Mei
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Natalia Mamaeva
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Srividya Ganapathy
- Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden UniversityAR Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peng Wang
- Bruker Corporation, Billerica, MA, United States of America
| | - Willem J. DeGrip
- Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden UniversityAR Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kenneth J. Rothschild
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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9
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Buda F, Keijer T, Ganapathy S, de Grip WJ. A Quantum-mechanical Study of the Binding Pocket of Proteorhodopsin: Absorption and Vibrational Spectra Modulated by Analogue Chromophores. Photochem Photobiol 2017; 93:1399-1406. [DOI: 10.1111/php.12800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Buda
- Leiden University; Leiden Institute of Chemistry; Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Tom Keijer
- Leiden University; Leiden Institute of Chemistry; Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Srividya Ganapathy
- Leiden University; Leiden Institute of Chemistry; Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Willem J. de Grip
- Leiden University; Leiden Institute of Chemistry; Leiden The Netherlands
- Radboud University Medical Center; Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences; Nijmegen The Netherlands
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10
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Yi A, Li H, Mamaeva N, Fernandez De Cordoba RE, Lugtenburg J, DeGrip WJ, Spudich JL, Rothschild KJ. Structural Changes in an Anion Channelrhodopsin: Formation of the K and L Intermediates at 80 K. Biochemistry 2017; 56:2197-2208. [PMID: 28350445 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A recently discovered natural family of light-gated anion channelrhodopsins (ACRs) from cryptophyte algae provides an effective means of optogenetically silencing neurons. The most extensively studied ACR is from Guillardia theta (GtACR1). Earlier studies of GtACR1 have established a correlation between formation of a blue-shifted L-like intermediate and the anion channel "open" state. To study structural changes of GtACR1 in the K and L intermediates of the photocycle, a combination of low-temperature Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible absorption difference spectroscopy was used along with stable-isotope retinal labeling and site-directed mutagenesis. In contrast to bacteriorhodopsin (BR) and other microbial rhodopsins, which form only a stable red-shifted K intermediate at 80 K, GtACR1 forms both stable K and L-like intermediates. Evidence includes the appearance of positive ethylenic and fingerprint vibrational bands characteristic of the L intermediate as well as a positive visible absorption band near 485 nm. FTIR difference bands in the carboxylic acid C═O stretching region indicate that several Asp/Glu residues undergo hydrogen bonding changes at 80 K. The Glu68 → Gln and Ser97 → Glu substitutions, residues located close to the retinylidene Schiff base, altered the K:L ratio and several of the FTIR bands in the carboxylic acid region. In the case of the Ser97 → Glu substitution, a significant red-shift of the absorption wavelength of the K and L intermediates occurs. Sequence comparisons suggest that L formation in GtACR1 at 80 K is due in part to the substitution of the highly conserved Leu or Ile at position 93 in helix 3 (BR sequence) with the homologous Met105 in GtACR1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Yi
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, and Department of Physics, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Hai Li
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School , Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Natalia Mamaeva
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, and Department of Physics, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Roberto E Fernandez De Cordoba
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, and Department of Physics, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Johan Lugtenburg
- Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University , 2300 AR Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Willem J DeGrip
- Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University , 2300 AR Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - John L Spudich
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School , Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Kenneth J Rothschild
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, and Department of Physics, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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11
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Eckert CE, Kaur J, Glaubitz C, Wachtveitl J. Ultrafast Photoinduced Deactivation Dynamics of Proteorhodopsin. J Phys Chem Lett 2017; 8:512-517. [PMID: 28072545 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.6b02975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We report femtosecond time-resolved absorption change measurements of the photoinduced deactivation dynamics of a microbial rhodopsin in the ultraviolet-visible and mid-infrared range. The blue light quenching process is recorded in green proteorhodopsin's (GPR) primary proton donor mutant E108Q from the deprotonated 13-cis photointermediate. The return of GPR to the dark state occurs in two steps, starting with the photoinduced 13-cis to all-trans reisomerization of the retinal. The subsequent Schiff base reprotonation via the primary proton acceptor (D97) occurs on a nanosecond time scale. This step is two orders of magnitude faster than that in bacteriorhodopsin, potentially because of the very high pKA of the GPR primary proton acceptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Elias Eckert
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main , Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jagdeep Kaur
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main , Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Clemens Glaubitz
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main , Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Josef Wachtveitl
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main , Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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12
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Yi A, Mamaeva N, Li H, Spudich JL, Rothschild KJ. Resonance Raman Study of an Anion Channelrhodopsin: Effects of Mutations near the Retinylidene Schiff Base. Biochemistry 2016; 55:2371-80. [PMID: 27039989 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetics relies on the expression of specific microbial rhodopsins in the neuronal plasma membrane. Most notably, this includes channelrhodopsins, which when heterologously expressed in neurons function as light-gated cation channels. Recently, a new class of microbial rhodopsins, termed anion channel rhodopsins (ACRs), has been discovered. These proteins function as efficient light-activated channels strictly selective for anions. They exclude the flow of protons and other cations and cause hyperpolarization of the membrane potential in neurons by allowing the inward flow of chloride ions. In this study, confocal near-infrared resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) along with hydrogen/deuterium exchange, retinal analogue substitution, and site-directed mutagenesis were used to study the retinal structure as well as its interactions with the protein in the unphotolyzed state of an ACR from Guillardia theta (GtACR1). These measurements reveal that (i) the retinal chromophore exists as an all-trans configuration with a protonated Schiff base (PSB) very similar to that of bacteriorhodopsin (BR), (ii) the chromophore RRS spectrum is insensitive to changes in pH from 3 to 11, whereas above this pH the Schiff base (SB) is deprotonated, (iii) when Ser97, the homologue to Asp85 in BR, is replaced with a Glu, it remains in a neutral form (i.e., as a carboxylic acid) but is deprotonated at higher pH to form a blue-shifted species, (iv) Asp234, the homologue of the protonated retinylidene SB counterion Asp212 in BR, does not serve as the primary counteranion for the protonated SB, and (v) substitution of Glu68 with an Gln increases the pH at which SB deprotonation is observed. These results suggest that Glu68 and Asp234 located near the SB exist in a neutral state in unphotolyzed GtACR1 and indicate that other unidentified negative charges stabilize the protonated state of the GtACR1 SB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Yi
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, and Department of Physics, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Natalia Mamaeva
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, and Department of Physics, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Hai Li
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School , Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - John L Spudich
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School , Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Kenneth J Rothschild
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, and Department of Physics, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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13
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Ogren JI, Yi A, Mamaev S, Li H, Spudich JL, Rothschild KJ. Proton transfers in a channelrhodopsin-1 studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) difference spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:12719-30. [PMID: 25802337 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.634840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin-1 from the alga Chlamydomonas augustae (CaChR1) is a low-efficiency light-activated cation channel that exhibits properties useful for optogenetic applications such as a slow light inactivation and a red-shifted visible absorption maximum as compared with the more extensively studied channelrhodopsin-2 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CrChR2). Previously, both resonance Raman and low-temperature FTIR difference spectroscopy revealed that unlike CrChR2, CaChR1 under our conditions exhibits an almost pure all-trans retinal composition in the unphotolyzed ground state and undergoes an all-trans to 13-cis isomerization during the primary phototransition typical of other microbial rhodopsins such as bacteriorhodopsin (BR). Here, we apply static and rapid-scan FTIR difference spectroscopy along with site-directed mutagenesis to characterize the proton transfer events occurring upon the formation of the long-lived conducting P2 (380) state of CaChR1. Assignment of carboxylic C=O stretch bands indicates that Asp-299 (homolog to Asp-212 in BR) becomes protonated and Asp-169 (homolog to Asp-85 in BR) undergoes a net change in hydrogen bonding relative to the unphotolyzed ground state of CaChR1. These data along with earlier FTIR measurements on the CaChR1 → P1 transition are consistent with a two-step proton relay mechanism that transfers a proton from Glu-169 to Asp-299 during the primary phototransition and from the Schiff base to Glu-169 during P2 (380) formation. The unusual charge neutrality of both Schiff base counterions in the P2 (380) conducting state suggests that these residues may function as part of a cation selective filter in the open channel state of CaChR1 as well as other low-efficiency ChRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- John I Ogren
- From the Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 and
| | - Adrian Yi
- From the Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 and
| | - Sergey Mamaev
- From the Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 and
| | - Hai Li
- the Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - John L Spudich
- the Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kenneth J Rothschild
- From the Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 and
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14
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Ogren JI, Yi A, Mamaev S, Li H, Lugtenburg J, DeGrip WJ, Spudich JL, Rothschild KJ. Comparison of the structural changes occurring during the primary phototransition of two different channelrhodopsins from Chlamydomonas algae. Biochemistry 2014; 54:377-88. [PMID: 25469620 PMCID: PMC4303311 DOI: 10.1021/bi501243y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
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Channelrhodopsins
(ChRs) from green flagellate algae function as
light-gated ion channels when expressed heterologously in mammalian
cells. Considerable interest has focused on understanding the molecular
mechanisms of ChRs to bioengineer their properties for specific optogenetic
applications such as elucidating the function of specific neurons
in brain circuits. While most studies have used channelrhodopsin-2
from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CrChR2), in this work low-temperature Fourier transform infrared-difference
spectroscopy is applied to study the conformational changes occurring
during the primary phototransition of the red-shifted ChR1 from Chlamydomonas augustae (CaChR1). Substitution
with isotope-labeled retinals or the retinal analogue A2, site-directed
mutagenesis, hydrogen–deuterium exchange, and H218O exchange were used to assign bands to the retinal
chromophore, protein, and internal water molecules. The primary phototransition
of CaChR1 at 80 K involves, in contrast to that of CrChR2, almost exclusively an all-trans to 13-cis isomerization of the retinal chromophore,
as in the primary phototransition of bacteriorhodopsin (BR). In addition,
significant differences are found for structural changes of the protein
and internal water(s) compared to those of CrChR2,
including the response of several Asp/Glu residues to retinal isomerization.
A negative amide II band is identified in the retinal ethylenic stretch
region of CaChR1, which reflects along with amide
I bands alterations in protein backbone structure early in the photocycle.
A decrease in the hydrogen bond strength of a weakly hydrogen bonded
internal water is detected in both CaChR1 and CrChR2, but the bands are much broader in CrChR2, indicating a more heterogeneous environment. Mutations involving
residues Glu169 and Asp299 (homologues of the Asp85 and Asp212 Schiff
base counterions, respectively, in BR) lead to the conclusion that
Asp299 is protonated during P1 formation and suggest that these residues
interact through a strong hydrogen bond that facilitates the transfer
of a proton from Glu169.
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Affiliation(s)
- John I Ogren
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, and Department of Physics, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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15
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Mao J, Do NN, Scholz F, Reggie L, Mehler M, Lakatos A, Ong YS, Ullrich SJ, Brown LJ, Brown RCD, Becker-Baldus J, Wachtveitl J, Glaubitz C. Structural basis of the green-blue color switching in proteorhodopsin as determined by NMR spectroscopy. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:17578-90. [PMID: 25415762 DOI: 10.1021/ja5097946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Proteorhodopsins (PRs) found in marine microbes are the most abundant retinal-based photoreceptors on this planet. PR variants show high levels of environmental adaptation, as their colors are tuned to the optimal wavelength of available light. The two major green and blue subfamilies can be interconverted through a L/Q point mutation at position 105. Here we reveal the structural basis behind this intriguing color-tuning effect. High-field solid-state NMR spectroscopy was used to visualize structural changes within green PR directly within the lipid bilayer upon introduction of the green-blue L105Q mutation. The observed effects are localized within the binding pocket and close to retinal carbons C14 and C15. Subsequently, magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy with sensitivity enhancement by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) was applied to determine precisely the retinal structure around C14-C15. Upon mutation, a significantly stretched C14-C15 bond, deshielding of C15, and a slight alteration of the retinal chain's out-of-plane twist was observed. The L105Q blue switch therefore acts locally on the retinal itself and induces a conjugation defect between the isomerization region and the imine linkage. Consequently, the S0-S1 energy gap increases, resulting in the observed blue shift. The distortion of the chromophore structure also offers an explanation for the elongated primary reaction detected by pump-probe spectroscopy, while chemical shift perturbations within the protein can be linked to the elongation of late-photocycle intermediates studied by flash photolysis. Besides resolving a long-standing problem, this study also demonstrates that the combination of data obtained from high-field and DNP-enhanced MAS NMR spectroscopy together with time-resolved optical spectroscopy enables powerful synergies for in-depth functional studies of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafei Mao
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry and Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Goethe University Frankfurt , 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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16
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Wang S, Ladizhansky V. Recent advances in magic angle spinning solid state NMR of membrane proteins. PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY 2014; 82:1-26. [PMID: 25444696 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnmrs.2014.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2014] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Membrane proteins mediate many critical functions in cells. Determining their three-dimensional structures in the native lipid environment has been one of the main objectives in structural biology. There are two major NMR methodologies that allow this objective to be accomplished. Oriented sample NMR, which can be applied to membrane proteins that are uniformly aligned in the magnetic field, has been successful in determining the backbone structures of a handful of membrane proteins. Owing to methodological and technological developments, Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy has emerged as another major technique for the complete characterization of the structure and dynamics of membrane proteins. First developed on peptides and small microcrystalline proteins, MAS ssNMR has recently been successfully applied to large membrane proteins. In this review we describe recent progress in MAS ssNMR methodologies, which are now available for studies of membrane protein structure determination, and outline a few examples, which highlight the broad capability of ssNMR spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenlin Wang
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Vladimir Ladizhansky
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada; Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
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17
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Brown LS. Eubacterial rhodopsins - unique photosensors and diverse ion pumps. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2013; 1837:553-61. [PMID: 23748216 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2013.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 05/27/2013] [Accepted: 05/29/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Since the discovery of proteorhodopsins, the ubiquitous marine light-driven proton pumps of eubacteria, a large number of other eubacterial rhodopsins with diverse structures and functions have been characterized. Here, we review the body of knowledge accumulated on the four major groups of eubacterial rhodopsins, with the focus on their biophysical characterization. We discuss advances and controversies on the unique eubacterial sensory rhodopsins (as represented by Anabaena sensory rhodopsin), proton-pumping proteorhodopsins and xanthorhodopsins, as well as novel non-proton ion pumps. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Retinal Proteins - You can teach an old dog new tricks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid S Brown
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
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18
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Saint Clair EC, Ogren JI, Mamaev S, Russano D, Kralj JM, Rothschild KJ. Near-IR resonance Raman spectroscopy of archaerhodopsin 3: effects of transmembrane potential. J Phys Chem B 2012. [PMID: 23189985 DOI: 10.1021/jp309996a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Archaerhodopsin 3 (AR3) is a light driven proton pump from Halorubrum sodomense that has been used as a genetically targetable neuronal silencer and an effective fluorescent sensor of transmembrane potential. Unlike the more extensively studied bacteriorhodopsin (BR) from Halobacterium salinarum, AR3 readily incorporates into the plasma membrane of both E. coli and mammalian cells. Here, we used near-IR resonance Raman confocal microscopy to study the effects of pH and membrane potential on the AR3 retinal chromophore structure. Measurements were performed both on AR3 reconstituted into E. coli polar lipids and in vivo in E. coli expressing AR3 in the absence and presence of a negative transmembrane potential. The retinal chromophore structure of AR3 is in an all-trans configuration almost identical to BR over the entire pH range from 3 to 11. Small changes are detected in the retinal ethylenic stretching frequency and Schiff Base (SB) hydrogen bonding strength relative to BR which may be related to a different water structure near the SB. In the case of the AR3 mutant D95N, at neutral pH an all-trans retinal O-like species (O(all-trans)) is found. At higher pH a second 13-cis retinal N-like species (N(13-cis)) is detected which is attributed to a slowly decaying intermediate in the red-light photocycle of D95N. However, the amount of N(13-cis) detected is less in E. coli cells but is restored upon addition of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) or sonication, both of which dissipate the normal negative membrane potential. We postulate that these changes are due to the effect of membrane potential on the N(13-cis) to M(13-cis) levels accumulated in the D95N red-light photocycle and on a molecular level by the effects of the electric field on the protonation/deprotonation of the cytoplasmic accessible SB. This mechanism also provides a possible explanation for the observed fluorescence dependence of AR3 and other microbial rhodopsins on transmembrane potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica C Saint Clair
- Department of Physics, Photonics Center and Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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19
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Herz J, Verhoefen MK, Weber I, Bamann C, Glaubitz C, Wachtveitl J. Critical role of Asp227 in the photocycle of proteorhodopsin. Biochemistry 2012; 51:5589-600. [PMID: 22738119 DOI: 10.1021/bi3003764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The photocycle of the proton acceptor complex mutant D227N of the bacterial retinal protein proteorhodopsin is investigated employing steady state pH-titration experiments in the UV-visible range as well as femtosecond-pump-probe spectroscopy and flash photolysis in the visible spectral range. The evaluation of the pH-dependent spectra showed that the neutralization of the charge at position 227 has a remarkable influence on the ground state properties of the protein. Both the pK(a) values of the primary proton acceptor and of the Schiff base are considerably decreased. Femtosecond-time-resolved measurements demonstrate that the general S(1) deactivation pathway; that is, the K-state formation is preserved in the D227N mutant. However, the pH-dependence of the reaction rate is lost by the substitution of Asp227 with an asparagine. Also no significant kinetic differences are observed upon deuteration. This is explained by the lack of a strongly hydrogen-bonded water in the vicinity of Asp97, Asp227, and the Schiff base or a change in the hydrogen bonding of it (Ikeda et al. (2007) Biochemistry 46, 5365-5373). The flash photolysis measurements prove a considerably elongated photocycle with pronounced pH-dependence. Interestingly, at pH 9 the M-state is visible until the end of the reaction cycle, leading to the conclusion that the mutation does not only lower the pK(a) of the Schiff base in the unphotolyzed ground state but also prevents an efficient reprotonation reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Herz
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Max von Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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20
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Clair ECS, Ogren JI, Mamaev S, Kralj JM, Rothschild KJ. Conformational changes in the archaerhodopsin-3 proton pump: detection of conserved strongly hydrogen bonded water networks. J Biol Phys 2011; 38:153-68. [PMID: 23277676 DOI: 10.1007/s10867-011-9246-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2011] [Accepted: 10/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaerhodopsin-3 (AR3) is a light-driven proton pump from Halorubrum sodomense, but little is known about its photocycle. Recent interest has focused on AR3 because of its ability to serve both as a high-performance, genetically-targetable optical silencer of neuronal activity and as a membrane voltage sensor. We examined light-activated structural changes of the protein, retinal chromophore, and internal water molecules during the photocycle of AR3. Low-temperature and rapid-scan time-resolved FTIR-difference spectroscopy revealed that conformational changes during formation of the K, M, and N photocycle intermediates are similar, although not identical, to bacteriorhodopsin (BR). Positive/negative bands in the region above 3,600 cm( - 1), which have previously been assigned to structural changes of weakly hydrogen bonded internal water molecules, were substantially different between AR3 and BR. This included the absence of positive bands recently associated with a chain of proton transporting water molecules in the cytoplasmic channel and a weakly hydrogen bonded water (W401), which is part of a hydrogen-bonded pentagonal cluster located near the retinal Schiff base. However, many of the broad IR continuum absorption changes below 3,000 cm( - 1) assigned to networks of water molecules involved in proton transport through cytoplasmic and extracellular portions in BR were very similar in AR3. This work and subsequent studies comparing BR and AR3 structural changes will help identify conserved elements in BR-like proton pumps as well as bioengineer AR3 to optimize neural silencing and voltage sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica C Saint Clair
- Department of Physics, Photonics Center and Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 USA
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21
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Low temperature FTIR spectroscopy provides new insights in the pH-dependent proton pathway of proteorhodopsin. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2011; 1807:1583-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2011.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2011] [Revised: 08/25/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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22
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Ranaghan MJ, Schwall CT, Alder NN, Birge RR. Green proteorhodopsin reconstituted into nanoscale phospholipid bilayers (nanodiscs) as photoactive monomers. J Am Chem Soc 2011; 133:18318-27. [PMID: 21951206 PMCID: PMC3218432 DOI: 10.1021/ja2070957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Over 4000 putative proteorhodopsins (PRs) have been identified throughout the oceans and seas of the Earth. The first of these eubacterial rhodopsins was discovered in 2000 and has expanded the family of microbial proton pumps to all three domains of life. With photophysical properties similar to those of bacteriorhodopsin, an archaeal proton pump, PRs are also generating interest for their potential use in various photonic applications. We perform here the first reconstitution of the minimal photoactive PR structure into nanoscale phospholipid bilayers (nanodiscs) to better understand how protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions influence the photophysical properties of PR. Spectral (steady-state and time-resolved UV-visible spectroscopy) and physical (size-exclusion chromatography and electron microscopy) characterization of these complexes confirms the preparation of a photoactive PR monomer within nanodiscs. Specifically, when embedded within a nanodisc, monomeric PR exhibits a titratable pK(a) (6.5-7.1) and photocycle lifetime (∼100-200 ms) that are comparable to the detergent-solubilized protein. These ndPRs also produce a photoactive blue-shifted absorbance, centered at 377 or 416 nm, that indicates that protein-protein interactions from a PR oligomer are required for a fast photocycle. Moreover, we demonstrate how these model membrane systems allow modulation of the PR photocycle by variation of the discoidal diameter (i.e., 10 or 12 nm), bilayer thickness (i.e., 23 or 26.5 Å), and degree of saturation of the lipid acyl chain. Nanodiscs also offer a highly stable environment of relevance to potential device applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Ranaghan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 (USA)
| | - Christine T. Schwall
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 (USA)
| | - Nathan N. Alder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 (USA)
| | - Robert R. Birge
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 (USA)
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 (USA)
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23
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Ward ME, Shi L, Lake E, Krishnamurthy S, Hutchins H, Brown LS, Ladizhansky V. Proton-detected solid-state NMR reveals intramembrane polar networks in a seven-helical transmembrane protein proteorhodopsin. J Am Chem Soc 2011; 133:17434-43. [PMID: 21919530 DOI: 10.1021/ja207137h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
We used high-resolution proton-detected multidimensional NMR to study the solvent-exposed parts of a seven-helical integral membrane proton pump, proteorhodopsin (PR). PR samples were prepared by growing the apoprotein on fully deuterated medium and reintroducing protons to solvent-accessible sites through exchange with protonated buffer. This preparation leads to NMR spectra with proton resolution down to ca. 0.2 ppm at fast spinning (28 kHz) in a protein back-exchanged at a level of 40%. Novel three-dimensional proton-detected chemical shift correlation spectroscopy allowed for the identification and resonance assignment of the solvent-exposed parts of the protein. Most of the observed residues are located at the membrane interface, but there are notable exceptions, particularly in helix G, where most of the residues are susceptible to H/D exchange. This helix contains Schiff base-forming Lys231, and many conserved polar residues in the extracellular half, such as Asn220, Tyr223, Asn224, Asp227, and Asn230. We proposed earlier that high mobility of the F-G loop may transiently expose a hydrophilic cavity in the extracellular half of the protein, similar to the one found in xanthorhodopsin. Solvent accessibility of helix G is in line with this hypothesis, implying that such a cavity may be a part of the proton-conducting pathway lined by this helix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan E Ward
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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24
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Hempelmann F, Hölper S, Verhoefen MK, Woerner AC, Köhler T, Fiedler SA, Pfleger N, Wachtveitl J, Glaubitz C. His75−Asp97 Cluster in Green Proteorhodopsin. J Am Chem Soc 2011; 133:4645-54. [DOI: 10.1021/ja111116a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Hempelmann
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Soraya Hölper
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Mirka-Kristin Verhoefen
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas C. Woerner
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Köhler
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sarah-Anna Fiedler
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nicole Pfleger
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Josef Wachtveitl
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Clemens Glaubitz
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry & Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and ‡Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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25
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Ranaghan MJ, Shima S, Ramos L, Poulin DS, Whited G, Rajasekaran S, Stuart JA, Albert AD, Birge RR. Photochemical and thermal stability of green and blue proteorhodopsins: implications for protein-based bioelectronic devices. J Phys Chem B 2011; 114:14064-70. [PMID: 20964279 DOI: 10.1021/jp106633w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The photochemical and thermal stability of the detergent-solubilized blue- and green-absorbing proteorhodpsins, BPR and GPR, respectively, are investigated to determine the viability of these proteins for photonic device applications. Photochemical stability is studied by using pulsed laser excitation and differential UV-vis spectroscopy to assign the photocyclicity. GPR, with a cyclicity of 7 × 10(4) photocycles protein(-1), is 4-5 times more stable than BPR (9 × 10(3) photocycles protein(-1)), but is less stable than native bacteriorhodopsin (9 × 10(5) photocycles protein(-1)) or the 4-keto-bacteriorhodopsin analogue (1 × 10(5) photocycles protein(-1)). The thermal stabilities are assigned by using differential scanning calorimetry and thermal bleaching experiments. Both proteorhodopsins display excellent thermal stability, with melting temperatures above 85 °C, and remain photochemically stable up to 75 °C. The biological relevance of our results is also discussed. The lower cyclicity of BPR is found to be adequate for the long-term biological function of the host organism at ocean depths of 50 m or more.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Ranaghan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
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26
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Sharaabi Y, Brumfeld V, Sheves M. Binding of Anions to Proteorhodopsin Affects the Asp97 pKa. Biochemistry 2010; 49:4457-65. [DOI: 10.1021/bi901746b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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27
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Dioumaev AK, Wang JM, Lanyi JK. Low-temperature FTIR study of multiple K intermediates in the photocycles of bacteriorhodopsin and xanthorhodopsin. J Phys Chem B 2010; 114:2920-31. [PMID: 20136108 PMCID: PMC3820168 DOI: 10.1021/jp908698f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Low-temperature FTIR spectroscopy of bacteriorhodopsin and xanthorhodopsin was used to elucidate the number of K-like bathochromic states, their sequence, and their contributions to the photoequilibrium mixtures created by illumination at 80-180 K. We conclude that in bacteriorhodopsin the photocycle includes three distinct K-like states in the sequence bR (hv)--> I* --> J --> K(0) --> K(E) --> L --> ..., and similarly in xanthorhodopsin. K(0) is the main fraction in the mixture at 77 K that is formed from J. K(0) becomes thermally unstable above approximately 50 K in both proteins. At 77 K, both J-to-K(0) and K(0)-to-K(E) transitions occur and, contrarily to long-standing belief, cryogenic trapping at 77 K does not produce a pure K state but a mixture of the two states, K(0) and K(E), with contributions from K(E) of approximately 15 and approximately 10% in the two retinal proteins, respectively. Raising the temperature leads to increasing conversion of K(0) to K(E), and the two states coexist (without contamination from non-K-like states) in the 80-140 K range in bacteriorhodopsin, and in the 80-190 K range in xanthorhodopsin. Temperature perturbation experiments in these regions of coexistence revealed that, in spite of the observation of apparently stable mixtures of K(0) and K(E), the two states are not in thermally controlled equilibrium. The K(0)-to-K(E) transition is unidirectional, and the partial transformation to K(E) is due to distributed kinetics, which governs the photocycle dynamics at temperatures below approximately 245 K (Dioumaev and Lanyi, Biochemistry 2008, 47, 11125-11133). From spectral deconvolution, we conclude that the K(E) state, which is increasingly present at higher temperatures, is the same intermediate that is detected by time-resolved FTIR prior to its decay, on a time scale of hundreds of nanoseconds at ambient temperature (Dioumaev and Braiman, J. Phys. Chem. B 1997, 101, 1655-1662), into the K(L) state. We were unable to trap the latter separately from K(E) at low temperature, due to the slow distributed kinetics and the increasingly faster overlapping formation of the L state. Formation of the two consecutive K-like states in both proteins is accompanied by distortion of two different weakly bound water molecules: one in K(0), the other in K(E). The first, well-documented in bacteriorhodopsin at 77 K where K(0) dominates, was assigned to water 401 in bacteriorhodopsin. The other water molecule, whose participation has not been described previously, is disturbed on the next step of the photocycle, in K(E), in both proteins. In bacteriorhodopsin, the most likely candidate is water 407. However, unlike bacteriorhodopsin, the crystal structure of xanthorhodopsin lacks homologous weakly bound water molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei K. Dioumaev
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Jennifer M. Wang
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Janos K. Lanyi
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
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Shi L, Lake EM, Ahmed MA, Brown LS, Ladizhansky V. Solid-state NMR study of proteorhodopsin in the lipid environment: Secondary structure and dynamics. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2009; 1788:2563-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2009.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2009] [Revised: 09/16/2009] [Accepted: 09/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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29
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Lörinczi É, Verhoefen MK, Wachtveitl J, Woerner AC, Glaubitz C, Engelhard M, Bamberg E, Friedrich T. Voltage- and pH-Dependent Changes in Vectoriality of Photocurrents Mediated by Wild-type and Mutant Proteorhodopsins upon Expression in Xenopus Oocytes. J Mol Biol 2009; 393:320-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2009.07.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2009] [Revised: 06/15/2009] [Accepted: 07/17/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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30
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Solid-state NMR and functional studies on proteorhodopsin. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2009; 1787:697-705. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2009.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2009] [Revised: 02/16/2009] [Accepted: 02/17/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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31
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Miranda MRM, Choi AR, Shi L, Bezerra AG, Jung KH, Brown LS. The photocycle and proton translocation pathway in a cyanobacterial ion-pumping rhodopsin. Biophys J 2009; 96:1471-81. [PMID: 19217863 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2008.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2008] [Accepted: 11/14/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The genome of thylakoidless cyanobacterium Gloeobacter violaceus encodes a fast-cycling rhodopsin capable of light-driven proton transport. We characterize the dark state, the photocycle, and the proton translocation pathway of GR spectroscopically. The dark state of GR contains predominantly all-trans-retinal and, similar to proteorhodopsin, does not show the light/dark adaptation. We found an unusually strong coupling between the conformation of the retinal and the site of Glu132, the homolog of Asp96 of BR. Although the photocycle of GR is similar to that of proteorhodopsin in general, it differs in accumulating two intermediates typical for BR, the L-like and the N-like states. The latter state has a deprotonated cytoplasmic proton donor and is spectrally distinct from the strongly red-shifted N intermediate known for proteorhodopsin. The proton uptake precedes the release and occurs during the transition to the O intermediate. The proton translocation pathway of GR is similar to those of other proton-pumping rhodopsins, involving homologs of BR Schiff base proton acceptor and donor Asp85 and Asp96 (Asp121 and Glu132). We assigned a pair of FTIR bands (positive at 1749 cm(-1) and negative at 1734 cm(-1)) to the protonation and deprotonation, respectively, of these carboxylic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylene R M Miranda
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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32
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Verhoefen MK, Neumann K, Weber I, Glaubitz C, Wachtveitl J. Primary Reaction Dynamics of Proteorhodopsin Mutant D97N Observed by Femtosecond Infrared and Visible Spectroscopy. Photochem Photobiol 2009; 85:540-6. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2008.00513.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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33
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Schäfer G, Shastri S, Verhoefen MK, Vogel V, Glaubitz C, Wachtveitl J, Mäntele W. Characterizing the Structure and Photocycle of PR 2D Crystals with CD and FTIR Spectroscopy. Photochem Photobiol 2009; 85:529-34. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2008.00491.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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34
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Bergo VB, Sineshchekov OA, Kralj JM, Partha R, Spudich EN, Rothschild KJ, Spudich JL. His-75 in proteorhodopsin, a novel component in light-driven proton translocation by primary pumps. J Biol Chem 2008; 284:2836-2843. [PMID: 19015272 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m803792200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteorhodopsins (PRs), photoactive retinylidene membrane proteins ubiquitous in marine eubacteria, exhibit light-driven proton transport activity similar to that of the well studied bacteriorhodopsin from halophilic archaea. However, unlike bacteriorhodopsin, PRs have a single highly conserved histidine located near the photoactive site of the protein. Time-resolved Fourier transform IR difference spectroscopy combined with visible absorption spectroscopy, isotope labeling, and electrical measurements of light-induced charge movements reveal participation of His-75 in the proton translocation mechanism of PR. Substitution of His-75 with Ala or Glu perturbed the structure of the photoactive site and resulted in significantly shifted visible absorption spectra. In contrast, His-75 substitution with a positively charged Arg did not shift the visible absorption spectrum of PR. The mutation to Arg also blocks the light-induced proton transfer from the Schiff base to its counterion Asp-97 during the photocycle and the acid-induced protonation of Asp-97 in the dark state of the protein. Isotope labeling of histidine revealed that His-75 undergoes deprotonation during the photocycle in the proton-pumping (high pH) form of PR, a reaction further supported by results from H75E. Finally, all His-75 mutations greatly affect charge movements within the PR and shift its pH dependence to acidic values. A model of the proteorhodopsin proton transport process is proposed as follows: (i) in the dark state His-75 is positively charged (protonated) over a wide pH range and interacts directly with the Schiff base counterion Asp-97; and (ii) photoisomerization-induced transfer of the Schiff base proton to the Asp-97 counterion disrupts its interaction with His-75 and triggers a histidine deprotonation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav B Bergo
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Oleg A Sineshchekov
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Joel M Kralj
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Ranga Partha
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Elena N Spudich
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kenneth J Rothschild
- Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
| | - John L Spudich
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030.
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35
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Amsden JJ, Kralj JM, Bergo VB, Spudich EN, Spudich JL, Rothschild KJ. Different structural changes occur in blue- and green-proteorhodopsins during the primary photoreaction. Biochemistry 2008; 47:11490-8. [PMID: 18842006 DOI: 10.1021/bi800945t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We examine the structural changes during the primary photoreaction in blue-absorbing proteorhodopsin (BPR), a light-driven retinylidene proton pump, using low-temperature FTIR difference spectroscopy. Comparison of the light-induced BPR difference spectrum recorded at 80 K to that of green-absorbing proteorhodopsin (GPR) reveals that there are several differences in the BPR and GPR primary photoreactions despite the similar structure of the retinal chromophore and all-trans --> 13-cis isomerization. Strong bands near 1700 cm(-1) assigned previously to a change in hydrogen bonding of Asn230 in GPR are still present in BPR. However, additional bands in the same region are assigned on the basis of site-directed mutagenesis to changes occurring in Gln105. In the amide II region, bands are assigned on the basis of total (15)N labeling to structural changes of the protein backbone, although no such bands were previously observed for GPR. A band at 3642 cm(-1) in BPR, assigned to the OH stretching mode of a water molecule on the basis of H2(18)O substitution, appears at a different frequency than a band at 3626 cm(-1) previously assigned to a water molecule in GPR. However, the substitution of Gln105 for Leu105 in BPR leads to the appearance of both bands at 3642 and 3626 cm(-1), indicating the waters assigned in BPR and GPR exist in separate distinct locations and can coexist in the GPR-like Q105L mutant of BPR. These results indicate that there exist significant differences in the conformational changes occurring in these two types proteorhodopsin during the initial photoreaction despite their similar chromophore structures, which might reflect a different arrangement of water in the active site as well as substitution of a hydrophilic for hydrophobic residue at residue 105.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Amsden
- Department of Physics, Photonics Center, and Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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36
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Kralj JM, Spudich EN, Spudich JL, Rothschild KJ. Raman spectroscopy reveals direct chromophore interactions in the Leu/Gln105 spectral tuning switch of proteorhodopsins. J Phys Chem B 2008; 112:11770-6. [PMID: 18717545 PMCID: PMC3608850 DOI: 10.1021/jp802629e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Proteorhodopsins are an extensive family of photoactive membrane proteins found in proteobacteria distributed throughout the world's oceans which are often classified as green- or blue-absorbing (GPR and BPR, respectively) on the basis of their visible absorption maxima. GPR and BPR have significantly different properties including photocycle lifetimes and wavelength dependence on pH. Previous studies revealed that these different properties are correlated with a single residue, Leu105 in GPR and Gln105 in BPR, although the molecular basis for the different properties of GPR and BPR has not yet been elucidated. We have studied the unexcited states of GPR and BPR using resonance Raman spectroscopy which enhances almost exclusively chromophore vibrations. We find that both spectra are remarkably similar, indicating that the retinylidene structure of GPR and BPR are almost identical. However, the frequency of a band assigned to the retinal C13-methyl-rock vibration is shifted from 1006 cm (-1) in GPR to 1012 cm (-1) in BPR. A similar shift is observed in the GPR mutant L105Q indicating Leu and Gln residues interact differently with the retinal C13-methyl group. The environment of the Schiff base of GPR and BPR differ as indicated by differences in the H/D induced down-shift of the Schiff base vibration. Residues located in transmembrane helices (D-G) do not contribute to the observed differences in the protein-chromophore interaction between BPR and GPR based on the Raman spectra of chimeras. These results support a model whereby the substitution of the hydrophilic Gln105 in BPR with the smaller hydrophobic Leu105 in GPR directly alters the environment of both the retinal C13 group and the Schiff base.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel M. Kralj
- Department of Physics, Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
| | - Elena N. Spudich
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - John L. Spudich
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kenneth J. Rothschild
- Department of Physics, Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, Photonics Center, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
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37
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Kim SY, Waschuk SA, Brown LS, Jung KH. Screening and characterization of proteorhodopsin color-tuning mutations in Escherichia coli with endogenous retinal synthesis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2008; 1777:504-13. [PMID: 18433714 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2008.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2008] [Revised: 03/08/2008] [Accepted: 03/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Proteorhodopsin is photoactive 7-transmembrane protein, which uses all-trans retinal as a chromophore. Proteorhodopsin subfamilies are spectrally tuned in accordance with the depth of habitat of the host organisms, numerous species of marine picoplankton. We try to find residues critical for the spectral tuning through the use of random PCR mutagenesis and endogenous retinal biosynthesis. We obtained 16 isolates with changed color by screening in Escherichia coli with internal retinal biosynthesis system containing genes for beta-carotene biosynthesis and retinal synthase. Some isolates contained multiple substitutions, which could be separated to give 20 single mutations influencing the spectral properties. The color-changing residues are distributed through the protein except for the helix A, and about a half of the mutations is localized on the helices C and D, implying their importance for color tuning. In the pumping form of the pigment, absorption maxima in 8 mutants are red-shifted and in 12 mutants are blue-shifted compared to the wild-type. The results of flash-photolysis showed that most of the low pumping activity mutants possess slower rates of M decay and O decay. These results suggest that the color-tuning residues are not restricted to the retinal binding pocket, in accord with a recent evolutionary analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Young Kim
- Department of Life Science and Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated Biotechnology, Sogang University, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, Korea
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38
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Initial reaction dynamics of proteorhodopsin observed by femtosecond infrared and visible spectroscopy. Biophys J 2008; 94:4796-807. [PMID: 18326639 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.107.125484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a comparative study using femtosecond pump/probe spectroscopy in the visible and infrared of the early photodynamics of solubilized proteorhodopsin (green absorbing variant) in D(2)O with deprotonated (pD 9.2) and protonated (pD 6.4) primary proton acceptor Asp-97. The vis-pump/vis-probe experiments show a kinetic isotope effect that is more pronounced for alkaline conditions, thus decreasing the previously reported pH-dependence of the primary reaction of proteorhodopsin in H(2)O. This points to a pH dependent H-bonding network in the binding pocket of proteorhodopsin, that directly influences the primary photo-induced dynamics. The vis-pump/IR-probe experiments were carried out in two different spectral regions and allowed to monitor the retinal C=C (1500 cm(-1)-1580 cm(-1)) and C=N stretching vibration as well as the amide I mode of the protein (1590 cm(-1)-1680 cm(-1)). Like the FTIR spectra of the K intermediate (PR(K)-PR difference spectra) in this spectral range, the kinetic parameters and also the quantum efficiency of photo-intermediate formation are found to be virtually independent of the pD value.
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39
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Kralj JM, Bergo VB, Amsden JJ, Spudich EN, Spudich JL, Rothschild KJ. Protonation state of Glu142 differs in the green- and blue-absorbing variants of proteorhodopsin. Biochemistry 2008; 47:3447-53. [PMID: 18284210 DOI: 10.1021/bi7018964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Proteorhodopsins are a recently discovered class of microbial rhodopsins, ubiquitous in marine bacteria. Over 4000 variants have thus far been discovered, distributed throughout the oceans of the world. Most variants fall into one of two major groups, green- or blue-absorbing proteorhodopsin (GPR and BPR, respectively), on the basis of both the visible absorption maxima (530 versus 490 nm) and photocycle kinetics ( approximately 20 versus approximately 200 ms). For a well-studied pair, these differences appear to be largely determined by the identity of a single residue at position 105 (leucine/GPR and glutamine/BPR). We find using a combination of visible and infrared spectroscopy that a second difference is the protonation state of a glutamic acid residue located at position 142 on the extracellular side of helix D. In BPR, Glu142 (the GPR numbering system is used) is deprotonated and can act as an alternate proton acceptor, thus explaining the earlier observations that neutralization of the Schiff base counterion, Asp97, does not block the formation of the M intermediate. In contrast, Glu142 in GPR is protonated and cannot act in this state as an alternate proton acceptor for the Schiff base. On the basis of these findings, a mechanism is proposed for proton pumping in BPR. Because the pKa of Glu142 is near the pH of its native marine environment, changes in pH may act to modulate its function in the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel M Kralj
- Department of Physics, Molecular Biophysics Laboratory and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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40
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Characterization of the primary photochemistry of proteorhodopsin with femtosecond spectroscopy. Biophys J 2008; 94:4020-30. [PMID: 18234812 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.107.121376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteorhodopsin is an ion-translocating member of the microbial rhodopsin family. Light absorption by its retinal chromophore initiates a photocycle, driven by trans/cis isomerization, leading to transmembrane translocation of a proton toward the extracellular side of the cytoplasmic membrane. Here we report a study on the photoisomerization dynamics of the retinal chromophore of proteorhodopsin, using femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy, by probing in the visible- and in the midinfrared spectral regions. Experiments were performed both at pH 9.5 (a physiologically relevant pH value in which the primary proton acceptor of the protonated Schiff base, Asp(97), is deprotonated) and at pH 6.5 (with Asp(97) protonated). Simultaneous analysis of the data sets recorded in the two spectral regions and at both pH values reveals a multiexponential excited state decay, with time constants of approximately 0.2 ps, approximately 2 ps, and approximately 20 ps. From the difference spectra associated with these dynamics, we conclude that there are two chromophore-isomerization pathways that lead to the K-state: one with an effective rate of approximately (2 ps)(-1) and the other with a rate of approximately (20 ps)(-1). At high pH, both pathways are equally effective, with an estimated quantum yield for K-formation of approximately 0.7. At pH 6.5, the slower pathway is less productive, which results in an isomerization quantum yield of 0.5. We further observe an ultrafast response of residue Asp(227), which forms part of the counterion complex, corresponding to a strengthening of its hydrogen bond with the Schiff base on K-state formation; and a feature that develops on the 0.2 ps and 2 ps timescale and probably reflects a response of an amide II band in reaction to the isomerization process.
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41
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Pfleger N, Lorch M, Woerner AC, Shastri S, Glaubitz C. Characterisation of Schiff base and chromophore in green proteorhodopsin by solid-state NMR. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2008; 40:15-21. [PMID: 17968661 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-007-9203-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2007] [Revised: 09/27/2007] [Accepted: 10/01/2007] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The proteorhodopsin family consists of hundreds of homologous retinal containing membrane proteins found in bacteria in the photic zone of the oceans. They are colour tuned to their environment and act as light-driven proton pumps with a potential energetic and regulatory function. Precise structural details are still unknown. Here, the green proteorhodopsin variant has been selected for a chemical shift analysis of retinal and Schiff base by solid-state NMR. Our data show that the chromophore exists in mainly all-trans configuration in the proteorhodopsin ground state. The optical absorption maximum together with retinal and Schiff base chemical shifts indicate a strong interaction network between chromophore and opsin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Pfleger
- Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, J. W. Goethe University, Max von Laue Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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42
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Amsden JJ, Kralj JM, Chieffo LR, Wang X, Erramilli S, Spudich EN, Spudich JL, Ziegler LD, Rothschild KJ. Subpicosecond protein backbone changes detected during the green-absorbing proteorhodopsin primary photoreaction. J Phys Chem B 2007; 111:11824-31. [PMID: 17880126 DOI: 10.1021/jp073490r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies demonstrate that photoactive proteins can react within several picoseconds to photon absorption by their chromophores. Faster subpicosecond protein responses have been suggested to occur in rhodopsin-like proteins where retinal photoisomerization may impulsively drive structural changes in nearby protein groups. Here, we test this possibility by investigating the earliest protein structural changes occurring in proteorhodopsin (PR) using ultrafast transient infrared (TIR) spectroscopy with approximately 200 fs time resolution combined with nonperturbing isotope labeling. PR is a recently discovered microbial rhodopsin similar to bacteriorhodopsin (BR) found in marine proteobacteria and functions as a proton pump. Vibrational bands in the retinal fingerprint (1175-1215 cm(-1)) and ethylenic stretching (1500-1570 cm(-1)) regions characteristic of all-trans to 13-cis chromophore isomerization and formation of a red-shifted photointermediate appear with a 500-700 fs time constant after photoexcitation. Bands characteristic of partial return to the ground state evolve with a 2.0-3.5 ps time constant. In addition, a negative band appears at 1548 cm(-1) with a time constant of 500-700 fs, which on the basis of total-15N and retinal C15D (retinal with a deuterium on carbon 15) isotope labeling is assigned to an amide II peptide backbone mode that shifts to near 1538 cm(-1) concomitantly with chromophore isomerization. Our results demonstrate that one or more peptide backbone groups in PR respond with a time constant of 500-700 fs, almost coincident with the light-driven retinylidene chromophore isomerization. The protein changes we observe on a subpicosecond time scale may be involved in storage of the absorbed photon energy subsequently utilized for proton transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Amsden
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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43
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Sudo Y, Furutani Y, Spudich JL, Kandori H. Early photocycle structural changes in a bacteriorhodopsin mutant engineered to transmit photosensory signals. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:15550-8. [PMID: 17387174 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m701271200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) and sensory rhodopsin II (SRII) function as a light-driven proton pump and a receptor for negative phototaxis in haloarchaeal membranes, respectively. SRII transmits light signals through changes in protein-protein interaction with its transducer HtrII. Recently, we converted BR by three mutations into a form capable of transmitting photosignals to HtrII to mediate phototaxis responses. The BR triple mutant (BR-T) provides an opportunity to identify structural changes necessary to activate HtrII by comparing light-induced infrared spectral changes of BR, BR-T, and SRII. The hydrogen out-of-plane (HOOP) vibrations of the BR-T were very similar to those of SRII, indicating that they are distributed more extensively along the retinal chromophore than in BR, as in SRII. On the other hand, the bands of the protein moiety in BR-T are similar to those of BR, indicating that they are not specific to photosensing. The alteration of the O-H stretching vibration of Thr-204 in SRII, which we had previously shown to be essential for signal relay to HtrII, occurs also in BR-T. In addition, 1670(+)/1664(-) cm(-1) bands attributable to a distorted alpha-helix were observed in BR-T in a HtrII-dependent manner, as is seen in SRII. Thus, we identified similarities and dissimilarities of BR-T to BR and SRII. The results suggest signaling function of the structural changes of the HOOP vibrations, the O-H stretching vibration of the Thr-215 residue, and a distorted alpha-helix for the signal generation. We also succeeded in measurements of L minus initial state spectra of BR-T, which are the first FTIR spectra of L intermediates among sensory rhodopsins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Sudo
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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Bergo VB, Ntefidou M, Trivedi VD, Amsden JJ, Kralj JM, Rothschild KJ, Spudich JL. Conformational Changes in the Photocycle of Anabaena Sensory Rhodopsin. J Biol Chem 2006; 281:15208-14. [PMID: 16537532 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m600033200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Anabaena sensory rhodopsin (ASR) is a novel microbial rhodopsin recently discovered in the freshwater cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC7120. This protein most likely functions as a photosensory receptor as do the related haloarchaeal sensory rhodopsins. However, unlike the archaeal pigments, which are tightly bound to their cognate membrane-embedded transducers, ASR interacts with a soluble cytoplasmic protein analogous to transducers of animal vertebrate rhodopsins. In this study, infrared spectroscopy was used to examine the molecular mechanism of photoactivation in ASR. Light adaptation of the pigment leads to a phototransformation of an all-trans/15-anti to 13-cis/15-syn retinylidene-containing species very similar in chromophore structural changes to those caused by dark adaptation in bacteriorhodopsin. Following 532 nm laser-pulsed excitation, the protein exhibits predominantly an all-trans retinylidene photocycle containing a deprotonated Schiff base species similar to those of other microbial rhodopsins such as bacteriorhodopsin, sensory rhodopsin II, and Neurospora rhodopsin. However, no changes are observed in the Schiff base counterion Asp-75, which remains unprotonated throughout the photocycle. This result along with other evidence indicates that the Schiff base proton release mechanism differs significantly from that of other known microbial rhodopsins, possibly because of the absence of a second carboxylate group at the ASR photoactive site. Several conformational changes are detected during the ASR photocycle including in the transmembrane helices E and G as indicated by hydrogen-bonding alterations of their native cysteine residues. In addition, similarly to animal vertebrate rhodopsin, perturbations of the polar head groups of lipid molecules are detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav B Bergo
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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Lenz MO, Huber R, Schmidt B, Gilch P, Kalmbach R, Engelhard M, Wachtveitl J. First steps of retinal photoisomerization in proteorhodopsin. Biophys J 2006; 91:255-62. [PMID: 16603495 PMCID: PMC1479053 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.105.074690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The early steps (<1 ns) in the photocycle of the detergent solubilized proton pump proteorhodopsin are analyzed by ultrafast spectroscopic techniques. A comparison to the first primary events in reconstituted proteorhodopsin as well as to the well known archaeal proton pump bacteriorhodopsin is given. A dynamic Stokes shift observed in fs-time-resolved fluorescence experiments allows a direct observation of early motions on the excited state potential energy surface. The initial dynamics is dominated by sequentially emerging stretching (<150 fs) and torsional (approximately 300 fs) modes of the retinal. The different protonation states of the primary proton acceptor Asp-97 drastically affect the reaction rate and the overall quantum efficiencies of the isomerization reactions, mainly evidenced for time scales above 1 ps. However, no major influence on the fast time scales (approximately 150 fs) could be seen, indicating that the movement out of the Franck-Condon region is fairly robust to electrostatic changes in the retinal binding pocket. Based on fs-time-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectra, ground and exited state contributions can be disentangled and allow to construct a reaction model that consistently explains pH-dependent effects in solubilized and reconstituted proteorhodopsin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin O Lenz
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt, Germany
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Abstract
Metagenomics, which aims to access the genomic potential of an environmental sample directly, is a burgeoning area that is generating enormous amounts of biological information. An examination of recent metagenomics literature reveals the discipline to be heading in new and interesting directions, including the investigation of the normal flora of mammals, analysis of ancient genomes, and exploration of the distribution of novel pathways. In addition, the development of new bioinformatics approaches and tools is allowing innovative mining of both existing and new data. Finally, there are indications that the integration of metagenomics with complementary approaches in microbial ecology is beginning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Ward
- The Institute for Genomic Research, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
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Brown LS, Jung KH. Bacteriorhodopsin-like proteins of eubacteria and fungi: the extent of conservation of the haloarchaeal proton-pumping mechanism. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2006; 5:538-46. [PMID: 16761082 DOI: 10.1039/b514537f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A stereotypical image of a retinal-binding proton pump derived from extensive studies of halobacterial ion-transporting and sensory rhodopsins is a fast-cycling protein which possesses two strategically placed carboxylic acids serving as proton donor and acceptor for the retinal Schiff base. We review recent biophysical and bioinformatic data on the novel eubacterial and eucaryotic rhodopsins to analyze the extent of conservation of the haloarchaeal mechanism of transmembrane proton transport. We show that only the most essential elements of the haloarchaeal proton-pumping machinery are conserved universally, and that a mere presence of these elements in primary structures does not guarantee the proton-pumping ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid S Brown
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Abstract
Marine microbial communities were among the first microbial communities to be studied using cultivation-independent genomic approaches. Ocean-going genomic studies are now providing a more comprehensive description of the organisms and processes that shape microbial community structure, function and dynamics in the sea. Through the lens of microbial community genomics, a more comprehensive view of uncultivated microbial species, gene and biochemical pathway distributions, and naturally occurring genomic variability is being brought into sharper focus. Besides providing new perspectives on oceanic microbial communities, these new studies are now poised to reveal the fundamental principles that drive microbial ecological and evolutionary processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward F DeLong
- Division of Biological Engineering and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Room 48-427, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
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Bergo VB, Spudich EN, Rothschild KJ, Spudich JL. Photoactivation perturbs the membrane-embedded contacts between sensory rhodopsin II and its transducer. J Biol Chem 2005; 280:28365-9. [PMID: 15951432 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m505555200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The photoactivation mechanism of the sensory rho-dopsin II (SRII)-HtrII receptor-transducer complex of Natronomonas pharaonis was investigated by time-resolved Fourier transform infrared difference spectroscopy to identify structural changes associated with early events in the signal relay mechanism from the receptor to the transducer. Several prominent bands in the wild-type SRII-HtrII spectra are affected by amino acid substitutions at the receptor Tyr(199) and transducer Asn(74) residues, which form a hydrogen bond between the two proteins near the middle of the bilayer. Our results indicate disappearance of this hydrogen bond in the M and O photointermediates, the likely signaling states of the complex. This event represents one of the largest light-induced alterations in the binding contacts between the receptor and transducer. The vibrational frequency changes suggest that Asn(74) and Tyr(199) form other stronger hydrogen bonds in the M state. The light-induced disruption of the Tyr(199)-Asn(74) bond also occurs when the Schiff base counterion Asp(75) is replaced with a neutral asparagine. We compared the decrease in intensity of difference bands assigned to the Tyr(199)-Asn(74) pair and to chromophore and protein groups of the receptor at various time points during the recovery of the initial state. All difference bands exhibit similar decay kinetics indicating that reformation of the Tyr(199)-Asn(74) hydrogen bond occurs concomitantly with the decay of the M and O photointermediates. This work demonstrates that the signal relay from SRII to HtrII involves early structural alterations in the deeply membrane-embedded domain of the complex and provides a spectroscopic signal useful for correlation with the downstream events in signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav B Bergo
- Center for Membrane Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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