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Structural and Computational Study of the GroEL-Prion Protein Complex. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9111649. [PMID: 34829878 PMCID: PMC8615626 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular chaperone GroEL is designed to promote protein folding and prevent aggregation. However, the interaction between GroEL and the prion protein, PrPC, could lead to pathogenic transformation of the latter to the aggregation-prone PrPSc form. Here, the molecular basis of the interactions in the GroEL-PrP complex is studied with cryo-EM and molecular dynamics approaches. The obtained cryo-EM structure shows PrP to be bound to several subunits of GroEL at the level of their apical domains. According to MD simulations, the disordered N-domain of PrP forms much more intermolecular contacts with GroEL. Upon binding to the GroEL, the N-domain of PrP begins to form short helices, while the C-domain of PrP exhibits a tendency to unfold its α2-helix. In the absence of the nucleotides in the system, these processes are manifested at the hundred nanoseconds to microsecond timescale.
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2
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Peng C, Wang J, Shi Y, Xu Z, Zhu W. Increasing the Sampling Efficiency of Protein Conformational Change by Combining a Modified Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics and Normal Mode Analysis. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 17:13-28. [PMID: 33351613 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c00592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Understanding conformational change at an atomic level is significant when determining a protein functional mechanism. Replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) is a widely used enhanced sampling method to explore protein conformational space. However, REMD with an explicit solvent model requires huge computational resources, immensely limiting its application. In this study, a variation of parallel tempering metadynamics (PTMetaD) with the omission of solvent-solvent interactions in exchange attempts and the use of low-frequency modes calculated by normal-mode analysis (NMA) as collective variables (CVs), namely ossPTMetaD, is proposed with the aim to accelerate MD simulations simultaneously in temperature and geometrical spaces. For testing the performance of ossPTMetaD, five protein systems with diverse biological functions and motion patterns were selected, including large-scale domain motion (AdK), flap movement (HIV-1 protease and BACE1), and DFG-motif flip in kinases (p38α and c-Abl). The simulation results showed that ossPTMetaD requires much fewer numbers of replicas than temperature REMD (T-REMD) with a reduction of ∼70% to achieve a similar exchange ratio. Although it does not obey the detailed balance condition, ossPTMetaD provides consistent results with T-REMD and experimental data. The high accessibility of the large conformational change of protein systems by ossPTMetaD, especially in simulating the very challenging DFG-motif flip of protein kinases, demonstrated its high efficiency and robustness in the characterization of the large-scale protein conformational change pathway and associated free energy profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research; Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jinan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research; Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yulong Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research; Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhijian Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research; Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Weiliang Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research; Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.,Open Studio for Druggability Research of Marine Lead Compounds, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, 1 Wenhai Road, Aoshanwei, Jimo, Qingdao 266237, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
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3
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Ziaunys M, Sneideris T, Smirnovas V. Formation of distinct prion protein amyloid fibrils under identical experimental conditions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4572. [PMID: 32165692 PMCID: PMC7067779 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61663-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation into amyloid fibrils is linked to multiple neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. A better understanding of the way these aggregates form is vital for the development of drugs. A large detriment to amyloid research is the ability of amyloidogenic proteins to spontaneously aggregate into multiple structurally distinct fibrils (strains) with different stability and seeding properties. In this work we show that prion proteins are capable of forming more than one type of fibril under the exact same conditions by assessing their Thioflavin T (ThT) binding ability, morphology, secondary structure, stability and seeding potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mantas Ziaunys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Tomas Sneideris
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
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4
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Di Natale C, La Manna S, Avitabile C, Florio D, Morelli G, Netti PA, Marasco D. Engineered β-hairpin scaffolds from human prion protein regions: Structural and functional investigations of aggregates. Bioorg Chem 2020; 96:103594. [PMID: 31991323 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.103594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The investigation of conformational features of regions of amyloidogenic proteins are of great interest to deepen the structural changes and consequent self-aggregation mechanisms at the basis of many neurodegenerative diseases. Here we explore the effect of β-hairpin inducing motifs on regions of prion protein covering strands S1 and S2. In detail, we unveiled the structural and functional features of two model chimeric peptides in which natural sequences are covalently linked together by two dipeptides (l-Pro-Gly and d-Pro-Gly) that are known to differently enhance β-hairpin conformations but both containing N- and the C-terminal aromatic cap motifs to further improve interactions between natural strands. Spectroscopic investigations at solution state indicate that primary assemblies of the monomers of both constructs follow different aggregativemechanisms during the self-assembly: these distinctions, evidenced by CD and ThT emission spectroscopies, reflect into great morphological differences of nanostructures and suggest that rigid β-hairpin conformations greatly limit amyloid-like fibrillogenesis. Overall data confirm the important role exerted by the β-structure of regions S1 and S2 during the aggregation process and lead to speculate to its persistence even in unfolding conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Di Natale
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy; Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Sara La Manna
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Avitabile
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Daniele Florio
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Morelli
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Marasco
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy; Task force di Ateneo"METODOLOGIE ANALITICHE PER LA SALVAGUARDIA DEI BENI CULTURALI" MASBC, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy.
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5
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Zheng Z, Zhang M, Wang Y, Ma R, Guo C, Feng L, Wu J, Yao H, Lin D. Structural basis for the complete resistance of the human prion protein mutant G127V to prion disease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13211. [PMID: 30181558 PMCID: PMC6123418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31394-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are caused by the propagation of misfolded cellular prion proteins (PrPs). A completely prion disease-resistant genotype, V127M129, has been identified in Papua New Guinea and verified in transgenic mice. To disclose the structural basis of the disease-resistant effect of the G127V mutant, we determined and compared the structural and dynamic features of the G127V-mutated human PrP (residues 91-231) and the wild-type PrP in solution. HuPrP(G127V) contains α1, α2 and α3 helices and a stretch-strand (SS) pattern comprising residues Tyr128-Gly131 (SS1) and Val161-Arg164 (SS2), with extending atomic distances between the SS1 and SS2 strands, and a structural rearrangement of the Tyr128 side chain due to steric hindrance of the larger hydrophobic side chain of Val127. The extended α1 helix gets closer to the α2 and α3 helices. NMR dynamics analysis revealed that Tyr128, Gly131 and Tyr163 underwent significant conformational exchanges. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that HuPrP(G127V) prevents the formation of stable β-sheets and dimers. Unique structural and dynamic features potentially inhibit the conformational conversion of the G127V mutant. This work is beneficial for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the complete resistance of the G127V mutant to prion disease and for developing new therapeutics for prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Meilan Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yongheng Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Rongsheng Ma
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Chenyun Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Liubin Feng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jihui Wu
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Hongwei Yao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Donghai Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China.
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6
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Lima AN, de Oliveira RJ, Braz ASK, de Souza Costa MG, Perahia D, Scott LPB. Effects of pH and aggregation in the human prion conversion into scrapie form: a study using molecular dynamics with excited normal modes. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2018; 47:583-590. [PMID: 29546436 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-018-1292-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
There are two different prion conformations: (1) the cellular natural (PrPC) and (2) the scrapie (PrPSc), an infectious form that tends to aggregate under specific conditions. PrPC and PrPSc are widely different regarding secondary and tertiary structures. PrPSc contains more and longer β-strands compared to PrPC. The lack of solved PrPSc structures precludes a proper understanding of the mechanisms related to the transition between cellular and scrapie forms, as well as the aggregation process. In order to investigate the conformational transition between PrPC and PrPSc, we applied MDeNM (molecular dynamics with excited normal modes), an enhanced sampling simulation technique that has been recently developed to probe large structural changes. These simulations yielded new structural rearrangements of the cellular prion that would have been difficult to obtain with standard MD simulations. We observed an increase in β-sheet formation under low pH (≤ 4) and upon oligomerization, whose relevance was discussed on the basis of the energy landscape theory for protein folding. The characterization of intermediate structures corresponding to transition states allowed us to propose a conversion model from the cellular to the scrapie prion, which possibly ignites the fibril formation. This model can assist the design of new drugs to prevent neurological disorders related to the prion aggregation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica Nakagawa Lima
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Bioinformática, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biofísica Teórica, Departamento de Física, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e Educação, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, MG, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo Junio de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biofísica Teórica, Departamento de Física, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e Educação, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, MG, Brazil
| | - Antônio Sérgio Kimus Braz
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Bioinformática, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | | | - David Perahia
- Laboratorie de Biologie et Pharmacologie Appliquée, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Cachan, France
| | - Luis Paulo Barbour Scott
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Bioinformática, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
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7
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Chamachi NG, Chakrabarty S. Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics Study of Dimerization in Prion Protein: Multiple Modes of Interaction and Stabilization. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:7332-45. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b03690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Neharika G. Chamachi
- Physical and Materials Chemistry
Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India
| | - Suman Chakrabarty
- Physical and Materials Chemistry
Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India
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8
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Tao W, Yoon G, Cao P, Eom K, Park HS. β-sheet-like formation during the mechanical unfolding of prion protein. J Chem Phys 2015; 143:125101. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4931819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Tao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Gwonchan Yoon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, South Korea
| | - Penghui Cao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Kilho Eom
- Biomechanics Laboratory, College of Sport Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Harold S. Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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9
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Choi H, Chang HJ, Shin Y, Kim JI, Park HS, Yoon G, Na S. The molecular mechanism of conformational changes of the triplet prion fibrils for pH. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra08015k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The HET-s prion fibril, which is found in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina, exhibits conformational changes due to variations in pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunsung Choi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Korea University
- Seoul 136-701
- Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Joon Chang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Korea University
- Seoul 136-701
- Republic of Korea
| | - Yongwoo Shin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Division of Materials Science and Engineering
- Boston University
- Boston
- USA
| | - Jae In Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Korea University
- Seoul 136-701
- Republic of Korea
| | - Harold S. Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Boston University
- Boston
- USA
| | - Gwonchan Yoon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Korea University
- Seoul 136-701
- Republic of Korea
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Boston University
| | - Sungsoo Na
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Korea University
- Seoul 136-701
- Republic of Korea
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10
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Normal mode dynamics of voltage-gated K(+) channels: gating principle, opening mechanism, and inhibition. J Comput Neurosci 2014; 38:83-8. [PMID: 25224276 DOI: 10.1007/s10827-014-0527-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2013] [Revised: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Voltage-dependent potassium channels open in response to changes in membrane potential and become partially inactivated upon binding of inhibitors. Here we calculate normal mode motion of two voltage-dependent K(+) channels, KvAP and Shaker, and their complexes with inhibitors and address the gating principle, opening mechanism, and inhibition. The normal modes indicate that pore expansion and channel opening is correlated with a displacement of the arginine gating charges and a tilting of the voltage-sensor paddles. Normal modes of Shaker in complex with agitoxin, which blocks the central pore, do not display significantly altered paddle tilting and pore expansion. In contrast, normal modes of Shaker in complex with hanatoxin, which binds to the voltage sensor paddle, display decreased paddle tilting and pore expansion. This study presents a unified motion for the gating principle and channel opening, and offers insight into the voltage sensor paddle motion and its inhibition.
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11
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Bastolla U. Computing protein dynamics from protein structure with elastic network models. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ugo Bastolla
- Centro de Biologa Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC‐UAM)Universidad Autónoma de MadridMadridSpain
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12
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Kolan D, Fonar G, Samson AO. Elastic network normal mode dynamics reveal the GPCR activation mechanism. Proteins 2013; 82:579-86. [PMID: 24123518 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2013] [Revised: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) are a family of membrane-embedded metabotropic receptors which translate extracellular ligand binding into an intracellular response. Here, we calculate the motion of several GPCR family members such as the M2 and M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, the A2A adenosine receptor, the β2 -adrenergic receptor, and the CXCR4 chemokine receptor using elastic network normal modes. The normal modes reveal a dilation and a contraction of the GPCR vestibule associated with ligand passage, and activation, respectively. Contraction of the vestibule on the extracellular side is correlated with cavity formation of the G-protein binding pocket on the intracellular side, which initiates intracellular signaling. Interestingly, the normal modes of rhodopsin do not correlate well with the motion of other GPCR family members. Electrostatic potential calculation of the GPCRs reveal a negatively charged field around the ligand binding site acting as a siphon to draw-in positively charged ligands on the membrane surface. Altogether, these results expose the GPCR activation mechanism and show how conformational changes on the cell surface side of the receptor are allosterically translated into structural changes on the inside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dikla Kolan
- Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel
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13
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Kolodny
- Department of Computer Science, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel;
| | - Leonid Pereyaslavets
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305; ,
| | | | - Michael Levitt
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305; ,
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14
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De Simone A, Stanzione F, Marasco D, Vitagliano L, Esposito L. The intrinsic stability of the human prion β-sheet region investigated by molecular dynamics. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2013; 31:441-52. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2012.703070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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15
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Hagiwara K, Hara H, Hanada K. Species-barrier phenomenon in prion transmissibility from a viewpoint of protein science. J Biochem 2013; 153:139-45. [PMID: 23284000 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvs148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are fatal infectious neurodegenerative disorders. Their causative agents are prions, which are composed of disease-associated forms of prion protein (PrP(Sc)). Naturally occurring cases of TSEs are found in several mammalian species including humans, sheep, goats, minks, cattle and deer. Prions are also experimentally transmissible to other mammals such as mice, hamsters and monkeys, but interspecies transmission is often inefficient due to the 'species-barrier'. Studies have suggested that the barrier is not only simply determined by differences in amino acid sequences of cellular PrP (PrP(C)) among animal species, but also by prion strains which are closely associated with conformational properties of PrP(Sc) aggregates. Although the conformational properties of PrP(Sc) remain largely unknown, recent investigation of local structures of PrP(C) and, in particular, structural modelling of PrP(Sc) aggregates have provided molecular insight into this field. In this review, we discuss the species-barrier phenomenon in terms of the protein science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken'ichi Hagiwara
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
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16
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Modeling the binding mechanism of Alzheimer's Aβ1-42 to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors based on similarity with snake α-neurotoxins. Neurotoxicology 2012; 34:236-42. [PMID: 23022323 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2012.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2012] [Revised: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
For over a decade, it has been known that amyloid β (Aβ) peptides of Alzheimer's disease bind to the nicotinic α7 acetylcholine receptor (AChR) with picomolar affinity, and that snake α-neurotoxins competitively inhibit this binding. Here we propose a model of the binding mechanism of Aβ peptides to α7-AChR at atomic level. The binding mechanism is based on sequence and structure similarities of Aβ residues with functional residues of snake α-neurotoxins (ATX) in complex with AChR. The binding mechanism involves residue (Aβ)K28 (similar to (ATX)R32) which forms cation/π interactions in the acetylcholine binding site, and residues (Aβ)G29-(Aβ)I32 [GAII] (similar to (ATX)G33-(ATX)I36 [GTII]) which form an intermolecular β-sheet with residues (α7)F189-(α7)E191 of AChR. Through these interactions, we propose that the AChR serves as a chaperone for Aβ conformational changes from α- to β-hairpin. The interactions which block channel opening provide fundamental insight into Aβ neurotoxicity and cognition impairment, that could contribute to pathogenic processes in Alzheimer's disease, thus paving the way for structure based therapies.
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17
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Sikosek T, Bornberg-Bauer E, Chan HS. Evolutionary dynamics on protein bi-stability landscapes can potentially resolve adaptive conflicts. PLoS Comput Biol 2012; 8:e1002659. [PMID: 23028272 PMCID: PMC3441461 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2012] [Accepted: 07/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental studies have shown that some proteins exist in two alternative native-state conformations. It has been proposed that such bi-stable proteins can potentially function as evolutionary bridges at the interface between two neutral networks of protein sequences that fold uniquely into the two different native conformations. Under adaptive conflict scenarios, bi-stable proteins may be of particular advantage if they simultaneously provide two beneficial biological functions. However, computational models that simulate protein structure evolution do not yet recognize the importance of bi-stability. Here we use a biophysical model to analyze sequence space to identify bi-stable or multi-stable proteins with two or more equally stable native-state structures. The inclusion of such proteins enhances phenotype connectivity between neutral networks in sequence space. Consideration of the sequence space neighborhood of bridge proteins revealed that bi-stability decreases gradually with each mutation that takes the sequence further away from an exactly bi-stable protein. With relaxed selection pressures, we found that bi-stable proteins in our model are highly successful under simulated adaptive conflict. Inspired by these model predictions, we developed a method to identify real proteins in the PDB with bridge-like properties, and have verified a clear bi-stability gradient for a series of mutants studied by Alexander et al. (Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 2009, 106:21149–21154) that connect two sequences that fold uniquely into two different native structures via a bridge-like intermediate mutant sequence. Based on these findings, new testable predictions for future studies on protein bi-stability and evolution are discussed. Proteins are essential molecules for performing a majority of functions in all biological systems. These functions often depend on the three-dimensional structures of proteins. Here, we investigate a fundamental question in molecular evolution: how can proteins acquire new advantageous structures via mutations while not sacrificing their existing structures that are still needed? Some authors have suggested that the same protein may adopt two or more alternative structures, switch between them and thus perform different functions with each of the alternative structures. Intuitively, such a protein could provide an evolutionary compromise between conflicting demands for existing and new protein structures. Yet no theoretical study has systematically tackled the biophysical basis of such compromises during evolutionary processes. Here we devise a model of evolution that specifically recognizes protein molecules that can exist in several different stable structures. Our model demonstrates that proteins can indeed utilize multiple structures to satisfy conflicting evolutionary requirements. In light of these results, we identify data from known protein structures that are consistent with our predictions and suggest novel directions for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Sikosek
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics Group, Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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Gendoo DMA, Harrison PM. The landscape of the prion protein's structural response to mutation revealed by principal component analysis of multiple NMR ensembles. PLoS Comput Biol 2012; 8:e1002646. [PMID: 22912570 PMCID: PMC3415401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Accepted: 07/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion Proteins (PrP) are among a small number of proteins for which large numbers of NMR ensembles have been resolved for sequence mutants and diverse species. Here, we perform a comprehensive principle components analysis (PCA) on the tertiary structures of PrP globular proteins to discern PrP subdomains that exhibit conformational change in response to point mutations and clade-specific evolutionary sequence mutation trends. This is to our knowledge the first such large-scale analysis of multiple NMR ensembles of protein structures, and the first study of its kind for PrPs. We conducted PCA on human (n = 11), mouse (n = 14), and wildtype (n = 21) sets of PrP globular structures, from which we identified five conformationally variable subdomains within PrP. PCA shows that different non-local patterns and rankings of variable subdomains arise for different pathogenic mutants. These subdomains may thus be key areas for initiating PrP conversion during disease. Furthermore, we have observed the conformational clustering of divergent TSE-non-susceptible species pairs; these non-phylogenetic clusterings indicate structural solutions towards TSE resistance that do not necessarily coincide with evolutionary divergence. We discuss the novelty of our approach and the importance of PrP subdomains in structural conversion during disease. Prion Proteins (PrP) cause a variety of incurable TSE diseases, and are among a small number of proteins for which large numbers of NMR ensembles have been resolved for sequence mutants and diverse species. Here, we perform a comprehensive PCA study to assess conformational variation and discern the landscape of the PrP structural response to sequence mutation. This is to our knowledge the first large-scale analysis of multiple NMR ensembles for a specific protein, and the first study to perform a multivariate PCA on the native globular structures of PrP. We conducted exhaustive PCA on three PrP subsets: human and mouse subsets that include structures of sequence mutants, and the set of wild-type PrP (16 PrP species). PCA shows that different non-local patterns of variable subdomains arise for different pathogenic mutants. These subdomains may thus be key areas for initiating PrP conversion during disease. Furthermore, we observed that some evolutionarily divergent species that are non-susceptible to TSEs have surprising structural similarities in their PrPs. We discuss the novelty of our approach with respect to prions, and the advantage of this analysis as a fast, reliable starting point to identify interesting domains that may warrant further experimental and computational analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deena M. A. Gendoo
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Center for Bioinformatics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Paul M. Harrison
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Center for Bioinformatics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Mouse prion protein (PrP) segment 100 to 104 regulates conversion of PrP(C) to PrP(Sc) in prion-infected neuroblastoma cells. J Virol 2012; 86:5626-36. [PMID: 22398286 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.06606-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are characterized by the replicative propagation of disease-associated forms of prion protein (PrP(Sc); PrP refers to prion protein). The propagation is believed to proceed via two steps; the initial binding of the normal form of PrP (PrP(C)) to PrP(Sc) and the subsequent conversion of PrP(C) to PrP(Sc). We have explored the two-step model in prion-infected mouse neuroblastoma (ScN2a) cells by focusing on the mouse PrP (MoPrP) segment 92-GGTHNQWNKPSKPKTN-107, which is within a region previously suggested to be part of the binding interface or shown to differ in its accessibility to anti-PrP antibodies between PrP(C) and PrP(Sc). Exchanging the MoPrP segment with the corresponding chicken PrP segment (106-GGSYHNQKPWKPPKTN-121) revealed the necessity of MoPrP residues 99 to 104 for the chimeras to achieve the PrP(Sc) state, while segment 95 to 98 was replaceable with the chicken sequence. An alanine substitution at position 100, 102, 103, or 104 of MoPrP gave rise to nonconvertible mutants that associated with MoPrP(Sc) and interfered with the conversion of endogenous MoPrP(C). The interference was not evoked by a chimera (designated MCM2) in which MoPrP segment 95 to 104 was changed to the chicken sequence, though MCM2 associated with MoPrP(Sc). Incubation of the cells with a synthetic peptide composed of MoPrP residues 93 to 107 or alanine-substituted cognates did not inhibit the conversion, whereas an anti-P8 antibody recognizing the above sequence in PrP(C) reduced the accumulation of PrP(Sc) after 10 days of incubation of the cells. These results suggest the segment 100 to 104 of MoPrP(C) plays a key role in conversion after binding to MoPrP(Sc).
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