1
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Wagner WJ, Gross ML. Using mass spectrometry-based methods to understand amyloid formation and inhibition of alpha-synuclein and amyloid beta. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2024; 43:782-825. [PMID: 36224716 PMCID: PMC10090239 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils, insoluble β-sheets structures that arise from protein misfolding, are associated with several neurodegenerative disorders. Many small molecules have been investigated to prevent amyloid fibrils from forming; however, there are currently no therapeutics to combat these diseases. Mass spectrometry (MS) is proving to be effective for studying the high order structure (HOS) of aggregating proteins and for determining structural changes accompanying protein-inhibitor interactions. When combined with native MS (nMS), gas-phase ion mobility, protein footprinting, and chemical cross-linking, MS can afford regional and sometimes amino acid spatial resolution of the aggregating protein. The spatial resolution is greater than typical low-resolution spectroscopic, calorimetric, and the traditional ThT fluorescence methods used in amyloid research today. High-resolution approaches can struggle when investigating protein aggregation, as the proteins exist as complex oligomeric mixtures of many sizes and several conformations or polymorphs. Thus, MS is positioned to complement both high- and low-resolution approaches to studying amyloid fibril formation and protein-inhibitor interactions. This review covers basics in MS paired with ion mobility, continuous hydrogen-deuterium exchange (continuous HDX), pulsed hydrogen-deuterium exchange (pulsed HDX), fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) and other irreversible labeling methods, and chemical cross-linking. We then review the applications of these approaches to studying amyloid-prone proteins with a focus on amyloid beta and alpha-synuclein. Another focus is the determination of protein-inhibitor interactions. The expectation is that MS will bring new insights to amyloid formation and thereby play an important role to prevent their formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley J Wagner
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Michael L Gross
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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2
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Kirsch ZJ, Vachet RW. Proteins Can Withstand More Extensive Labeling while Providing Accurate Structural Information in Covalent Labeling-Mass Spectrometry. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024; 35:1030-1039. [PMID: 38581471 PMCID: PMC11167616 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.4c00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) covalent labeling-mass spectrometry (CL-MS) has been extensively utilized to study protein structure and interactions owing to its ease of use, commercial availability, and broad labeling of nucleophilic residues. During typical CL-MS experiments with DEPC, the extent of labeling is kept low to avoid any structural perturbations resulting from covalent modification of the protein. In this study, we demonstrate that proteins can be labeled more extensively via DEPC and still provide accurate structural information. To show this, we modeled labeling kinetics over a range of DEPC concentrations and used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the molecular-level effects of extensive labeling on the protein structure. Our results indicate that higher extents of DEPC labeling do not significantly perturb the protein structure and can lead to improved precision, detectability of labeled peptides, and protein structural resolution. Furthermore, higher extents of labeling enable better identification of protein-ligand binding sites where lower extents of modification provide ambiguous results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J. Kirsch
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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3
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Dhingra K, Sinha I, Snyder M, Roush D, Cramer SM. Exploring preferred binding domains of IgG1 mAbs to multimodal adsorbents using a combined biophysics and simulation approach. Biotechnol Prog 2024; 40:e3415. [PMID: 38043031 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we employ a recently developed biophysical technique that uses diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) covalent labeling and mass spectrometry for the identification of mAb binding patches to two multimodal cation exchange resins at different pH. This approach compares the labeling results obtained in the bound and unbound states to identify residues that are sterically shielded and thus located in the mAb binding domains. The results at pH 6 for one mAb (mAb B) indicated that while the complementarity determining region (CDR) had minimal interactions with both resins, the FC domain was actively involved in binding. In contrast, DEPC/MS data with another mAb (mAb C) indicated that both the CDR and FC domains were actively involved in binding. These results corroborated chromatographic retention data with these two mAbs and their fragments and helped to explain the significantly stronger retention of both the intact mAb C and its Fab fragment. In contrast, labeling results with mAb C at pH 7, indicated that only the CDR played a significant role in resin binding, again corroborating chromatographic data. The binding domains identified from the DEPC/MS experiments were also examined using protein surface hydrophobicity maps obtained using a recently developed sparse sampling molecular dynamics (MD) approach in concert with electrostatic potential maps. These results demonstrate that the DEPC covalent labeling/mass spectrometry technique can provide important information about the domain contributions of multidomain proteins such as monoclonal antibodies when interacting with multimodal resins over a range of pH conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabir Dhingra
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
| | - Imee Sinha
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
| | - Mark Snyder
- Process Chemistry Division, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, California, USA
| | - David Roush
- Process R&D, Merck &Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Steven M Cramer
- Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
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4
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Pan X, Tran T, Kirsch ZJ, Thompson LK, Vachet RW. Diethylpyrocarbonate-Based Covalent Labeling Mass Spectrometry of Protein Interactions in a Membrane Complex System. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:82-91. [PMID: 36475668 PMCID: PMC9812933 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.2c00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-associated proteins are important because they mediate interactions between a cell's external and internal environment and they are often targets of therapeutics. Characterizing their structures and binding interactions, however, is challenging because they typically must be solubilized using artificial membrane systems that can make measurements difficult. Mass spectrometry (MS) is emerging as a valuable tool for studying membrane-associated proteins, and covalent labeling MS has unique potential to provide higher order structure and binding information for these proteins in complicated membrane systems. Here, we demonstrate that diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) can be effectively used as a labeling reagent to characterize the binding interactions between a membrane-associated protein and its binding partners in an artificial membrane system. Using chemotaxis histidine kinase (CheA) as a model system, we demonstrate that DEPC-based covalent labeling MS can provide structural and binding information about the ternary complex of CheA with two other proteins that is consistent with structural models of this membrane-associated chemoreceptor system. Despite the moderate hydrophobicity of DEPC, we find that its reactivity with proteins is not substantially influenced by the presence of the artificial membranes. However, correct structural information for this multiprotein chemoreceptor system requires measurements of DEPC labeling at multiple reagent concentrations to enable an accurate comparison between CheA and its ternary complex in the chemoreceptor system. In addition to providing structural information that is consistent with the model of this complex system, the labeling data supplements structural information that is not sufficiently refined in the chemoreceptor model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Pan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Thomas Tran
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Zachary J. Kirsch
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Lynmarie K. Thompson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
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5
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Bigi A, Cascella R, Chiti F, Cecchi C. Amyloid fibrils act as a reservoir of soluble oligomers, the main culprits in protein deposition diseases. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200086. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Section of Biochemistry University of Florence Florence Italy
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Section of Biochemistry University of Florence Florence Italy
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Section of Biochemistry University of Florence Florence Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences Section of Biochemistry University of Florence Florence Italy
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6
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Pan X, Kirsch ZJ, Vachet RW. Distinguishing Histidine Tautomers in Proteins Using Covalent Labeling-Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2022; 94:1003-1010. [PMID: 34962759 PMCID: PMC8787799 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c03902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we use diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC)-based covalent labeling together with LC-MS/MS analysis to distinguish the two sidechain tautomers of histidine residues in peptides and proteins. From labeling experiments on model peptides, we demonstrate that DEPC reacts equally with both tautomeric forms to produce chemically different products with distinct dissociation patterns and LC retention times, allowing the ratios of the two tautomers to be determined in peptides and proteins. Upon measuring the tautomer ratios of several histidine residues in myoglobin, we find good agreement with previous 2D NMR data on this protein. Because our DEPC labeling/MS approach is simpler, faster, and more precise than 2D NMR, our method will be a valuable way to determine how protein structure enforces histidine sidechain tautomerization. Because the tautomeric state of histidine residues is often important for protein structure and function, the ability of DEPC labeling/MS to distinguish histidine tautomers should equip researchers with a tool to understand the histidine residue structure and function more deeply in proteins.
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7
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Tremblay CY, Kirsch ZJ, Vachet RW. Epitope Mapping with Diethylpyrocarbonate Covalent Labeling-Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2022; 94:1052-1059. [PMID: 34932327 PMCID: PMC8785103 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c04038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Antigen-antibody epitope mapping is essential for understanding binding mechanisms and developing new protein therapeutics. In this study, we investigate diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) covalent labeling-mass spectrometry as a means of analyzing antigen-antibody interactions using the well-characterized model system of TNFα in complex with three different antibodies. Results show that residues buried in the epitope undergo substantial decreases in labeling, as expected. Interestingly, serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues at the edges of the epitope undergo unexpected increases in labeling. The increased labeling of these weakly nucleophilic residues is caused by the formation of hydrophobic pockets upon antibody binding that presumably increase local DEPC concentrations. Residues that are distant from the epitope generally do not undergo changes in labeling extent; however, some that do change experience variations in their local microenvironment due to side-chain reorganization or stabilization of the TNFα trimer that occurs upon binding. Overall, DEPC labeling of antigen-antibody complexes is found to depend on both changes in solvent exposure and changes to the residue microenvironment.
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8
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Ng YK, Tajoddin NN, Scrosati PM, Konermann L. Mechanism of Thermal Protein Aggregation: Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations on the High-Temperature Behavior of Myoglobin. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:13099-13110. [PMID: 34808050 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c07210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Proteins that encounter unfavorable solvent conditions are prone to aggregation, a phenomenon that remains poorly understood. This work focuses on myoglobin (Mb) as a model protein. Upon heating, Mb produces amorphous aggregates. Thermal unfolding experiments at low concentration (where aggregation is negligible), along with centrifugation assays, imply that Mb aggregation proceeds via globally unfolded conformers. This contrasts studies on other proteins that emphasized the role of partially folded structures as aggregate precursors. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to gain insights into the mechanism by which heat-unfolded Mb molecules associate with one another. A prerequisite for these simulations was the development of a method for generating monomeric starting structures. Periodic boundary condition artifacts necessitated the implementation of a partially immobilized water layer lining the walls of the simulation box. Aggregation simulations were performed at 370 K to track the assembly of monomeric Mb into pentameric species. Binding events were preceded by multiple unsuccessful encounters. Even after association, protein-protein contacts remained in flux. Binding was mediated by hydrophobic contacts, along with salt bridges that involved hydrophobically embedded Lys residues. Overall, this work illustrates that atomistic MD simulations are well suited for garnering insights into protein aggregation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuen Ki Ng
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Nastaran N Tajoddin
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Pablo M Scrosati
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Lars Konermann
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
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9
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Cawood EE, Karamanos TK, Wilson AJ, Radford SE. Visualizing and trapping transient oligomers in amyloid assembly pathways. Biophys Chem 2021; 268:106505. [PMID: 33220582 PMCID: PMC8188297 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2020.106505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Oligomers which form during amyloid fibril assembly are considered to be key contributors towards amyloid disease. However, understanding how such intermediates form, their structure, and mechanisms of toxicity presents significant challenges due to their transient and heterogeneous nature. Here, we discuss two different strategies for addressing these challenges: use of (1) methods capable of detecting lowly-populated species within complex mixtures, such as NMR, single particle methods (including fluorescence and force spectroscopy), and mass spectrometry; and (2) chemical and biological tools to bias the amyloid energy landscape towards specific oligomeric states. While the former methods are well suited to following the kinetics of amyloid assembly and obtaining low-resolution structural information, the latter are capable of producing oligomer samples for high-resolution structural studies and inferring structure-toxicity relationships. Together, these different approaches should enable a clearer picture to be gained of the nature and role of oligomeric intermediates in amyloid formation and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma E Cawood
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK; Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Theodoros K Karamanos
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK; Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Andrew J Wilson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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10
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Loureiro RJS, Faísca PFN. The Early Phase of β2-Microglobulin Aggregation: Perspectives From Molecular Simulations. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:578433. [PMID: 33134317 PMCID: PMC7550760 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.578433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein β2-microglobulin is the causing agent of two amyloidosis, dialysis related amyloidosis (DRA), affecting the bones and cartilages of individuals with chronic renal failure undergoing long-term hemodialysis, and a systemic amyloidosis, found in one French family, which impairs visceral organs. The protein’s small size and its biomedical significance attracted the attention of theoretical scientists, and there are now several studies addressing its aggregation mechanism in the context of molecular simulations. Here, we review the early phase of β2-microglobulin aggregation, by focusing on the identification and structural characterization of monomers with the ability to trigger aggregation, and initial small oligomers (dimers, tetramers, hexamers etc.) formed in the so-called nucleation phase. We focus our analysis on results from molecular simulations and integrate our views with those coming from in vitro experiments to provide a broader perspective of this interesting field of research. We also outline directions for future computer simulation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui J S Loureiro
- Faculty of Sciences, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Patrícia F N Faísca
- Faculty of Sciences, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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11
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Akizuki S, Kawano K, Iwamoto T, Nakada K, Ohnishi A. Mass spectrometry of urinary β2 microglobulin oligomer in patients with proteinuria. Ther Apher Dial 2020; 25:197-203. [PMID: 32535961 DOI: 10.1111/1744-9987.13547] [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: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Urinary β2 microglobulin (β2-m) is a marker of renal tubule dysfunction; however, β2-m might become degraded under acidic conditions. To confirm the degradation and consequent deactivation of β2-m under acidic conditions, we used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to detect the levels and forms of β2-m in the urine samples of patients with high proteinuria (n = 21) and healthy subjects (n = 6). β2-m was purified in crude form using immunoprecipitation. A signal of 11.74 kDa, corresponding to the molecular weight of β2-m, was detected in all samples. In addition, several high-molecular-weight proteins were detected in a patient as integrals of the intensity at 11.74 kDa. These results indicate that posttranslational modifications of β2-m might be involved in the pathological process of proteinuria. Therefore, MS can be used for monitoring proteinuria and predicting the risk of progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Setsuko Akizuki
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Jikei University Daisan Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.,Central Clinical Laboratory, The Jikei University Daisan Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsumi Kawano
- RI Department, Hachioji Laboratory, SRL, Inc., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Iwamoto
- Core Research Facilities for Basic Science, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Nakada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Jikei University Daisan Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.,Central Clinical Laboratory, The Jikei University Daisan Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Ohnishi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Jikei University Daisan Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.,Central Clinical Laboratory, The Jikei University Daisan Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
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12
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Liu XR, Zhang MM, Gross ML. Mass Spectrometry-Based Protein Footprinting for Higher-Order Structure Analysis: Fundamentals and Applications. Chem Rev 2020; 120:4355-4454. [PMID: 32319757 PMCID: PMC7531764 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Proteins adopt different higher-order structures (HOS) to enable their unique biological functions. Understanding the complexities of protein higher-order structures and dynamics requires integrated approaches, where mass spectrometry (MS) is now positioned to play a key role. One of those approaches is protein footprinting. Although the initial demonstration of footprinting was for the HOS determination of protein/nucleic acid binding, the concept was later adapted to MS-based protein HOS analysis, through which different covalent labeling approaches "mark" the solvent accessible surface area (SASA) of proteins to reflect protein HOS. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX), where deuterium in D2O replaces hydrogen of the backbone amides, is the most common example of footprinting. Its advantage is that the footprint reflects SASA and hydrogen bonding, whereas one drawback is the labeling is reversible. Another example of footprinting is slow irreversible labeling of functional groups on amino acid side chains by targeted reagents with high specificity, probing structural changes at selected sites. A third footprinting approach is by reactions with fast, irreversible labeling species that are highly reactive and footprint broadly several amino acid residue side chains on the time scale of submilliseconds. All of these covalent labeling approaches combine to constitute a problem-solving toolbox that enables mass spectrometry as a valuable tool for HOS elucidation. As there has been a growing need for MS-based protein footprinting in both academia and industry owing to its high throughput capability, prompt availability, and high spatial resolution, we present a summary of the history, descriptions, principles, mechanisms, and applications of these covalent labeling approaches. Moreover, their applications are highlighted according to the biological questions they can answer. This review is intended as a tutorial for MS-based protein HOS elucidation and as a reference for investigators seeking a MS-based tool to address structural questions in protein science.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael L. Gross
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA, 63130
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13
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Zhao B, Zhuang J, Xu M, Liu T, Limpikirati P, Thayumanavan S, Vachet RW. Covalent Labeling with an α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Scaffold for Studying Protein Structure and Interactions by Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2020; 92:6637-6644. [PMID: 32250591 PMCID: PMC7207043 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A new covalent labeling (CL) reagent based on an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl scaffold has been developed for studying protein structure and protein-protein interactions when coupled with mass spectrometry. We show that this new reagent scaffold can react with up to 13 different types of residues on protein surfaces, thereby providing excellent structural resolution. To illustrate the value of this reagent scaffold, it is used to identify the residues involved in the protein-protein interface that is formed upon Zn(II) binding to the protein β-2-microglobulin. The modular design of the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl scaffold allows facile variation of the functional groups, enabling labeling kinetics and selectivity to be tuned. Moreover, by introducing isotopically enriched functional groups into the reagent structure, labeling sites can be more easily identified by MS and MS/MS. Overall, this reagent scaffold should be a valuable CL reagent for protein higher order structure characterization by MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Jiaming Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Miaowei Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Tianying Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | | | - S. Thayumanavan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
- Center for Bioactive Delivery – Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
- Center for Bioactive Delivery – Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
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14
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Pan X, Limpikirati P, Chen H, Liu T, Vachet RW. Higher-Order Structure Influences the Kinetics of Diethylpyrocarbonate Covalent Labeling of Proteins. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2020; 31:658-665. [PMID: 32013423 PMCID: PMC7077735 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.9b00132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The combination of covalent labeling (CL) and mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as a useful tool for studying protein structure due to its good structural coverage, the ability to study proteins in mixtures, and its high sensitivity. Diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) is an effective CL reagent that can label N-termini and the side chains of several nucleophilic residues, providing information for about 30% of the residues in the average protein. For DEPC to provide accurate structural information, the extent of labeling must be controlled to minimize label-induced structural perturbations. In this work, we establish a quantitative correlation between general protein structural factors and DEPC reaction rates by measuring the reaction rate coefficients for several model proteins. Using principal component and regression analyses, we find that the solvent accessible surface areas of histidine and lysine residues in proteins are the primary factors that determine a protein's reactivity toward DEPC, despite the fact that other more abundant residues, such as tyrosine, threonine, and serine, are also labeled by DEPC. From the statistical analysis, a model emerges that can be used to predict the reactivity of a protein based on its structure and sequence, allowing the optimal DEPC concentration to be chosen for a given protein. The resulting model is supported by cross-validation studies and by accurately predicting of the reactivity of five test proteins. Overall, our model reveals interesting insight into the reactivity of proteins with DEPC, and it will facilitate identification of optimal DEPC labeling conditions for proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Pan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Patanachai Limpikirati
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Huan Chen
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, United States
| | - Tianying Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
- Corresponding Author:; Phone: (413) 545-2733 (R.W.V.)
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15
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Marcinko TM, Drews T, Liu T, Vachet RW. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Inhibits Cu(II)-Induced β-2-Microglobulin Amyloid Formation by Binding to the Edge of Its β-Sheets. Biochemistry 2020; 59:1093-1103. [PMID: 32100530 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a catechin found in green tea that can inhibit the amyloid formation of a wide variety of proteins. EGCG's ability to prevent or redirect the amyloid formation of so many proteins may reflect a common mechanism of action, and thus, greater molecular-level insight into how it exerts its effect could have broad implications. Here, we investigate the molecular details of EGCG's inhibition of the protein β-2-microglobulin (β2m), which forms amyloids in patients undergoing long-term dialysis treatment. Using size-exclusion chromatography and a collection of mass spectrometry-based techniques, we find that EGCG prevents Cu(II)-induced β2m amyloid formation by diverting the normal progression of preamyloid oligomers toward the formation of spherical, redissolvable aggregates. EGCG exerts its effect by binding with a micromolar affinity (Kd ≈ 5 μM) to the β2m monomer on the edge of two β-sheets near the N-terminus. This interaction destabilizes the preamyloid dimer and prevents the formation of a tetramer species previously shown to be essential for Cu(II)-induced β2m amyloid formation. EGCG's binding at the edge of the β-sheets in β2m is consistent with a previous hypothesis that EGCG generally prevents amyloid formation by binding cross-β-sheet aggregation intermediates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler M Marcinko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 374 Lederle Graduate Research Tower A, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Thomas Drews
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 374 Lederle Graduate Research Tower A, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Tianying Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 374 Lederle Graduate Research Tower A, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Richard W Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 374 Lederle Graduate Research Tower A, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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16
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Pilkington AW, Schupp J, Nyman M, Valentine SJ, Smith DM, Legleiter J. Acetylation of Aβ 40 Alters Aggregation in the Presence and Absence of Lipid Membranes. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:146-161. [PMID: 31834770 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the formation of senile plaques comprised of the β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide. Aβ fibrillization is a complex nucleation-dependent process involving a variety of metastable intermediate aggregates and features the formation of inter- and intramolecular salt bridges involving lysine residues, K16 and K28. Cationic lysine residues also mediate protein-lipid interactions via association with anionic lipid headgroups. As several toxic mechanisms attributed to Aβ involve membrane interactions, the impact of acetylation on Aβ40 aggregation in the presence and absence of membranes was determined. Using chemical acetylation, varying mixtures of acetylated and nonacetylated Aβ40 were produced. With increasing acetylation, fibril and oligomer formation decreased, eventually completely arresting fibrillization. In the presence of total brain lipid extract (TBLE) vesicles, acetylation reduced the interaction of Aβ40 with membranes; however, fibrils still formed at near complete levels of acetylation. Additionally, the combination of TBLE and acetylated Aβ promoted annular aggregates. Finally, toxicity associated with Aβ40 was reduced with increasing acetylation in a cell culture assay. These results suggest that in the absence of membranes that the cationic character of lysine plays a major role in fibril formation. However, acetylation promotes unique aggregation pathways in the presence of lipid membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert W. Pilkington
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Jane Schupp
- Department of Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Morgan Nyman
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Stephen J. Valentine
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - David M. Smith
- Department of Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
- Rockefeller Neurosciences Institutes, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, P.O. Box
9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
| | - Justin Legleiter
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
- Rockefeller Neurosciences Institutes, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, P.O. Box
9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
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17
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Marcinko TM, Liang C, Savinov S, Chen J, Vachet RW. Structural Heterogeneity in the Preamyloid Oligomers of β-2-Microglobulin. J Mol Biol 2019; 432:396-409. [PMID: 31711963 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In dialysis patients, the protein β2-microglobulin (β2m) forms amyloid fibrils in a condition known as dialysis-related amyloidosis. To understand the early stages of the amyloid assembly process, we have used native electrospray ionization (ESI) together with ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) to study soluble preamyloid oligomers. ESI-IM-MS reveals the presence of multiple conformers for the dimer, tetramer, and hexamer that precede the Cu(II)-induced amyloid assembly process, results which are distinct from β2m oligomers formed at low pH. Experimental and computational results indicate that the predominant dimer is a Cu(II)-bound structure with an antiparallel side-by-side configuration. In contrast, tetramers exist in solution in both Cu(II)-bound and Cu(II)-free forms. Selective depletion of Cu(II)-bound species results in two primary conformers-one that is compact and another that is more expanded. Molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations identify models for these two tetrameric conformers with unique interactions and interfaces that enthalpically compensate for the loss of Cu(II). Unlike with other amyloid systems in which conformational heterogeneity is often associated with different amyloid morphologies or off-pathway events, conformational heterogeneity in the tetramer seems to be a necessary aspect of Cu(II)-induced amyloid formation by β2m. Moreover, the Cu(II)-free models represent a new advance in our understanding of Cu(II) release in Cu(II)-induced amyloid formation, laying a foundation for further mechanistic studies as well as development of new inhibition strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler M Marcinko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Chungwen Liang
- Computational and Modeling Core Facility, Institute for Applied Life Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Sergey Savinov
- Computational and Modeling Core Facility, Institute for Applied Life Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Jianhen Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Richard W Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
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18
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Karamanos TK, Jackson MP, Calabrese AN, Goodchild SC, Cawood EE, Thompson GS, Kalverda AP, Hewitt EW, Radford SE. Structural mapping of oligomeric intermediates in an amyloid assembly pathway. eLife 2019; 8:46574. [PMID: 31552823 PMCID: PMC6783270 DOI: 10.7554/elife.46574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transient oligomers are commonly formed in the early stages of amyloid assembly. Determining the structure(s) of these species and defining their role(s) in assembly is key to devising new routes to control disease. Here, using a combination of chemical kinetics, NMR spectroscopy and other biophysical methods, we identify and structurally characterize the oligomers required for amyloid assembly of the protein ΔN6, a truncation variant of human β2-microglobulin (β2m) found in amyloid deposits in the joints of patients with dialysis-related amyloidosis. The results reveal an assembly pathway which is initiated by the formation of head-to-head non-toxic dimers and hexamers en route to amyloid fibrils. Comparison with inhibitory dimers shows that precise subunit organization determines amyloid assembly, while dynamics in the C-terminal strand hint to the initiation of cross-β structure formation. The results provide a detailed structural view of early amyloid assembly involving structured species that are not cytotoxic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros K Karamanos
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew P Jackson
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Antonio N Calabrese
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Sophia C Goodchild
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Emma E Cawood
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Gary S Thompson
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Arnout P Kalverda
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Eric W Hewitt
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Sheena E Radford
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.,School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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19
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J S Loureiro R, Vila-Viçosa D, Machuqueiro M, Shakhnovich EI, F N Faísca P. The Early Phase of β2m Aggregation: An Integrative Computational Study Framed on the D76N Mutant and the ΔN6 Variant. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9080366. [PMID: 31416179 PMCID: PMC6722664 DOI: 10.3390/biom9080366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human β2-microglobulin (b2m) protein is classically associated with dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA). Recently, the single point mutant D76N was identified as the causative agent of a hereditary systemic amyloidosis affecting visceral organs. To get insight into the early stage of the β2m aggregation mechanism, we used molecular simulations to perform an in depth comparative analysis of the dimerization phase of the D76N mutant and the ΔN6 variant, a cleaved form lacking the first six N-terminal residues, which is a major component of ex vivo amyloid plaques from DRA patients. We also provide first glimpses into the tetramerization phase of D76N at physiological pH. Results from extensive protein–protein docking simulations predict an essential role of the C- and N-terminal regions (both variants), as well as of the BC-loop (ΔN6 variant), DE-loop (both variants) and EF-loop (D76N mutant) in dimerization. The terminal regions are more relevant under acidic conditions while the BC-, DE- and EF-loops gain importance at physiological pH. Our results recapitulate experimental evidence according to which Tyr10 (A-strand), Phe30 and His31 (BC-loop), Trp60 and Phe62 (DE-loop) and Arg97 (C-terminus) act as dimerization hot-spots, and further predict the occurrence of novel residues with the ability to nucleate dimerization, namely Lys-75 (EF-loop) and Trp-95 (C-terminus). We propose that D76N tetramerization is mainly driven by the self-association of dimers via the N-terminus and DE-loop, and identify Arg3 (N-terminus), Tyr10, Phe56 (D-strand) and Trp60 as potential tetramerization hot-spots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui J S Loureiro
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diogo Vila-Viçosa
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute and Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Machuqueiro
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute and Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Eugene I Shakhnovich
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Patrícia F N Faísca
- BioISI-Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute and Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
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20
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Limpikirati P, Pan X, Vachet RW. Covalent Labeling with Diethylpyrocarbonate: Sensitive to the Residue Microenvironment, Providing Improved Analysis of Protein Higher Order Structure by Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2019; 91:8516-8523. [PMID: 31150223 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b01732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Covalent labeling with mass spectrometry is increasingly being used for the structural analysis of proteins. Diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) is a simple to use, commercially available covalent labeling reagent that can readily react with a range of nucleophilic residues in proteins. We find that in intact proteins weakly nucleophilic side chains (Ser, Thr, and Tyr) can be modified by DEPC in addition to other residues such as His, Lys, and Cys, providing very good structural resolution. We hypothesize that the microenvironment around these side chains, as formed by a protein's higher order structure, tunes their reactivity such that they can be labeled. To test this hypothesis, we compare DEPC labeling reactivity of Ser, Thr, and Tyr residues in intact proteins with peptide fragments from the same proteins. Results indicate that these residues almost never react with DEPC in free peptides, supporting the hypothesis that a protein's local microenvironment tunes the reactivity of these residues. From a close examination of the structural features near the reactive residues, we find that nearby hydrophobic residues are essential, suggesting that the enhanced reactivity of certain Ser, Thr, and Tyr residues occurs due to higher local concentrations of DEPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patanachai Limpikirati
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst , Massachusetts 01003 , United States
| | - Xiao Pan
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst , Massachusetts 01003 , United States
| | - Richard W Vachet
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst , Massachusetts 01003 , United States
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21
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Limpikirati P, Hale JE, Hazelbaker M, Huang Y, Jia Z, Yazdani M, Graban EM, Vaughan RC, Vachet RW. Covalent labeling and mass spectrometry reveal subtle higher order structural changes for antibody therapeutics. MAbs 2019; 11:463-476. [PMID: 30636503 PMCID: PMC6512938 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2019.1565748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies are among the fastest growing therapeutics in the pharmaceutical industry. Detecting higher-order structure changes of antibodies upon storage or mishandling, however, is a challenging problem. In this study, we describe the use of diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC)-based covalent labeling (CL) - mass spectrometry (MS) to detect conformational changes caused by heat stress, using rituximab as a model system. The structural resolution obtained from DEPC CL-MS is high enough to probe subtle conformation changes that are not detectable by common biophysical techniques. Results demonstrate that DEPC CL-MS can detect and identify sites of conformational changes at the temperatures below the antibody melting temperature (e.g., 55 ᴼC). The observed labeling changes at lower temperatures are validated by activity assays that indicate changes in the Fab region. At higher temperatures (e.g., 65 ᴼC), conformational changes and aggregation sites are identified from changes in CL levels, and these results are confirmed by complementary biophysical and activity measurements. Given the sensitivity and simplicity of DEPC CL-MS, this method should be amenable to the structural investigations of other antibody therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mark Hazelbaker
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Yongbo Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Zhiguang Jia
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Mahdieh Yazdani
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Robert C. Vaughan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
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22
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Limpikirati P, Liu T, Vachet RW. Covalent labeling-mass spectrometry with non-specific reagents for studying protein structure and interactions. Methods 2018; 144:79-93. [PMID: 29630925 PMCID: PMC6051898 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Using mass spectrometry (MS) to obtain information about a higher order structure of protein requires that a protein's structural properties are encoded into the mass of that protein. Covalent labeling (CL) with reagents that can irreversibly modify solvent accessible amino acid side chains is an effective way to encode structural information into the mass of a protein, as this information can be read-out in a straightforward manner using standard MS-based proteomics techniques. The differential reactivity of proteins under two or more conditions can be used to distinguish protein topologies, conformations, and/or binding sites. CL-MS methods have been effectively used for the structural analysis of proteins and protein complexes, particularly for systems that are difficult to study by other more traditional biochemical techniques. This review provides an overview of the non-specific CL approaches that have been combined with MS with a particular emphasis on the reagents that are commonly used, including hydroxyl radicals, carbenes, and diethylpyrocarbonate. We describe the reagent and protein factors that affect the reactivity of amino acid side chains. We also include details about experimental design and workflow, data analysis, recent applications, and some future prospects of CL-MS methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tianying Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Richard W Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
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23
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Dongmo Foumthuim CJ, Corazza A, Esposito G, Fogolari F. Molecular dynamics simulations of β2-microglobulin interaction with hydrophobic surfaces. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2018; 13:2625-2637. [PMID: 29051937 DOI: 10.1039/c7mb00464h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Hydrophobic surfaces are known to adsorb and unfold proteins, a process that has been studied only for a few proteins. Here we address the interaction of β2-microglobulin, a paradigmatic protein for the study of amyloidogenesis, with hydrophobic surfaces. A system with 27 copies of the protein surrounded by a model cubic hydrophobic box is studied by implicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations. Most proteins adsorb on the walls of the box without major distortions in local geometry, whereas free molecules maintain proper structures and fluctuations as observed in explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations. The major conclusions from the simulations are as follows: (i) the adopted implicit solvent model is adequate to describe protein dynamics and thermodynamics; (ii) adsorption occurs readily and is irreversible on the simulated timescale; (iii) the regions most involved in molecular encounters and stable interactions with the walls are the same as those that are important in protein-protein and protein-nanoparticle interactions; (iv) unfolding following adsorption occurs at regions found to be flexible by both experiments and simulations; (v) thermodynamic analysis suggests a very large contribution from van der Waals interactions, whereas unfavorable electrostatic interactions are not found to contribute much to adsorption energy. Surfaces with different degrees of hydrophobicity may occur in vivo. Our simulations show that adsorption is a fast and irreversible process which is accompanied by partial unfolding. The results and the thermodynamic analysis presented here are consistent with and rationalize previous experimental work.
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24
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Liu T, Marcinko TM, Kiefer PA, Vachet RW. Using Covalent Labeling and Mass Spectrometry To Study Protein Binding Sites of Amyloid Inhibiting Molecules. Anal Chem 2017; 89:11583-11591. [PMID: 29028328 PMCID: PMC5677544 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b02915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid aggregates are associated with several debilitating diseases, and there are numerous efforts to develop small molecule treatments against these diseases. One challenge associated with these efforts is determining protein binding site information for potential therapeutics because amyloid-forming proteins rapidly form oligomers and aggregates, making traditional protein structural analysis techniques challenging. Using β-2-microglobulin (β2m) as a model amyloid-forming protein along with two recently identified small molecule amyloid inhibitors (i.e., rifamycin SV and doxycycline), we demonstrate that covalent labeling and mass spectrometry (MS) can be used to map small-molecule binding sites for a rapidly aggregating protein. Specifically, three different covalent labeling reagents, namely diethylpyrocarbonate, 2,3-butanedione, and the reagent pair EDC/GEE, are used together to pinpoint the binding sites of rifamycin SV, doxycycline, and another molecule, suramin, which binds but does not inhibit Cu(II)-induced β2m amyloid formation. The labeling results reveal binding sites that are consistent with the known effects of these molecules on β2m amyloid formation and are in general agreement with molecular docking results. We expect that this combined covalent labeling approach will be applicable to other protein/small molecule systems that are difficult to study by traditional means.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianying Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Tyler M. Marcinko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Patrick A. Kiefer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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25
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Chaibva M, Jawahery S, Pilkington AW, Arndt JR, Sarver O, Valentine S, Matysiak S, Legleiter J. Acetylation within the First 17 Residues of Huntingtin Exon 1 Alters Aggregation and Lipid Binding. Biophys J 2017; 111:349-362. [PMID: 27463137 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) domain near the N-terminus of the huntingtin (htt) protein. Expanded polyQ leads to htt aggregation. The first 17 amino acids (Nt(17)) in htt comprise a lipid-binding domain that undergoes a number of posttranslational modifications that can modulate htt toxicity and subcellular localization. As there are three lysines within Nt(17), we evaluated the impact of lysine acetylation on htt aggregation in solution and on model lipid bilayers. Acetylation of htt-exon1(51Q) and synthetic truncated htt-exon 1 mimicking peptides (Nt(17)-Q35-P10-KK) was achieved using a selective covalent label, sulfo-N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHSA). With this treatment, all three lysine residues (K6, K9, and K15) in Nt(17) were significantly acetylated. N-terminal htt acetylation retarded fibril formation in solution and promoted the formation of larger globular aggregates. Acetylated htt also bound lipid membranes and disrupted the lipid bilayer morphology less aggressively compared with the wild-type. Computational studies provided mechanistic insights into how acetylation alters the interaction of Nt(17) with lipid membranes. Our results highlight that N-terminal acetylation influences the aggregation of htt and its interaction with lipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxmore Chaibva
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Sudi Jawahery
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Albert W Pilkington
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - James R Arndt
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Olivia Sarver
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Stephen Valentine
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Silvina Matysiak
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland; Biophysics Program, Institute for Physical Chemistry and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.
| | - Justin Legleiter
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia; NanoSAFE, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia; Center for Neurosciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia.
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26
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Marcinko TM, Dong J, LeBlanc R, Daborowski KV, Vachet RW. Small molecule-mediated inhibition of β-2-microglobulin-based amyloid fibril formation. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:10630-10638. [PMID: 28468825 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.774083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In dialysis patients, β-2 microglobulin (β2m) can aggregate and eventually form amyloid fibrils in a condition known as dialysis-related amyloidosis, which deleteriously affects joint and bone function. Recently, several small molecules have been identified as potential inhibitors of β2m amyloid formation in vitro Here we investigated whether these molecules are more broadly applicable inhibitors of β2m amyloid formation by studying their effect on Cu(II)-induced β2m amyloid formation. Using a variety of biophysical techniques, we also examined their inhibitory mechanisms. We found that two molecules, doxycycline and rifamycin SV, can inhibit β2m amyloid formation in vitro by causing the formation of amorphous, redissolvable aggregates. Rather than interfering with β2m amyloid formation at the monomer stage, we found that doxycycline and rifamycin SV exert their effect by binding to oligomeric species both in solution and in gas phase. Their binding results in a diversion of the expected Cu(II)-induced progression of oligomers toward a heterogeneous collection of oligomers, including trimers and pentamers, that ultimately matures into amorphous aggregates. Using ion mobility mass spectrometry, we show that both inhibitors promote the compaction of the initially formed β2m dimer, which causes the formation of other off-pathway and amyloid-incompetent oligomers that are isomeric with amyloid-competent oligomers in some cases. Overall, our results suggest that doxycycline and rifamycin are general inhibitors of Cu(II)-induced β2m amyloid formation. Interestingly, the putative mechanism of their activity is different depending on how amyloid formation is initiated with β2m, which underscores the complexity of how these structures assemble in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler M Marcinko
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Jia Dong
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Raquel LeBlanc
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Kate V Daborowski
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Richard W Vachet
- From the Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
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27
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Borotto NB, Zhang Z, Dong J, Burant B, Vachet RW. Increased β-Sheet Dynamics and D-E Loop Repositioning Are Necessary for Cu(II)-Induced Amyloid Formation by β-2-Microglobulin. Biochemistry 2017; 56:1095-1104. [PMID: 28168880 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b01198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
β-2-Microglobulin (β2m) forms amyloid fibrils in the joints of patients undergoing dialysis treatment as a result of kidney failure. One of the ways in which β2m can be induced to form amyloid fibrils in vitro is via incubation with stoichiometric amounts of Cu(II). To better understand the structural changes caused by Cu(II) binding that allow β2m to form amyloid fibrils, we compared the effect of Ni(II) and Zn(II) binding, which are two similarly sized divalent metal ions that do not induce β2m amyloid formation. Using hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX/MS) and covalent labeling MS, we find that Ni(II) has little effect on β2m structure, despite binding in the same region of the protein as Cu(II). This observation indicates that subtle differences in the organization of residues around Cu(II) cause distant changes that are necessary for oligomerization and eventual amyloid formation. One key difference that we find is that only Cu(II), not Ni(II) or Zn(II), is able to cause the cis-trans isomerization of Pro32 that is an important conformational switch that initiates β2m amyloid formation. By comparing HDX/MS data from the three metal-β2m complexes, we also discover that increased dynamics in the β-sheet formed by the A, B, D, and E β strands of the protein and repositioning of residues in the D-E loop are necessary aspects of β2m forming an amyloid-competent dimer. Altogether, our results reveal new structural insights into the unique effect of Cu(II) in the metal-induced amyloid formation of β2m.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B Borotto
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Jia Dong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Brittney Burant
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Richard W Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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28
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Madsen JA, Yin Y, Qiao J, Gill V, Renganathan K, Fu WY, Smith S, Anderson J. Covalent Labeling Denaturation Mass Spectrometry for Sensitive Localized Higher Order Structure Comparisons. Anal Chem 2016; 88:2478-88. [PMID: 26750983 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b04736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Protein higher order structure (HOS) describes the three-dimensional folding arrangement of a given protein and plays critical roles in structure/function relationships. As such, it is a key product quality attribute that is monitored during biopharmaceutical development. Covalent labeling of surface residues, combined with mass spectrometry analysis, has increasingly played an important role in characterizing localized protein HOS. Since the label can potentially induce conformation changes, protocols generally use a small amount of label to ensure that the integrity of the protein HOS is not disturbed. The present study, however, describes a method that purposely uses high amounts of isobaric label (levels that induce denaturation) to enhance the sensitivity and resolution for detecting localized structural differences between two or more biological products. The method proved to be highly discriminative, detecting differences in HOS affecting as little as 2.5-5% of the molecular population, levels at which circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy fingerprinting, both gold standard HOS techniques, were unable to adequately differentiate. The methodology was shown to have comparable sensitivity to differential scanning calorimetry for detecting HOS differences. In addition, the workflow presented herein can also quantify other product attributes such as post-translational modifications and site-specific glycosylation, using a single liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) run with automated data analysis. We applied this technique to characterize a large (>90 kDa), multiply glycosylated therapeutic protein under different heat stress conditions and aggregation states.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Madsen
- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, 675 West Kendall Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Yan Yin
- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, 675 West Kendall Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Jing Qiao
- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, 675 West Kendall Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Vanessa Gill
- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, 675 West Kendall Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | | | - Wing-Yee Fu
- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, 675 West Kendall Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Stephen Smith
- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, 675 West Kendall Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - James Anderson
- Momenta Pharmaceuticals, 675 West Kendall Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
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29
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Hall Z, Schmidt C, Politis A. Uncovering the Early Assembly Mechanism for Amyloidogenic β2-Microglobulin Using Cross-linking and Native Mass Spectrometry. J Biol Chem 2015; 291:4626-37. [PMID: 26655720 PMCID: PMC4813486 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.691063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
β2-Microglobulin (β2m), a key component of the major histocompatibility class I complex, can aggregate into fibrils with severe clinical consequences. As such, investigating the structural aspects of the formation of oligomeric intermediates of β2m and their subsequent progression toward fibrillar aggregates is of great importance. However, β2m aggregates are challenging targets in structural biology, primarily due to their inherent transient and heterogeneous nature. Here we study the oligomeric distributions and structures of the early intermediates of amyloidogenic β2m and its truncated variant ΔN6-β2m. We established compact oligomers for both variants by integrating advanced mass spectrometric techniques with available electron microscopy maps and atomic level structures from NMR spectroscopy and x-ray crystallography. Our results revealed a stepwise assembly mechanism by monomer addition and domain swapping for the oligomeric species of ΔN6-β2m. The observed structural similarity and common oligomerization pathway between the two variants is likely to enable ΔN6-β2m to cross-seed β2m fibrillation and allow the formation of mixed fibrils. We further determined the key subunit interactions in ΔN6-β2m tetramer, revealing the importance of a domain-swapped hinge region for formation of higher order oligomers. Overall, we deliver new mechanistic insights into β2m aggregation, paving the way for future studies on the mechanisms and cause of amyloid fibrillation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Hall
- From the Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, United Kingdom, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom, and
| | - Carla Schmidt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom, and
| | - Argyris Politis
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, United Kingdom
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30
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Borotto NB, Zhou Y, Hollingsworth SR, Hale JE, Graban EM, Vaughan RC, Vachet RW. Investigating Therapeutic Protein Structure with Diethylpyrocarbonate Labeling and Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2015; 87:10627-34. [PMID: 26399599 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b03180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Protein therapeutics are rapidly transforming the pharmaceutical industry. Unlike for small molecule therapeutics, current technologies are challenged to provide the rapid, high-resolution analyses of protein higher order structures needed to ensure drug efficacy and safety. Consequently, significant attention has turned to developing new methods that can quickly, accurately, and reproducibly characterize the three-dimensional structure of protein therapeutics. In this work, we describe a method that uses diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) labeling and mass spectrometry to detect three-dimensional structural changes in therapeutic proteins that have been exposed to degrading conditions. Using β2-microglobulin, immunoglobulin G1, and human growth hormone as model systems, we demonstrate that DEPC labeling can identify both specific protein regions that mediate aggregation and those regions that undergo more subtle structural changes upon mishandling of these proteins. Importantly, DEPC labeling is able to provide information for up to 30% of the surface residues in a given protein, thereby providing excellent structural resolution. Given the simplicity of the DEPC labeling chemistry and the relatively straightforward mass spectral analysis of DEPC-labeled proteins, we expect this method should be amenable to a wide range of protein therapeutics and their different formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B Borotto
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Yuping Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Stephen R Hollingsworth
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University , Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - John E Hale
- QuarryBio , Bloomington, Indiana 47404, United States
| | - Eric M Graban
- QuarryBio , Bloomington, Indiana 47404, United States
| | - Robert C Vaughan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University , Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Richard W Vachet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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31
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Venable JD, Steckler C, Ou W, Grünewald J, Agarwalla S, Brock A. Isotope-Coded Labeling for Accelerated Protein Interaction Profiling Using MS. Anal Chem 2015; 87:7540-4. [PMID: 26151661 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b01410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein interaction surface mapping using MS is widely applied but comparatively resource-intensive. Here, a workflow adaptation for use of isotope-coded tandem mass tags for the purpose is reported. The key benefit of improved throughput derived from sample acquisition multiplexing and automated analysis is shown to be maintained in the new application. Mapping of the epitopes of two monoclonal antibodies on their respective targets serves to illustrate the novel approach. We conclude that the approach enables mapping of interactions by MS at significantly larger scales than hereto possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Venable
- †Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Caitlin Steckler
- †Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, United States.,‡Joint Center for Structural Genomics, La Jolla, California 92037, United States, http://www.jcsg.org
| | - Weijia Ou
- †Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Jan Grünewald
- †Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Sanjay Agarwalla
- †Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Ansgar Brock
- †Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92121, United States
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32
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Arndt JR, Kondalaji SG, Maurer MM, Parker A, Legleiter J, Valentine SJ. Huntingtin N-Terminal Monomeric and Multimeric Structures Destabilized by Covalent Modification of Heteroatomic Residues. Biochemistry 2015; 54:4285-96. [PMID: 26098795 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Early stage oligomer formation of the huntingtin protein may be driven by self-association of the 17-residue amphipathic α-helix at the protein's N-terminus (Nt17). Oligomeric structures have been implicated in neuronal toxicity and may represent important neurotoxic species in Huntington's disease. Therefore, a residue-specific structural characterization of Nt17 is crucial to understanding and potentially inhibiting oligomer formation. Native electrospray ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) techniques and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) have been applied to study coexisting monomer and multimer conformations of Nt17, independent of the remainder of huntingtin exon 1. MDS suggests gas-phase monomer ion structures comprise a helix-turn-coil configuration and a helix-extended-coil region. Elongated dimer species comprise partially helical monomers arranged in an antiparallel geometry. This stacked helical bundle may represent the earliest stages of Nt17-driven oligomer formation. Nt17 monomers and multimers have been further probed using diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC). An N-terminal site (N-terminus of Threonine-3) and Lysine-6 are modified at higher DEPC concentrations, which led to the formation of an intermediate monomer structure. These modifications resulted in decreased extended monomer ion conformers, as well as a reduction in multimer formation. From the MDS experiments for the dimer ions, Lys6 residues in both monomer constituents interact with Ser16 and Glu12 residues on adjacent peptides; therefore, the decrease in multimer formation could result from disruption of these or similar interactions. This work provides a structurally selective model from which to study Nt17 self-association and provides critical insight toward Nt17 multimerization and, possibly, the early stages of huntingtin exon 1 aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Arndt
- †C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, ‡WVNano Safe Initiative, and §The Center for Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Samaneh Ghassabi Kondalaji
- †C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, ‡WVNano Safe Initiative, and §The Center for Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Megan M Maurer
- †C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, ‡WVNano Safe Initiative, and §The Center for Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Arlo Parker
- †C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, ‡WVNano Safe Initiative, and §The Center for Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Justin Legleiter
- †C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, ‡WVNano Safe Initiative, and §The Center for Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Stephen J Valentine
- †C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, ‡WVNano Safe Initiative, and §The Center for Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
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33
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Arndt JR, Brown RJ, Burke KA, Legleiter J, Valentine SJ. Lysine residues in the N-terminal huntingtin amphipathic α-helix play a key role in peptide aggregation. JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY : JMS 2015; 50:117-126. [PMID: 25601683 DOI: 10.1002/jms.3504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2014] [Revised: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/05/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion in a polyglutamine domain near the N-terminus of the huntingtin (htt) protein that results in the formation of protein aggregates. Here, htt aggregate structure has been examined using hydrogen-deuterium exchange techniques coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The focus of the study is on the 17-residue N-terminal flanking region of the peptide that has been shown to alter htt aggregation kinetics and morphology. A top-down sequencing strategy employing electron transfer dissociation is utilized to determine the location of accessible and protected hydrogens. In these experiments, peptides aggregate in a deuterium-rich solvent at neutral pH and are subsequently subjected to deuterium-hydrogen back-exchange followed by rapid quenching, disaggregation, and tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Electrospray ionization of the peptide solution produces the [M + 5H](5+) to [M + 10H](10+) charge states and reveals the presence of multiple peptide sequences differing by single glutamine residues. The [M + 7H](7+) to [M + 9](9+) charge states corresponding to the full peptide are used in the electron transfer dissociation analyses. Evidence for protected residues is observed in the 17-residue N-terminal tract and specifically points to lysine residues as potentially playing a significant role in htt aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Arndt
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
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34
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Borotto NB, Degraan-Weber N, Zhou Y, Vachet RW. Label scrambling during CID of covalently labeled peptide ions. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2014; 25:1739-46. [PMID: 25056863 PMCID: PMC4163129 DOI: 10.1007/s13361-014-0962-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Revised: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 07/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Covalent labeling along with mass spectrometry is finding more use as a means of studying the higher order structure of proteins and protein complexes. Diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) is an increasingly used reagent for these labeling experiments because it is capable of modifying multiple residues at the same time. Pinpointing DEPC-labeled sites on proteins is typically needed to obtain more resolved structural information, and tandem mass spectrometry after protein proteolysis is often used for this purpose. In this work, we demonstrate that in certain instances, scrambling of the DEPC label from one residue to another can occur during collision-induced dissociation (CID) of labeled peptide ions, resulting in ambiguity in label site identity. From a preliminary study of over 30 labeled peptides, we find that scrambling occurs in about 25% of the peptides and most commonly occurs when histidine residues are labeled. Moreover, this scrambling appears to occur more readily under non-mobile proton conditions, meaning that low charge-state peptide ions are more prone to this reaction. For all peptides, we find that scrambling does not occur during electron transfer dissociation, which suggests that this dissociation technique is a safe alternative to CID for correct label site identification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Richard W. Vachet
- Corresponding author; address reprint requests to: Richard Vachet, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences Laboratory, 240 Thatcher Way, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003,
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35
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Dong J, Joseph CA, Borotto NB, Gill V, Maroney MJ, Vachet RW. Unique effect of Cu(II) in the metal-induced amyloid formation of β-2-microglobulin. Biochemistry 2014; 53:1263-74. [PMID: 24450572 PMCID: PMC3985682 DOI: 10.1021/bi4016583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Revised: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
β-2-Microglobulin (β2m) forms amyloid fibrils in the joints of patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment as a result of kidney failure. In the presence of stoichiometric amounts of Cu(II), β2m self-associates into discrete oligomeric species, including dimers, tetramers, and hexamers, before ultimately forming amyloid fibrils that contain no copper. To improve our understanding of whether Cu(II) is unique in its ability to induce β2m amyloid formation and to delineate the coordinative interactions that allow Cu(II) to exert its effect, we have examined the binding of Ni(II) and Zn(II) to β2m and the resulting influence that these metals have on β2m aggregation. We find that, in contrast to Cu(II), Ni(II) does not induce the oligomerization or aggregation of β2m, while Zn(II) promotes oligomerization but not amyloid fibril formation. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and new mass spectrometry-related techniques, we find that different binding modes are responsible for the different effects of Ni(II) and Zn(II). By comparing the binding modes of Cu(II) with Ni(II), we find that Cu(II) binding to Asp59 and the backbone amide between the first two residues of β2m are important for allowing the formation of amyloid-competent oligomers, as Ni(II) appears not to bind these sites on the protein. The oligomers formed in the presence of Zn(II) are permitted by this metal's ability to bridge two β2m units via His51. These oligomers, however, are not able to progress to form amyloid fibrils because Zn(II) does not induce the required structural changes near the N-terminus and His31.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Dong
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Crisjoe A. Joseph
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Nicholas B. Borotto
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Vanessa
L. Gill
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Michael J. Maroney
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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36
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Leney AC, Pashley CL, Scarff CA, Radford SE, Ashcroft AE. Insights into the role of the beta-2 microglobulin D-strand in amyloid propensity revealed by mass spectrometry. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2013; 10:412-20. [PMID: 24336936 PMCID: PMC4006425 DOI: 10.1039/c3mb70420c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Characterising the differences between oligomers formed from the amyloidogenic protein β2-microglobulin and its mutant H51A using ESI-IMS-MS.
In vivo beta-2 microglobulin (β2m) forms amyloid fibrils that are associated with the disease dialysis-related amyloidosis. Here, electrospray ionisation-ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry has been used to compare the oligomers formed from wild-type β2m with those formed from a variant of the protein containing a single point mutation in the D strand, H51A, during in vitro fibril assembly. Using the amyloid-binding fluorescent dye, Thioflavin T, to monitor fibrillation kinetics, H51A was shown to exhibit a two-fold increase in the lag-time of fibril formation. Despite this, comparison of the oligomeric species observed during the lag-time of self-aggregation indicated that H51A had a higher population of oligomers, and formed oligomers of higher order, than wild-type β2m. The cross-sectional areas of the oligomers arising from H51A and wild-type protein were indistinguishable, although the H51A oligomers were shown to have a significantly higher kinetic stability on account of their reluctance to undergo sub-unit exchange when mixed with 15N-labelled protein. Together the data reveal a significant effect of His51, and thus that of the D-strand sequence, on amyloid formation. The results also highlight the power of mass spectrometry in probing complex biochemical mechanisms in real-time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneika C Leney
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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37
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O'Brien JP, Mayberry LK, Murphy PA, Browning KS, Brodbelt JS. Evaluating the conformation and binding interface of cap-binding proteins and complexes via ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectrometry. J Proteome Res 2013; 12:5867-77. [PMID: 24200290 DOI: 10.1021/pr400869u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We report the structural analysis of cap-binding proteins using a chemical probe/ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) mass spectrometry strategy for evaluating solvent accessibility of proteins. Our methodology utilized a chromogenic probe (NN) to probe the exposed amine residues of wheat eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), eIF4E in complex with a fragment of eIF4G ("mini-eIF4F"), eIF4E in complex with full length eIF4G, and the plant specific cap-binding protein, eIFiso4E. Structural changes of eIF4E in the absence and presence of excess dithiothreitol and in complex with a fragment of eIF4G or full-length eIF4G are mapped. The results indicate that there are particular lysine residues whose environment changes in the presence of dithiothreitol or eIF4G, suggesting that changes in the structure of eIF4E are occurring. On the basis of the crystal structure of wheat eIF4E and a constructed homology model of the structure for eIFiso4E, the reactivities of lysines in each protein are rationalized. Our results suggest that chemical probe/UVPD mass spectrometry can successfully predict dynamic structural changes in solution that are consistent with known crystal structures. Our findings reveal that the binding of m(7)GTP to eIF4E and eIFiso4E appears to be dependent on the redox state of a pair of cysteines near the m(7)GTP binding site. In addition, tertiary structural changes of eIF4E initiated by the formation of a complex containing a fragment of eIF4G and eIF4E were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P O'Brien
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and ‡Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin , 1 University Station A5300, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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38
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Zhou Y, Vachet RW. Covalent labeling with isotopically encoded reagents for faster structural analysis of proteins by mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 2013; 85:9664-70. [PMID: 24010814 DOI: 10.1021/ac401978w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Covalent labeling and mass spectrometry (MS) are increasingly being used to obtain higher-order structure of proteins and protein complexes. Because most covalent labels are relatively large, steps must be taken to ensure the structural integrity of the modified protein during the labeling reactions so that correct structural information can be obtained. Measuring labeling kinetics is a reliable way to ensure that a given labeling reagent does not perturb a protein's structure, but obtaining such kinetic information is time and sample intensive because it requires multiple liquid chromatography (LC)-MS experiments. Here we present a new strategy that uses isotopically encoded labeling reagents to measure labeling kinetics in a single LC-MS experiment. We illustrate this new strategy by labeling solvent-exposed lysine residues with commercially available tandem mass tags. After tandem MS experiments, these tags allow the simultaneous identification of modified sites and determination of the reaction rates at each site in a way that is just as reliable as experiments that involve multiple LC-MS measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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39
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O'Brien JP, Pruet JM, Brodbelt JS. Chromogenic chemical probe for protein structural characterization via ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 2013; 85:7391-7. [PMID: 23855605 DOI: 10.1021/ac401305f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
A chemical probe/ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) mass spectrometry strategy for evaluating structures of proteins and protein complexes is reported, as demonstrated for lysozyme and beta-lactoglobulin with and without bound ligands. The chemical probe, NN, incorporates a UV chromophore that endows peptides with high cross sections at 351 nm, a wavelength not absorbed by unmodified peptides. Thus, NN-modified peptides can readily be differentiated from nonmodified peptides in complex tryptic digests created upon proteolysis of proteins after their exposure to the NN chemical probe. The NN chemical probe also affords two diagnostic reporter ions detected upon UVPD of the NN-modified peptide that provides a facile method for the identification of NN peptides within complex mixtures. Quantitation of the modified and unmodified peptides allows estimation of the surface accessibilities of lysine residues based on their relative reactivities with the NN chemical probe.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P O'Brien
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
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40
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Fabian H, Gast K, Laue M, Jetzschmann KJ, Naumann D, Ziegler A, Uchanska-Ziegler B. IR spectroscopic analyses of amyloid fibril formation of β2-microglobulin using a simplified procedure for its in vitro generation at neutral pH. Biophys Chem 2013; 179:35-46. [PMID: 23727989 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2013.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Revised: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
β2-microglobulin (β2m) is known to be the major component of fibrillar deposits in the joints of patients suffering from dialysis-related amyloidosis. We have developed a simplified procedure to convert monomeric recombinant β2m into amyloid fibrils at physiological pH by a combination of stirring and heating, enabling us to follow conformational changes associated with the assembly by infrared spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Our studies reveal that fibrillogenesis begins with the formation of relatively large aggregates, with secondary structure not significantly altered by the stirring-induced association. In contrast, the conversion of the amorphous aggregates into amyloid fibrils is associated with a profound re-organization at the level of the secondary and tertiary structures, leading to non-native like parallel arrangements of the β-strands in the fully formed amyloid structure of β2m. This study highlights the power of an approach to investigate the formation of β2m fibrils by a combination of biophysical techniques including IR spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinz Fabian
- Robert Koch-Institut, ZBS 6, Nordufer 20, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
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Lee YH, Goto Y. Kinetic intermediates of amyloid fibrillation studied by hydrogen exchange methods with nuclear magnetic resonance. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2012; 1824:1307-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2012.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Revised: 07/24/2012] [Accepted: 07/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Jaffee EG, Lauber MA, Running WE, Reilly JP. In Vitro and In Vivo Chemical Labeling of Ribosomal Proteins: A Quantitative Comparison. Anal Chem 2012; 84:9355-61. [DOI: 10.1021/ac302115m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ethan G. Jaffee
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7000,
United States
| | - Matthew A. Lauber
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7000,
United States
| | - William E. Running
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7000,
United States
| | - James P. Reilly
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7000,
United States
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Zhou Y, Vachet RW. Diethylpyrocarbonate labeling for the structural analysis of proteins: label scrambling in solution and how to avoid it. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2012; 23:899-907. [PMID: 22351293 PMCID: PMC3324597 DOI: 10.1007/s13361-012-0349-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2011] [Revised: 01/20/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2012] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Covalent labeling along with mass spectrometry is a method that is increasingly used to study protein structure. Recently, it has been shown that diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) is a powerful labeling reagent because it can modify up to 30% of the residues in the average protein, including the N-terminus, His, Lys, Tyr, Ser, Thr, and Cys residues. We recently discovered, however, that Cys residues that form disulfide bonds appear to be modified by DEPC as well. In this work, we demonstrate that disulfide linked Cys residues are not actually reactive with DEPC but, instead, once reduced, free Cys residues can capture a carbethoxy group from other modified amino acids via a solution-phase reaction that can occur during the protein digestion step. This "scrambling" of carbethoxy groups decreases the amount of modification observed at other residues and can potentially provide incorrect protein structural information. Fortunately, label scrambling can be completely avoided by alkylating the free thiols after disulfide reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Corresponding Author, Department of Chemistry, LGRT 104, 710 N. Pleasant St., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003,
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Zhou Y, Vachet RW. Increased protein structural resolution from diethylpyrocarbonate-based covalent labeling and mass spectrometric detection. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2012; 23:708-17. [PMID: 22298289 PMCID: PMC3334416 DOI: 10.1007/s13361-011-0332-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2011] [Revised: 12/21/2011] [Accepted: 12/28/2011] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Covalent labeling and mass spectrometry are seeing increased use together as a way to obtain insight into the 3-dimensional structure of proteins and protein complexes. Several amino acid specific (e.g., diethylpyrocarbonate) and non-specific (e.g., hydroxyl radicals) labeling reagents are available for this purpose. Diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) is a promising labeling reagent because it can potentially probe up to 30% of the residues in the average protein and gives only one reaction product, thereby facilitating mass spectrometric analysis. It was recently reported, though, that DEPC modifications are labile for some amino acids. Here, we show that label loss is more significant and widespread than previously thought, especially for Ser, Thr, Tyr, and His residues, when relatively long protein digestion times are used. Such label loss ultimately decreases the amount of protein structural information that is obtainable with this reagent. We find, however, that the number of DEPC modified residues and, thus, protein structural information, can be significantly increased by decreasing the time between the covalent labeling reaction and the mass spectrometric analysis. This is most effectively accomplished using short (e.g., 2 h) proteolytic digestions with enzymes such as immobilized chymotrypsin or Glu-C rather than using methods (e.g., microwave or ultrasonic irradiation) that accelerate proteolysis in other ways. Using short digestion times, we show that the percentage of solvent accessible residues that can be modified by DEPC increases from 44% to 67% for cytochrome c, 35% to 81% for myoglobin, and 76% to 95% for β-2-microglobulin. In effect, these increased numbers of modified residues improve the protein structural resolution available from this covalent labeling method. Compared with typical overnight digestion conditions, the short digestion times decrease the average distance between modified residues from 11 to 7 Å for myoglobin, 13 to 10 Å for cytochrome c, and 9 to 8 Å for β-2-microglobulin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard W. Vachet
- Corresponding Author: Department of Chemistry, LGRT 104, 710 N. Pleasant St., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003,
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Abstract
Dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA) is a clinical syndrome of pain, loss of function and other symptoms due to the deposition of amyloid consisting of β(2)-microglobulin (β(2)m) in the musculoskeletal system. The condition is seen in patients who suffer from chronic kidney disease and are treated with hemodialysis for a long time. Even though β(2)m easily can be manipulated to form amyloid in laboratory experiments under non-physiological conditions the precise mechanisms involved in the formation of β(2)m-amyloid in patients with DRA have been difficult to unravel. The current knowledge which is reviewed here indicates that conformational fluctuations centered around the D-strand, the DE-loop, and around the cis-configured Pro32 peptide bond are involved in β(2)m amyloidosis. Also required are highly increased concentrations of circulating β(2)m and possibly various post-translational modifications mediated by the pro-inflammatory environment in uremic blood, together with the influence of divalent metal ions (specifically Cu(2 +)), uremic toxins, and dialysis-enhanced redox-processes. It seems plausible that domain-swapped β(2)m dimers act as building blocks of β-spine cross-β -sheet fibrils consisting of otherwise globular, roughly natively folded protein. An activated complement system and cellular activation perpetuate these reactions which due to the affinity of β(2)m-amyloid for the collagen of synovial surfaces result in the DRA syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorthe B Corlin
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Division of Microbiology and Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Bldg. 85/240, Artillerivej 5, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark,
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