Mutability of an HNH Nuclease Imidazole General Base and Exchange of a Deprotonation Mechanism

Observing one-divalent-metal-ion dependent and histidine-promoted His-Me family I-PpoI nuclease catalysis in crystallo

Metal-ion-dependent nucleases play crucial roles in cellular defense and biotechnological applications. Time-resolved crystallography has resolved catalytic details of metal-ion-dependent DNA hydrolysis and synthesis, uncovering the essential roles of multiple metal ions during catalysis. The histidine-metal (His-Me) superfamily nucleases are renowned for binding one divalent metal ion and requiring a conserved histidine to promote catalysis. Many His-Me family nucleases, including homing endonucleases and Cas9 nuclease, have been adapted for biotechnological and biomedical applications. However, it remains unclear how the single metal ion in His-Me nucleases, together with the histidine, promotes water deprotonation, nucleophilic attack, and phosphodiester bond breakage. By observing DNA hydrolysis in crystallo with His-Me I-PpoI nuclease as a model system, we proved that only one divalent metal ion is required during its catalysis. Moreover, we uncovered several possible deprotonation pathways for the nucleophilic water. Interestingly, binding of the single metal ion and water deprotonation are concerted during catalysis. Our results reveal catalytic details of His-Me nucleases, which is distinct from multi-metal-ion-dependent DNA polymerases and nucleases.

Elucidation of the catalytic mechanism of a single-metal dependent homing endonuclease using QM and QM/MM approaches: the case study of I-PpoI

Homing endonucleases (HEs) are highly specific DNA cleaving enzymes, with I-PpoI having been suggested to use a single metal to accelerate phosphodiester bond cleavage. Although an I-PpoI mechanism has been proposed based on experimental structural data, no consensus has been reached regarding the roles of the metal or key active site amino acids. This study uses QM cluster and QM/MM calculations to provide atomic-level details of the I-PpoI catalytic mechanism. Minimal QM cluster and large-scale QM/MM models demonstrate that the experimentally-proposed pathway involving direct Mg2+ coordination to the substrate coupled with leaving group protonation through a metal-activated water is not feasible due to an inconducive I-PpoI active site alignment. Despite QM cluster models of varying size uncovering a pathway involving leaving group protonation by a metal-activated water, indirect (water-mediated) metal coordination to the substrate is required to afford this pathway, which renders this mechanism energetically infeasible. Instead, QM cluster models reveal that the preferred pathway involves direct Mg2+-O3' coordination to stabilize the charged substrate and assist leaving group departure, while H98 activates the water nucleophile. These calculations also underscore that both catalytic residues that directly interact with the substrate and secondary amino acids that position or stabilize these residues are required for efficient catalysis. QM/MM calculations on the solvated enzyme-DNA complex verify the preferred mechanism, which is fully consistent with experimental kinetic, structural, and mutational data. The fundamental understanding of the I-PpoI mechanism of action, gained from the present work can be used to further explore potential uses of this enzyme in biotechnology and medicine, and direct future computational investigations of other members of the understudied HE family.

Hydrolytic Mechanism of a Metalloenzyme Is Modified by the Nature of the Coordinated Metal Ion

The nuclease domain of colicin E7 cleaves double-strand DNA non-specifically. Zn²⁺ ion was shown to be coordinated by the purified NColE7 as its native metal ion. Here, we study the structural and catalytic aspects of the interaction with Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺ non-endogenous metal ions and the consequences of their competition with Zn²⁺ ions, using circular dichroism spectroscopy and intact protein mass spectrometry. An R447G mutant exerting decreased activity allowed for the detection of nuclease action against pUC119 plasmid DNA via agarose gel electrophoresis in the presence of comparable metal ion concentrations. It was shown that all of the added metal ions could bind to the apoprotein, resulting in a minor secondary structure change, but drastically shifting the charge distribution of the protein. Zn²⁺ ions could not be replaced by Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺. The nuclease activity of the Ni²⁺-bound enzyme was extremely high in comparison with the other metal-bound forms, and could not be inhibited by the excess of Ni²⁺ ions. At the same time, this activity was significantly decreased in the presence of equivalent Zn²⁺, independent of the order of addition of each component of the mixture. We concluded that the Ni²⁺ ions promoted the DNA cleavage of the enzyme through a more efficient mechanism than the native Zn²⁺ ions, as they directly generate the nucleophilic OH^- ion.

Nicking mechanism underlying the DNA phosphorothioate-sensing antiphage defense by SspE

DNA phosphorothioate (PT) modification, with a nonbridging phosphate oxygen substituted by sulfur, represents a widespread epigenetic marker in prokaryotes and provides protection against genetic parasites. In the PT-based defense system Ssp, SspABCD confers a single-stranded PT modification of host DNA in the 5'-C_PSCA-3' motif and SspE impedes phage propagation. SspE relies on PT modification in host DNA to exert antiphage activity. Here, structural and biochemical analyses reveal that SspE is preferentially recruited to PT sites mediated by the joint action of its N-terminal domain (NTD) hydrophobic cavity and C-terminal domain (CTD) DNA binding region. PT recognition enlarges the GTP-binding pocket, thereby increasing GTP hydrolysis activity, which subsequently triggers a conformational switch of SspE from a closed to an open state. The closed-to-open transition promotes the dissociation of SspE from self PT-DNA and turns on the DNA nicking nuclease activity of CTD, enabling SspE to accomplish self-nonself discrimination and limit phage predation, even when only a small fraction of modifiable consensus sequences is PT-protected in a bacterial genome.

Identification of a conserved DNA sulfur recognition domain by characterizing the phosphorothioate-specific endonuclease SprMcrA from Streptomyces pristinaespiralis

Streptomyces species have been valuable models for understanding the phenomenon of DNA phosphorothioation in which sulfur replaces a non-bridging oxygen in the phosphate backbone of DNA. We previously reported that the restriction endonuclease ScoMcrA from Streptomyces coelicolor cleaves phosphorothioate DNA and Dcm-methylated DNA at sites 16-28 nucleotides away from the modification sites. However, cleavage of modified DNA by ScoMcrA is always incomplete and accompanied by severe promiscuous activity on unmodified DNA. These features complicate the studies of recognition and cleavage of phosphorothioate DNA. For these reasons, we here characterized SprMcrA from Streptomyces pristinaespiralis, a much smaller homolog of ScoMcrA with a rare HRH motif, a variant of the HNH motif that forms the catalytic center of these endonucleases. The sulfur-binding domain of SprMcrA and its phosphorothioation recognition site were determined. Compared to ScoMcrA, SprMcrA has higher specificity in discerning phosphorothioate DNA from unmodified DNA, and this enzyme generally cuts both strands at a distance of 11-14 nucleotides from the 5' side of the recognition site. The HRH/HNH motif has its own sequence specificity in DNA hydrolysis, leading to failure of cleavage at some phosphorothioated sites. An R248N mutation of the central residue in HRH resulted in 30-fold enhancement in cleavage activity of phosphorothioate DNA and altered the cleavage efficiency at some sites, whereas mutation of both His residues abolished restriction activity. This is the first report of a recognition domain for phosphorothioate DNA and phosphorothioate-dependent and sequence-specific restriction activity.

Role of AP-endonuclease (Ape1) active site residues in stabilization of the reactant enzyme-DNA complex

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (Ape1) is an important metal-dependent enzyme in the base excision repair mechanism, responsible for the backbone cleavage of abasic DNA through a phosphate hydrolysis reaction. Molecular dynamics simulations of Ape1 complexed to its substrate DNA performed for models containing 1 or 2 Mg²⁺ -ions as cofactor located at different positions show a complex with 1 metal ion bound on the leaving group site of the scissile phosphate to be the most likely reaction-competent conformation. Active-site residue His309 is found to be protonated based on pKa calculations and the higher conformational stability of the Ape1-DNA substrate complex compared to scenarios with neutral His309. Simulations of the D210N mutant further support the prevalence of protonated His309 and strongly suggest Asp210 as the general base for proton acceptance by a nucleophilic water molecule.

Crystal structure of NucB, a biofilm-degrading endonuclease

Bacterial biofilms are a complex architecture of cells that grow on moist interfaces, and are held together by a molecular glue of extracellular proteins, sugars and nucleic acids. Biofilms are particularly problematic in human healthcare as they can coat medical implants and are thus a potential source of disease. The enzymatic dispersal of biofilms is increasingly being developed as a new strategy to treat this problem. Here, we have characterized NucB, a biofilm-dispersing nuclease from a marine strain of Bacillus licheniformis, and present its crystal structure together with the biochemistry and a mutational analysis required to confirm its active site. Taken together, these data support the categorization of NucB into a unique subfamily of the ββα metal-dependent non-specific endonucleases. Understanding the structure and function of NucB will facilitate its future development into an anti-biofilm therapeutic agent.

Systematic classification of the His-Me finger superfamily

The His-Me finger endonucleases, also known as HNH or ββα-metal endonucleases, form a large and diverse protein superfamily. The His-Me finger domain can be found in proteins that play an essential role in cells, including genome maintenance, intron homing, host defense and target offense. Its overall structural compactness and non-specificity make it a perfectly-tailored pathogenic module that participates on both sides of inter- and intra-organismal competition. An extremely low sequence similarity across the superfamily makes it difficult to identify and classify new His-Me fingers. Using state-of-the-art distant homology detection methods, we provide an updated and systematic classification of His-Me finger proteins. In this work, we identified over 100 000 proteins and clustered them into 38 groups, of which three groups are new and cannot be found in any existing public domain database of protein families. Based on an analysis of sequences, structures, domain architectures, and genomic contexts, we provide a careful functional annotation of the poorly characterized members of this superfamily. Our results may inspire further experimental investigations that should address the predicted activity and clarify the potential substrates, to provide more detailed insights into the fundamental biological roles of these proteins.

Intrinsic protein disorder could be overlooked in cocrystallization conditions: An SRCD case study

X-ray diffractometry dominates protein studies, as it can provide 3D structures of these diverse macromolecules or their molecular complexes with interacting partners: substrates, inhibitors, and/or cofactors. Here, we show that under cocrystallization conditions the results could reflect induced protein folds instead of the (partially) disordered original structures. The analysis of synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectra revealed that the Im7 immunity protein stabilizes the native-like solution structure of unfolded NColE7 nuclease mutants via complex formation. This is consistent with the fact that among the several available crystal structures with its inhibitor or substrate, all NColE7 structures are virtually the same. Our results draw attention to the possible structural consequence of protein modifications, which is often hidden by compensational effects of intermolecular interactions. The growing evidence on the importance of protein intrinsic disorder thus, demands more extensive complementary experiments in solution phase with the unligated form of the protein of interest.

The first 2(IB),3(IA)-heterodifunctionalized β-cyclodextrin derivatives as artificial enzymes

Novel 2,3-heterodisubstituted β-cyclodextrin derivatives were designed as artificial enzymes to degrade chemical warfare agents. One of them reduced the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory potential by soman faster than its monosubstituted analog.

Type II restriction endonucleases--a historical perspective and more

This article continues the series of Surveys and Summaries on restriction endonucleases (REases) begun this year in Nucleic Acids Research. Here we discuss 'Type II' REases, the kind used for DNA analysis and cloning. We focus on their biochemistry: what they are, what they do, and how they do it. Type II REases are produced by prokaryotes to combat bacteriophages. With extreme accuracy, each recognizes a particular sequence in double-stranded DNA and cleaves at a fixed position within or nearby. The discoveries of these enzymes in the 1970s, and of the uses to which they could be put, have since impacted every corner of the life sciences. They became the enabling tools of molecular biology, genetics and biotechnology, and made analysis at the most fundamental levels routine. Hundreds of different REases have been discovered and are available commercially. Their genes have been cloned, sequenced and overexpressed. Most have been characterized to some extent, but few have been studied in depth. Here, we describe the original discoveries in this field, and the properties of the first Type II REases investigated. We discuss the mechanisms of sequence recognition and catalysis, and the varied oligomeric modes in which Type II REases act. We describe the surprising heterogeneity revealed by comparisons of their sequences and structures.

Design of a colicin E7 based chimeric zinc-finger nuclease

Colicin E7 is a natural bacterial toxin. Its nuclease domain (NColE7) enters the target cell and kills it by digesting the nucleic acids. The HNH-motif as the catalytic centre of NColE7 at the C-terminus requires the positively charged N-terminal loop for the nuclease activity—offering opportunities for allosteric control in a NColE7-based artificial nuclease. Accordingly, four novel zinc finger nucleases were designed by computational methods exploiting the special structural features of NColE7. The constructed models were subjected to MD simulations. The comparison of structural stability and functional aspects showed that these models may function as safely controlled artificial nucleases. This study was complemented by random mutagenesis experiments identifying potentially important residues for NColE7 function outside the catalytic region.

Resilience of biochemical activity in protein domains in the face of structural divergence

Recent studies point to the prevalence of the evolutionary phenomenon of drastic structural transformation of protein domains while continuing to preserve their basic biochemical function. These transformations span a wide spectrum, including simple domains incorporated into larger structural scaffolds, changes in the structural core, major active site shifts, topological rewiring and extensive structural transmogrifications. Proteins from biological conflict systems, such as toxin-antitoxin, restriction-modification, CRISPR/Cas, polymorphic toxin and secondary metabolism systems commonly display such transformations. These include endoDNases, metal-independent RNases, deaminases, ADP ribosyltransferases, immunity proteins, kinases and E1-like enzymes. In eukaryotes such transformations are seen in domains involved in chromatin-related peptide recognition and protein/DNA-modification. Intense selective pressures from 'arms-race'-like situations in conflict and macromolecular modification systems could favor drastic structural divergence while preserving function.

A synthetic sex ratio distortion system for the control of the human malaria mosquito

It has been theorized that inducing extreme reproductive sex ratios could be a method to suppress or eliminate pest populations. Limited knowledge about the genetic makeup and mode of action of naturally occurring sex distorters and the prevalence of co-evolving suppressors has hampered their use for control. Here we generate a synthetic sex distortion system by exploiting the specificity of the homing endonuclease I-PpoI, which is able to selectively cleave ribosomal gene sequences of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae that are located exclusively on the mosquito’s X chromosome. We combine structure-based protein engineering and molecular genetics to restrict the activity of the potentially toxic endonuclease to spermatogenesis. Shredding of the paternal X chromosome prevents it from being transmitted to the next generation, resulting in fully fertile mosquito strains that produce >95% male offspring. We demonstrate that distorter male mosquitoes can efficiently suppress caged wild-type mosquito populations, providing the foundation for a new class of genetic vector control strategies.

Extreme reproductive sex ratios could result in the suppression or elimination of pest populations. Here, the authors design a synthetic sex distortion system in Anopheles gambiae that gives rise to fertile mosquito strains that produce over 95% male offsprings and could therefore be used to suppress mosquito populations.

Fine tuning of the catalytic activity of colicin E7 nuclease domain by systematic N-terminal mutations

The nuclease domain of colicin E7 (NColE7) promotes the nonspecific cleavage of nucleic acids at its C-terminal HNH motif. Interestingly, the deletion of four N-terminal residues (446-449 NColE7 = KRNK) resulted in complete loss of the enzyme activity. R447A mutation was reported to decrease the nuclease activity, but a detailed analysis of the role of the highly positive and flexible N-terminus is still missing. Here, we present the study of four mutants, with a decreased activity in the following order: NColE7  >> KGNK > KGNG ∼ GGNK > GGNG. At the same time, the folding, the metal-ion, and the DNA-binding affinity were unaffected by the mutations as revealed by linear and circular dichroism spectroscopy, isothermal calorimetric titrations, and gel mobility shift experiments. Semiempirical quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that K446, K449, and/or the N-terminal amino group are able to approach the active centre in the absence of the other positively charged residues. The results suggested a complex role of the N-terminus in the catalytic process that could be exploited in the design of a controlled nuclease.

A new insight into the zinc-dependent DNA-cleavage by the colicin E7 nuclease: a crystallographic and computational study

The crystal structure of a colicin E7 metallonuclease mutant complemented by QM/MM calculations suggests an alternative catalytic mechanism of Zn²⁺-containing HNH nucleases.

DNA duplex-supported artificial esterase mimicking by cooperative grafting functional groups

The molecular structures of enzyme mimics may be modified to optimize their catalytic properties. In this study, to generate artificial enzyme mimics, Watson-Crick base paired DNA duplexes were designed as scaffolds which were assembled by nucleotides modified with specific functional groups. This process allowed various functional groups to be precisely assembled at different sites on the duplexes. By using this strategy, the 5-[2-(1H-imidazolyl-4)-(E)-ethylene]-2'-deoxythymidine (1) analog with the 5-substituted imidazolyl group was incorporated into single strands of DNA. Upon DNA duplex formation, several combinations of the imidazolyl group were formed. Using p-nitrophenyl acetate as the substrate of the catalytic reaction, we evaluated the hydrolysis capabilities of the imidazolyl assemblies. The catalytic ability was closely related to the distribution of imidazolyl groups in the DNA duplex. The most effective catalytic center was that of the duplex O5-O6 construct with three imidazolyl groups. This construct displayed bell-shaped pH-dependent and Mg(2+)-independent kinetic curves, which are typical characteristics of imidazolyl-mediated catalytic reactions.

Bacillus subtilis hlpB encodes a conserved stand-alone HNH nuclease-like protein that is essential for viability unless the hlpB deletion is accompanied by the deletion of genes encoding the AddAB DNA repair complex

The HNH domain is found in many different proteins in all phylogenetic kingdoms and in many cases confers nuclease activity. We have found that the Bacillus subtilis hlpB (yisB) gene encodes a stand-alone HNH domain, homologs of which are present in several bacterial genomes. We show that the protein we term HlpB is essential for viability. The depletion of HlpB leads to growth arrest and to the generation of cells containing a single, decondensed nucleoid. This apparent condensation-segregation defect was cured by additional hlpB copies in trans. Purified HlpB showed cooperative binding to a variety of double-stranded and single-stranded DNA sequences, depending on the presence of zinc, nickel, or cobalt ions. Binding of HlpB was also influenced by pH and different metals, reminiscent of HNH domains. Lethality of the hlpB deletion was relieved in the absence of addA and of addAB, two genes encoding proteins forming a RecBCD-like end resection complex, but not of recJ, which is responsible for a second end-resectioning avenue. Like AddA-green fluorescent protein (AddA-GFP), functional HlpB-YFP or HlpB-FlAsH fusions were present throughout the cytosol in growing B. subtilis cells. Upon induction of DNA damage, HlpB-FlAsH formed a single focus on the nucleoid in a subset of cells, many of which colocalized with the replication machinery. Our data suggest that HlpB plays a role in DNA repair by rescuing AddAB-mediated recombination intermediates in B. subtilis and possibly also in many other bacteria.

Towards artificial metallonucleases for gene therapy: recent advances and new perspectives

The process of DNA targeting or repair of mutated genes within the cell, induced by specifically positioned double-strand cleavage of DNA near the mutated sequence, can be applied for gene therapy of monogenic diseases. For this purpose, highly specific artificial metallonucleases are developed. They are expected to be important future tools of modern genetics. The present state of art and strategies of research are summarized, including protein engineering and artificial ‘chemical’ nucleases. From the results, we learn about the basic role of the metal ions and the various ligands, and about the DNA binding and cleavage mechanism. The results collected provide useful guidance for engineering highly controlled enzymes for use in gene therapy.

Unusual target site disruption by the rare-cutting HNH restriction endonuclease PacI

The crystal structure of the rare-cutting HNH restriction endonuclease PacI in complex with its eight-base-pair target recognition sequence 5'-TTAATTAA-3' has been determined to 1.9 A resolution. The enzyme forms an extended homodimer, with each subunit containing two zinc-bound motifs surrounding a betabetaalpha-metal catalytic site. The latter is unusual in that a tyrosine residue likely initiates strand cleavage. PacI dramatically distorts its target sequence from Watson-Crick duplex DNA base pairing, with every base separated from its original partner. Two bases on each strand are unpaired, four are engaged in noncanonical A:A and T:T base pairs, and the remaining two bases are matched with new Watson-Crick partners. This represents a highly unusual DNA binding mechanism for a restriction endonuclease, and implies that initial recognition of the target site might involve significantly different contacts from those visualized in the DNA-bound cocrystal structures.

Mutational and biochemical analysis of the DNA-entry nuclease EndA from Streptococcus pneumoniae

EndA is a membrane-attached surface-exposed DNA-entry nuclease previously known to be required for genetic transformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae. More recent studies have shown that the enzyme also plays an important role during the establishment of invasive infections by degrading extracellular chromatin in the form of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), enabling streptococci to overcome the innate immune system in mammals. As a virulence factor, EndA has become an interesting target for future drug design. Here we present the first mutational and biochemical analysis of recombinant forms of EndA produced either in a cell-free expression system or in Escherichia coli. We identify His160 and Asn191 to be essential for catalysis and Asn182 to be required for stability of EndA. The role of His160 as the putative general base in the catalytic mechanism is supported by chemical rescue of the H160A variant of EndA with imidazole added in excess. Our study paves the way for the identification and development of protein or low-molecular-weight inhibitors for EndA in future high-throughput screening assays.

Folding, DNA recognition, and function of GIY-YIG endonucleases: crystal structures of R.Eco29kI

The GIY-YIG endonuclease family comprises hundreds of diverse proteins and a multitude of functions; none have been visualized bound to DNA. The structure of the GIY-YIG restriction endonuclease R.Eco29kI has been solved both alone and bound to its target site. The protein displays a domain-swapped homodimeric structure with several extended surface loops encircling the DNA. Only three side chains from each protein subunit contact DNA bases, two directly and one via a bridging solvent molecule. Both tyrosine residues within the GIY-YIG motif are positioned in the catalytic center near a putative nucleophilic water; the remainder of the active site resembles the HNH endonuclease family. The structure illustrates how the GIY-YIG scaffold has been adapted for the highly specific recognition of a DNA restriction site, in contrast to nonspecific DNA cleavage by GIY-YIG domains in homing endonucleases or structure-specific cleavage by DNA repair enzymes such as UvrC.

Insight into the structure of the pUL89 C-terminal domain of the human cytomegalovirus terminase complex

In a previous study, we identified 12 conserved domains within pUL89, the small terminase subunit of the human cytomegalovirus. A latter study showed that the fragment pUL89(580-600) plays an important role in the formation of the terminase complex by interacting with the large terminase subunit pUL56. In this study, analysis was performed to solve the structure of pUL89(568-635) in 50% H2O/50% acetonitrile (v/v). We showed that pUL89(568-635) consists of four alpha helices, but we did not identify any tertiary structure. The fragment 580-600 formed an amphipathic alpha helix, which had a hydrophobic side highly conserved among herpesviral homologs of pUL89; this was not observed for its hydrophilic side. The modeling of pUL89(457-612) using the recognition fold method allowed us to position pUL89(580-600) within this domain. The theoretical structure highlighted three important features. First, we identified a metal-binding pocket containing residues Asp(463), Glu(534), and Glu(588), which are highly conserved among pUL89 homologs. Second, the model predicted a positively charged surface able to interact with the DNA duplex during the nicking event. Third, a hydrophobic patch on the top of the catalytic site suggested that this may constitute part of the pUL89 site recognized by pUL56 potentially involved in DNA binding.

Homing endonucleases: from basics to therapeutic applications

Homing endonucleases (HE) are double-stranded DNAses that target large recognition sites (12-40 bp). HE-encoding sequences are usually embedded in either introns or inteins. Their recognition sites are extremely rare, with none or only a few of these sites present in a mammalian-sized genome. However, these enzymes, unlike standard restriction endonucleases, tolerate some sequence degeneracy within their recognition sequence. Several members of this enzyme family have been used as templates to engineer tools to cleave DNA sequences that differ from their original wild-type targets. These custom HEs can be used to stimulate double-strand break homologous recombination in cells, to induce the repair of defective genes with very low toxicity levels. The use of tailored HEs opens up new possibilities for gene therapy in patients with monogenic diseases that can be treated ex vivo. This review provides an overview of recent advances in this field.