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Purushothaman K, Sivasankar E, Krishnamoorthy M, Karunakaran K, Muniyan R. Computational identification of potential tau tubulin kinase 1 (TTBK1) inhibitors: a structural analog approach. In Silico Pharmacol 2024; 12:66. [PMID: 39050776 PMCID: PMC11264489 DOI: 10.1007/s40203-024-00242-z] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal deposition or aggregation of protein alpha-synuclein and tau in the brain leads to neurodegenerative disorders. Excessive hyperphosphorylation of tau protein and aggregations destroys the microtubule structure resulting in neurofibrillary tangles in neurons and affecting cytoskeleton structure, mitochondrial axonal transport, and loss of synapses in neuronal cells. Tau tubulin kinase 1 (TTBK1), a specific neuronal kinase is a potential therapeutic target for neurodegenerative disorders as it is involved in hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau protein. TTBK inhibitors are now the subject of intense study, but limited numbers are found. Hence, this study involves structure-based virtual screening of TTBK1 inhibitor analogs to obtain efficient compounds targeting the TTBK1 using docking, molecular dynamics simulation and protein-ligand interaction profile. The initial analogs set containing 3884 compounds was subjected to Lipinski rule and the non-violated compounds were selected. Docking analysis was done on 2772 compounds through Autodock vina and Autodock 4.2. Data Warrior and SwissADME was utilized to filter the toxic compounds. The stability and protein-ligand interaction of the docked complex was analyzed through Gromacs and VMD. Molecular simulation results such as RMSD, Rg, and hydrogen bond interaction along with pharmacokinetic properties showed CID70794974 as the potential hit targeting TTBKl prompting the need for further experimental investigation to evaluate their potential therapeutic efficacy in Alzheimer's disease. Graphical Abstract Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-024-00242-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaathambari Purushothaman
- School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
| | - Esaimozhi Sivasankar
- School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
| | - Monika Krishnamoorthy
- School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
| | - Keerthana Karunakaran
- School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
| | - Rajiniraja Muniyan
- School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
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2
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Ding X. Optimizing Force Fields with Experimental Data Using Ensemble Reweighting and Potential Contrasting. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:6760-6769. [PMID: 38967278 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Despite force field improvements over the past decades, we still encounter situations where simulation results disagree with experiments due to force field inaccuracies. Such situations provide opportunities to improve force fields. In this study, we introduce a novel framework for optimizing force fields using experimental data. The unique feature of this framework is that it aims to optimize force fields to match experiments while minimizing the perturbation made to the original force field. To achieve this, we combine ensemble reweighting techniques with the potential contrasting method. Ensemble reweighting is used to reweight an ensemble of conformations generated using an existing force field to match experimental data while minimizing the perturbation to the original ensemble. Potential contrasting is then utilized to optimize force field parameters to reproduce the reweighted ensemble. We demonstrate the framework's effectiveness by optimizing a coarse-grained force field for intrinsically disordered proteins using experimental radius of gyration data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinqiang Ding
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, 62 Talbot Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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3
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Nagy G, Hoffmann SV, Jones NC, Grubmüller H. Reference Data Set for Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy Comprised of Validated Intrinsically Disordered Protein Models. APPLIED SPECTROSCOPY 2024:37028241239977. [PMID: 38646777 DOI: 10.1177/00037028241239977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy is an analytical technique that measures the wavelength-dependent differential absorbance of circularly polarized light and is applicable to most biologically important macromolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. It serves to characterize the secondary structure composition of proteins, including intrinsically disordered proteins, by analyzing their recorded spectra. Several computational tools have been developed to interpret protein CD spectra. These methods have been calibrated and tested mostly on globular proteins with well-defined structures, mainly due to the lack of reliable reference structures for disordered proteins. It is therefore still largely unclear how accurately these computational methods can determine the secondary structure composition of disordered proteins. Here, we provide such a required reference data set consisting of model structural ensembles and matching CD spectra for eight intrinsically disordered proteins. Using this set of data, we have assessed the accuracy of several published CD prediction and secondary structure estimation tools, including our own CD analysis package, SESCA. Our results show that for most of the tested methods, their accuracy for disordered proteins is generally lower than for globular proteins. In contrast, SESCA, which was developed using globular reference proteins, but was designed to be applicable to disordered proteins as well, performs similarly well for both classes of proteins. The new reference data set for disordered proteins should allow for further improvement of all published methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor Nagy
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Nykola C Jones
- ISA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Helmut Grubmüller
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
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4
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Yuan Y, Mao X, Pan X, Zhang R, Su W. Kinetic Ensemble of Tau Protein through the Markov State Model and Deep Learning Analysis. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:2947-2958. [PMID: 38501645 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c01211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
The ordered assembly of Tau protein into filaments characterizes Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, and thus, stabilization of Tau protein is a promising avenue for tauopathies therapy. To dissect the underlying aggregation mechanisms on Tau, we employ a set of molecular simulations and the Markov state model to determine the kinetics of ensemble of K18. K18 is the microtubule-binding domain of Tau protein and plays a vital role in the microtubule assembly, recycling processes, and amyloid fibril formation. Here, we efficiently explore the conformation of K18 with about 150 μs lifetimes in silico. Our results observe that all four repeat regions (R1-R4) are very dynamic, featuring frequent conformational conversion and lacking stable conformations, and the R2 region is more flexible than the R1, R3, and R4 regions. Additionally, it is worth noting that residues 300-310 in R2-R3 and residues 319-336 in R3 tend to form sheet structures, indicating that K18 has a broader functional role than individual repeat monomers. Finally, the simulations combined with Markov state models and deep learning reveal 5 key conformational states along the transition pathway and provide the information on the microsecond time scale interstate transition rates. Overall, this study offers significant insights into the molecular mechanism of Tau pathological aggregation and develops novel strategies for both securing tauopathies and advancing drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongna Yuan
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Xuqi Mao
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Xiaohang Pan
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Ruisheng Zhang
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Wei Su
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
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5
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Kohl PA, Song C, Fletcher BJ, Best RL, Tchounwou C, Garcia Arceo X, Chung PJ, Miller HP, Wilson L, Choi MC, Li Y, Feinstein SC, Safinya CR. Complexes of tubulin oligomers and tau form a viscoelastic intervening network cross-bridging microtubules into bundles. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2362. [PMID: 38491006 PMCID: PMC10943092 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46438-x] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The axon-initial-segment (AIS) of mature neurons contains microtubule (MT) fascicles (linear bundles) implicated as retrograde diffusion barriers in the retention of MT-associated protein (MAP) tau inside axons. Tau dysfunction and leakage outside of the axon is associated with neurodegeneration. We report on the structure of steady-state MT bundles in varying concentrations of Mg2+ or Ca2+ divalent cations in mixtures containing αβ-tubulin, full-length tau, and GTP at 37 °C in a physiological buffer. A concentration-time kinetic phase diagram generated by synchrotron SAXS reveals a wide-spacing MT bundle phase (Bws), a transient intermediate MT bundle phase (Bint), and a tubulin ring phase. SAXS with TEM of plastic-embedded samples provides evidence of a viscoelastic intervening network (IN) of complexes of tubulin oligomers and tau stabilizing MT bundles. In this model, αβ-tubulin oligomers in the IN are crosslinked by tau's MT binding repeats, which also link αβ-tubulin oligomers to αβ-tubulin within the MT lattice. The model challenges whether the cross-bridging of MTs is attributed entirely to MAPs. Tubulin-tau complexes in the IN or bound to isolated MTs are potential sites for enzymatic modification of tau, promoting nucleation and growth of tau fibrils in tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A Kohl
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Chaeyeon Song
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Amorepacific R&I Center, Yongin, 17074, Republic of Korea
| | - Bretton J Fletcher
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Rebecca L Best
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Serimmune Inc., 150 Castilian Dr., Goleta, CA, 93117, USA
| | - Christine Tchounwou
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Ximena Garcia Arceo
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Peter J Chung
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Herbert P Miller
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Leslie Wilson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Myung Chul Choi
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Youli Li
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - Stuart C Feinstein
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Cyrus R Safinya
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
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6
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Rasmussen HØ, Nielsen J, de Poli A, Otzen DE, Pedersen JS. Tau Fibrillation Induced by Heparin or a Lysophospholipid Show Different Initial Oligomer Formation. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168194. [PMID: 37437877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168194] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The protein tau is involved in several neurogenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, where tau content and fibrillation have been linked to disease progression. Tau colocalizes with phospholipids and glycosaminoglycans in vivo. We investigated if and how tau fibrillation can be induced by two lysophospholipids, namely the zwitterionic 1-myristoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (LPC) and the anionic 1-myristoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (LPG) as well as the glycosaminoglycan heparin. We used a range of biophysical techniques including small-angle X-ray scattering, Thioflavin T fluorescence, and SDS-PAGE, collecting data at various time points to obtain structural information on each phase of the fibrillation. We find that LPC does not induce fibrillation or interact with tau. Low concentrations of LPG induce fibrillation by formation of small hydrophobic clusters with monomeric tau. At higher LPG concentrations, a core-shell complex is formed where tau wraps around LPG micelles with regions extending away from the micelles. For heparin, loosely associated oligomers are formed rapidly with around ten tau molecules. Fibrils formed with either LPG or heparin show similar final cross-section dimensions. Furthermore, SDS-resistant oligomers are observed for both LPG and heparin. Our study demonstrates that tau fibrillation can be induced by two different biologically relevant cofactors leading to structurally different initial states but similar cross-sectional dimensions for the fibrils. Structural information about initial states prior to fibril formation is important both to gain a better understanding of the onset of fibrillation in vivo, and for the development of targeted drugs that can reduce or abolish tau fibrillation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Østergaard Rasmussen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Janni Nielsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Angela de Poli
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Daniel E Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Jan Skov Pedersen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
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7
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Cho H, Lee J, Nho H, Lee K, Gim B, Lee J, Lee J, Ewert KK, Li Y, Feinstein SC, Safinya CR, Jin KS, Choi MC. Synchrotron X-ray study of intrinsically disordered and polyampholytic Tau 4RS and 4RL under controlled ionic strength. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2023; 46:73. [PMID: 37653246 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-023-00328-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Aggregated and hyperphosphorylated Tau is one of the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Tau is a polyampholytic and intrinsically disordered protein (IDP). In this paper, we present for the first time experimental results on the ionic strength dependence of the radius of gyration (Rg) of human Tau 4RS and 4RL isoforms. Synchrotron X-ray scattering revealed that 4RS Rg is regulated from 65.4 to 58.5 Å and 4RL Rg is regulated from 70.9 to 57.9 Å by varying ionic strength from 0.01 to 0.592 M. The Rg of 4RL Tau is larger than 4RS at lower ionic strength. This result provides an insight into the ion-responsive nature of intrinsically disordered and polyampholytic Tau, and can be implicated to the further study of Tau-Tau and Tau-tubulin intermolecular structure in ionic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasaeam Cho
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea
| | - Jimin Lee
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea
| | - Hanjoon Nho
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea
| | - Keunmin Lee
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea
| | - Bopil Gim
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea
| | - Juncheol Lee
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea
| | - Jaehee Lee
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea
| | - Kai K Ewert
- Materials Department, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, Physics Department, and Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Youli Li
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Stuart C Feinstein
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, College of Creative Studies Biology, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Cyrus R Safinya
- Materials Department, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, Physics Department, and Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Kyeong Sik Jin
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, POSTECH, Pohang, 37673, Korea
- Division of Advanced Nuclear Engineering, POSTECH, Pohang, 37673, Korea
| | - Myung Chul Choi
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 305-701, Korea.
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8
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Zhu R, Makwana KM, Zhang Y, Rajewski BH, Del Valle JR, Wang Y. Blocking tau transmission by biomimetic graphene nanoparticles. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:7378-7388. [PMID: 37431684 PMCID: PMC10528742 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb00850a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a class of neurodegenerative diseases resulting in cognitive dysfunction, executive dysfunction, and motor disturbance. The primary pathological feature of tauopathies is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain composed of tau protein aggregates. Moreover, tau aggregates can spread from neuron to neuron and lead to the propagation of tau pathology. Although numerous small molecules are known to inhibit tau aggregation and block tau cell-to-cell transmission, it is still challenging to use them for therapeutic applications due to poor specificity and low blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Graphene nanoparticles were previously demonstrated to penetrate the BBB and are amenable to functionalization for targeted delivery. Moreover, these nanoscale biomimetic particles can self-assemble or assemble with various biomolecules including proteins. In this paper, we show that graphene quantum dots (GQDs), as graphene nanoparticles, block the seeding activity of tau fibrils by inhibiting the fibrillization of monomeric tau and triggering the disaggregation of tau filaments. This behavior is attributed to electrostatic and π-π stacking interactions of GQDs with tau. Overall, our studies indicate that GQDs with biomimetic properties can efficiently inhibit and disassemble pathological tau aggregates, and thus block tau transmission, which supports their future developments as a potential treatment for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runyao Zhu
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
| | - Kamlesh M Makwana
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Youwen Zhang
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
| | - Benjamin H Rajewski
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Juan R Del Valle
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Yichun Wang
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
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9
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Pan Z, Mu J, Chen HF. Balanced Three-Point Water Model OPC3-B for Intrinsically Disordered and Ordered Proteins. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:4837-4850. [PMID: 37452752 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) play a critical role in many biological processes. Due to the inherent structural flexibility of IDPs, experimental methods present significant challenges for sampling their conformational information at the atomic level. Therefore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have emerged as the primary tools for modeling IDPs whose accuracy depend on force field and water model. To enhance the accuracy of physical modeling of IDPs, several force fields have been developed. However, current water models lack precision and underestimate the interaction between water molecules and proteins. Here, we used Monte-Carlo re-weighting method to re-parameterize a three-point water model based on OPC3 for IDPs (named OPC3-B). We benchmarked the performance of OPC3-B compared with nine different water models for 10 IDPs and three ordered proteins. The results indicate that the performance of OPC3-B is better than other water models for both IDPs and ordered proteins. At the same time, OPC3-B possess the power of transferability with other force field to simulate IDPs. This newly developed water model can be used to insight into the research of sequence-disordered-function paradigm for IDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengsong Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, National Experimental Teaching Center for Life Sciences and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- 4+4 Medical Doctor Program, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Junxi Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, National Experimental Teaching Center for Life Sciences and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hai-Feng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, National Experimental Teaching Center for Life Sciences and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai 200235, China
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10
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Arar S, Haque MA, Kayed R. Protein aggregation and neurodegenerative disease: Structural outlook for the novel therapeutics. Proteins 2023:10.1002/prot.26561. [PMID: 37530227 PMCID: PMC10834863 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Before the controversial approval of humanized monoclonal antibody lecanemab, which binds to the soluble amyloid-β protofibrils, all the treatments available earlier, for Alzheimer's disease (AD) were symptomatic. The researchers are still struggling to find a breakthrough in AD therapeutic medicine, which is partially attributable to lack in understanding of the structural information associated with the intrinsically disordered proteins and amyloids. One of the major challenges in this area of research is to understand the structural diversity of intrinsically disordered proteins under in vitro conditions. Therefore, in this review, we have summarized the in vitro applications of biophysical methods, which are aimed to shed some light on the heterogeneity, pathogenicity, structures and mechanisms of the intrinsically disordered protein aggregates associated with proteinopathies including AD. This review will also rationalize some of the strategies in modulating disease-relevant pathogenic protein entities by small molecules using structural biology approaches and biophysical characterization. We have also highlighted tools and techniques to simulate the in vivo conditions for native and cytotoxic tau/amyloids assemblies, urge new chemical approaches to replicate tau/amyloids assemblies similar to those in vivo conditions, in addition to designing novel potential drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharif Arar
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Md Anzarul Haque
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
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11
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Oliyantakath Hassan MS, Abdul Vahid A, Sahayaraj AE, Viswanathan R, Vijayan V. NMR Relaxation Experiments Probe Monomer-Fibril Interaction and Identify Critical Interacting Residues Responsible for Distinct Tau Fibril Morphologies. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:6583-6591. [PMID: 37458827 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Tau aggregation is governed by secondary processes, a major pathological pathway for tau protein fibril propagation, yet its molecular mechanism remains unknown. This work uses saturation transfer and lifetime line-broadening experiments to identify the critical residues involved in these secondary processes. Distinct residue-specific NMR relaxation parameters were obtained for the truncated three repeat tau construct (K19) in equilibrium with structurally different, self-aggregated (saK19) or heparin-induced (hK19) fibrils. The interacting residues are restricted to R3 repeat for hK19 and to R3, R4, and R' repeats for saK19 fibrils. Furthermore, the relaxation profiles of tau monomers in equilibrium with the structurally comparable, in vitro pathological fibrils (tauAD and tauCTE) were similar but distinct from hK19 or saK19 fibrils. Thus, residue-specific relaxation identifies the important residues involved in the binding of monomers to the fibrils. The relaxation profile of the monomers in equilibrium with the NMR invisible fibril seeds potentially distinguishes the distinct structures of tau fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arshad Abdul Vahid
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Allwin Ebenezer Sahayaraj
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Renjith Viswanathan
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Vinesh Vijayan
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
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12
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Zhao J, Jiang L, Matlock A, Xu Y, Zhu J, Zhu H, Tian L, Wolozin B, Cheng JX. Mid-infrared chemical imaging of intracellular tau fibrils using fluorescence-guided computational photothermal microscopy. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2023; 12:147. [PMID: 37322011 PMCID: PMC10272128 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-023-01191-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid proteins are associated with a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases. However, it remains a grand challenge to extract molecular structure information from intracellular amyloid proteins in their native cellular environment. To address this challenge, we developed a computational chemical microscope integrating 3D mid-infrared photothermal imaging with fluorescence imaging, termed Fluorescence-guided Bond-Selective Intensity Diffraction Tomography (FBS-IDT). Based on a low-cost and simple optical design, FBS-IDT enables chemical-specific volumetric imaging and 3D site-specific mid-IR fingerprint spectroscopic analysis of tau fibrils, an important type of amyloid protein aggregates, in their intracellular environment. Label-free volumetric chemical imaging of human cells with/without seeded tau fibrils is demonstrated to show the potential correlation between lipid accumulation and tau aggregate formation. Depth-resolved mid-infrared fingerprint spectroscopy is performed to reveal the protein secondary structure of the intracellular tau fibrils. 3D visualization of the β-sheet for tau fibril structure is achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
| | - Lulu Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Alex Matlock
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Yihong Xu
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jiabei Zhu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Hongbo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130033, Changchun, China
| | - Lei Tian
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Benjamin Wolozin
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Ji-Xin Cheng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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13
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Chen D, Bali S, Singh R, Wosztyl A, Mullapudi V, Vaquer-Alicea J, Jayan P, Melhem S, Seelaar H, van Swieten JC, Diamond MI, Joachimiak LA. FTD-tau S320F mutation stabilizes local structure and allosterically promotes amyloid motif-dependent aggregation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1625. [PMID: 36959205 PMCID: PMC10036635 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37274-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid deposition of the microtubule-associated protein tau is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. In frontotemporal dementia with abnormal tau (FTD-tau), missense mutations in tau enhance its aggregation propensity. Here we describe the structural mechanism for how an FTD-tau S320F mutation drives spontaneous aggregation, integrating data from in vitro, in silico and cellular experiments. We find that S320F stabilizes a local hydrophobic cluster which allosterically exposes the 306VQIVYK311 amyloid motif; identify a suppressor mutation that destabilizes S320F-based hydrophobic clustering reversing the phenotype in vitro and in cells; and computationally engineer spontaneously aggregating tau sequences through optimizing nonpolar clusters surrounding the S320 position. We uncover a mechanism for regulating tau aggregation which balances local nonpolar contacts with long-range interactions that sequester amyloid motifs. Understanding this process may permit control of tau aggregation into structural polymorphs to aid the design of reagents targeting disease-specific tau conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dailu Chen
- Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, 75390, USA
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Sofia Bali
- Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, 75390, USA
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Ruhar Singh
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Aleksandra Wosztyl
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Vishruth Mullapudi
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jaime Vaquer-Alicea
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Parvathy Jayan
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Shamiram Melhem
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Harro Seelaar
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - John C van Swieten
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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14
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Initiation and modulation of Tau protein phase separation by the drug suramin. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3963. [PMID: 36894559 PMCID: PMC9997437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29846-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau is an intrinsically disordered neuronal protein in the central nervous system. Aggregated Tau is the main component of neurofibrillary tangles observed in Alzheimer's disease. In vitro, Tau aggregation can be triggered by polyanionic co-factors, like RNA or heparin. At different concentration ratios, the same polyanions can induce Tau condensates via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), which over time develop pathological aggregation seeding potential. Data obtained by time resolved Dynamic Light Scattering experiments (trDLS), light and electron microscopy show that intermolecular electrostatic interactions between Tau and the negatively charged drug suramin induce Tau condensation and compete with the interactions driving and stabilizing the formation of Tau:heparin and Tau:RNA coacervates, thus, reducing their potential to induce cellular Tau aggregation. Tau:suramin condensates do not seed Tau aggregation in a HEK cell model for Tau aggregation, even after extended incubation. These observations indicate that electrostatically driven Tau condensation can occur without pathological aggregation when initiated by small anionic molecules. Our results provide a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention of aberrant Tau phase separation, utilizing small anionic compounds.
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15
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He X, Man VH, Gao J, Wang J. Investigation of the Structure of Full-Length Tau Proteins with Coarse-Grained and All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:209-217. [PMID: 36563129 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau proteins not only have many important biological functions but also are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is still a challenge to identify the atomic structure of full-length tau proteins due to their lengthy and disordered characteristics and the factor that there are no crystal structures of full-length tau proteins available. We performed multi- and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of the full-length tau monomer (the 2N4R isoform and 441 residues) in aqueous solution under biological conditions with coarse-grained and all-atom force fields. The obtained atomic structures produced radii of gyration and chemical shifts that are in excellent agreement with those of experiment. The generated monomer structure ensemble would be very useful for further studying the oligomerization mechanism and discovering tau oligomerization inhibitors, which are important events in AD drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xibing He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Viet Hoang Man
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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16
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Tesei G, Lindorff-Larsen K. Improved predictions of phase behaviour of intrinsically disordered proteins by tuning the interaction range. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2023; 2:94. [PMID: 37645312 PMCID: PMC10450847 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.14967.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The formation and viscoelastic properties of condensates of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is dictated by amino acid sequence and solution conditions. Because of the involvement of biomolecular condensates in cell physiology and disease, advancing our understanding of the relationship between protein sequence and phase separation (PS) may have important implications in the formulation of new therapeutic hypotheses. Here, we present CALVADOS 2, a coarse-grained model of IDPs that accurately predicts conformational properties and propensities to undergo PS for diverse sequences and solution conditions. In particular, we systematically study the effect of varying the range of the nonionic interactions and use our findings to improve the temperature scale of the model. We further optimize the residue-specific model parameters against experimental data on the conformational properties of 55 proteins, while also leveraging 70 hydrophobicity scales from the literature to avoid overfitting the training data. Extensive testing shows that the model accurately predicts chain compaction and PS propensity for sequences of diverse length and charge patterning, as well as at different temperatures and salt concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Tesei
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory & the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory & the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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17
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Pesce F, Newcombe EA, Seiffert P, Tranchant EE, Olsen JG, Grace CR, Kragelund BB, Lindorff-Larsen K. Assessment of models for calculating the hydrodynamic radius of intrinsically disordered proteins. Biophys J 2023; 122:310-321. [PMID: 36518077 PMCID: PMC9892621 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion measurements by pulsed-field gradient NMR and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy can be used to probe the hydrodynamic radius of proteins, which contains information about the overall dimension of a protein in solution. The comparison of this value with structural models of intrinsically disordered proteins is nonetheless impaired by the uncertainty of the accuracy of the methods for computing the hydrodynamic radius from atomic coordinates. To tackle this issue, we here build conformational ensembles of 11 intrinsically disordered proteins that we ensure are in agreement with measurements of compaction by small-angle x-ray scattering. We then use these ensembles to identify the forward model that more closely fits the radii derived from pulsed-field gradient NMR diffusion experiments. Of the models we examined, we find that the Kirkwood-Riseman equation provides the best description of the hydrodynamic radius probed by pulsed-field gradient NMR experiments. While some minor discrepancies remain, our results enable better use of measurements of the hydrodynamic radius in integrative modeling and for force field benchmarking and parameterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Pesce
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Estella A Newcombe
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pernille Seiffert
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emil E Tranchant
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Johan G Olsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christy R Grace
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Birthe B Kragelund
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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18
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Tesei G, Lindorff-Larsen K. Improved predictions of phase behaviour of intrinsically disordered proteins by tuning the interaction range. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2023; 2:94. [PMID: 37645312 PMCID: PMC10450847 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.14967.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
The formation and viscoelastic properties of condensates of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is dictated by amino acid sequence and solution conditions. Because of the involvement of biomolecular condensates in cell physiology and disease, advancing our understanding of the relationship between protein sequence and phase separation (PS) may have important implications in the formulation of new therapeutic hypotheses. Here, we present CALVADOS 2, a coarse-grained model of IDPs that accurately predicts conformational properties and propensities to undergo PS for diverse sequences and solution conditions. In particular, we systematically study the effect of varying the range of the nonionic interactions and use our findings to improve the temperature scale of the model. We further optimize the residue-specific model parameters against experimental data on the conformational properties of 55 proteins, while also leveraging 70 hydrophobicity scales from the literature to avoid overfitting the training data. Extensive testing shows that the model accurately predicts chain compaction and PS propensity for sequences of diverse length and charge patterning, as well as at different temperatures and salt concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Tesei
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory & the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory & the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Ando T. Functional Implications of Dynamic Structures of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Revealed by High-Speed AFM Imaging. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121876. [PMID: 36551304 PMCID: PMC9776203 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique functions of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) depend on their dynamic protean structure that often eludes analysis. High-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) can conduct this difficult analysis by directly visualizing individual IDP molecules in dynamic motion at sub-molecular resolution. After brief descriptions of the microscopy technique, this review first shows that the intermittent tip-sample contact does not alter the dynamic structure of IDPs and then describes how the number of amino acids contained in a fully disordered region can be estimated from its HS-AFM images. Next, the functional relevance of a dumbbell-like structure that has often been observed on IDPs is discussed. Finally, the dynamic structural information of two measles virus IDPs acquired from their HS-AFM and NMR analyses is described together with its functional implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshio Ando
- Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
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20
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Dey S, MacAinsh M, Zhou HX. Sequence-Dependent Backbone Dynamics of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. J Chem Theory Comput 2022; 18:6310-6323. [PMID: 36084347 PMCID: PMC9561007 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c00328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
For intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), a pressing question is how sequence codes for function. Dynamics serves as a crucial link, reminiscent of the role of structure in sequence-function relations of structured proteins. To define general rules governing sequence-dependent backbone dynamics, we carried out long molecular dynamics simulations of eight IDPs. Blocks of residues exhibiting large amplitudes in slow dynamics are rigidified by local inter-residue interactions or secondary structures. A long region or an entire IDP can be slowed down by long-range contacts or secondary-structure packing. On the other hand, glycines promote fast dynamics and either demarcate rigid blocks or facilitate multiple modes of local and long-range inter-residue interactions. The sequence-dependent backbone dynamics endows IDPs with versatile response to binding partners, with some blocks recalcitrant while others readily adapting to intermolecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Dey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Matthew MacAinsh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Huan-Xiang Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
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21
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Casado-Combreras MÁ, Rivero-Rodríguez F, Elena-Real CA, Molodenskiy D, Díaz-Quintana A, Martinho M, Gerbaud G, González-Arzola K, Velázquez-Campoy A, Svergun D, Belle V, De la Rosa MA, Díaz-Moreno I. PP2A is activated by cytochrome c upon formation of a diffuse encounter complex with SET/TAF-Iβ. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:3695-3707. [PMID: 35891793 PMCID: PMC9293736 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsic protein flexibility is of overwhelming relevance for intermolecular recognition and adaptability of highly dynamic ensemble of complexes, and the phenomenon is essential for the understanding of numerous biological processes. These conformational ensembles-encounter complexes-lack a unique organization, which prevents the determination of well-defined high resolution structures. This is the case for complexes involving the oncoprotein SET/template-activating factor-Iβ (SET/TAF-Iβ), a histone chaperone whose functions and interactions are significantly affected by its intrinsic structural plasticity. Besides its role in chromatin remodeling, SET/TAF-Iβ is an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), which is a key phosphatase counteracting transcription and signaling events controlling the activity of DNA damage response (DDR) mediators. During DDR, SET/TAF-Iβ is sequestered by cytochrome c (Cc) upon migration of the hemeprotein from mitochondria to the cell nucleus. Here, we report that the nuclear SET/TAF-Iβ:Cc polyconformational ensemble is able to activate PP2A. In particular, the N-end folded, globular region of SET/TAF-Iβ (a.k.a. SET/TAF-Iβ ΔC)-which exhibits an unexpected, intrinsically highly dynamic behavior-is sufficient to be recognized by Cc in a diffuse encounter manner. Cc-mediated blocking of PP2A inhibition is deciphered using an integrated structural and computational approach, combining small-angle X-ray scattering, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic resonance, calorimetry and molecular dynamics simulations.
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Key Words
- ANP32B, Acidic leucine-rich nuclear phosphoprotein family member B
- BTFA, 3-bromo-1,1,1-trifluoroacetone
- CD, Circular dichroism
- CDK9, Cyclin-dependent kinase 9
- CW, Continuous wave
- Cc, Cytochrome c
- Cytochrome c
- DDR, DNA damage response
- DEER, Double electron–electron resonance
- DLS, Dynamic light scattering
- DMEM, Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium
- DNA, Deoxyribonucleic acid
- DTT, Dithiotreitol
- Dmax, Maximum dimension
- EDTA, Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid
- EGTA, Ethyleneglycol tetraacetic acid
- EPR, Electron paramagnetic resonance
- Encounter complex
- FBS, Fetal bovine serum
- GUI, Graphical user interface
- HEK, Human embryonic kidney cells
- HRP, Horseradish peroxidase
- I2PP2A, Inhibitor 2 of the protein phosphatase 2A
- I3PP2A, Inhibitor 3 of the protein phosphatase 2A
- INTAC, Integrator-PP2A complex
- IPTG, Isopropyl-β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside
- ITC, Isothermal titration calorimetry
- Ip/Id, Intensity ratio of NMR resonances between paramagnetic and diamagnetic samples
- LB, Luria-Bertani
- MD, Molecular dynamics
- MTS, (1-acetoxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-δ-3-pyrroline-3-methyl) methanethiosulfonate
- MTSL, (1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl- δ −3-pyrroline-3-methyl) methanethiosulfonate
- MW, Molecular weight
- Molecular dynamics
- NAP1, Nucleosome assembly protein 1
- NAPL, Nucleosome assembly protein L
- NMA, Normal mode analysis
- NMR, Nuclear magnetic resonance
- NPT, Constant number, pressure and temperature
- NVT, Constant number, volume and temperature
- Nuclear magnetic resonance
- OD600, Optical density measured at 600 nm
- OPC, Optimal 3-charge, 4-point rigid water model
- PCR, Polymerase chain reaction
- PME, Particle mesh Ewald
- PMSF, Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride
- PP2A, Protein phosphatase 2A
- PRE, Paramagnetic relaxation enhancement
- PVDF, Polyvinylidene fluoride
- Protein phosphatase 2A
- RNA, Ribonucleic acid
- RNApol II, RNA polymerase II
- Rg, Radius of gyration
- SAXS, Small-angle X-ray scattering
- SC, Sample changer
- SDS-PAGE, Sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
- SDSL, Site-directed spin labeling
- SEC, Size-exclusion chromatography
- SET/TAF-Iβ
- SET/TAF-Iβ ΔC, SET/template-activating factor-Iβ construct lacking its C-terminal domain
- SET/TAF-Iβ, SET/template-activating factor-Iβ
- SPRi, Surface plasmon resonance imaging
- TAF-Iα, Template-activating factor-Iα
- TPBS, Tween 20-phosphate buffered saline
- VPS75, Vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 75
- WT, Wild type
- XRD, X-ray diffraction
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Á. Casado-Combreras
- Institute for Chemical Research (IIQ), Scientific Research Centre “Isla de la Cartuja” (cicCartuja), University of Seville and CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Francisco Rivero-Rodríguez
- Institute for Chemical Research (IIQ), Scientific Research Centre “Isla de la Cartuja” (cicCartuja), University of Seville and CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Carlos A. Elena-Real
- Institute for Chemical Research (IIQ), Scientific Research Centre “Isla de la Cartuja” (cicCartuja), University of Seville and CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), INSERM, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Université de Montpellier. 29 rue de Navacelles, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Dmitry Molodenskiy
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Outstation, c/o Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Antonio Díaz-Quintana
- Institute for Chemical Research (IIQ), Scientific Research Centre “Isla de la Cartuja” (cicCartuja), University of Seville and CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Marlène Martinho
- Aix Marseille Univ. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), BIP UMR7281, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des protéines, 13402 Marseille, France
| | - Guillaume Gerbaud
- Aix Marseille Univ. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), BIP UMR7281, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des protéines, 13402 Marseille, France
| | - Katiuska González-Arzola
- Institute for Chemical Research (IIQ), Scientific Research Centre “Isla de la Cartuja” (cicCartuja), University of Seville and CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Adrián Velázquez-Campoy
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physic of Complex Systems (BIFI), Joint Unit GBsC-CSIC-BIFI, Universidad de Zaragoza. C. de Mariano Esquillor Gómez, Edificio I+D, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, C. Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragon), Zaragoza, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área Temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), C. de Melchor Fernández Almagro, 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Outstation, c/o Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Valérie Belle
- Aix Marseille Univ. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), BIP UMR7281, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des protéines, 13402 Marseille, France
| | - Miguel A. De la Rosa
- Institute for Chemical Research (IIQ), Scientific Research Centre “Isla de la Cartuja” (cicCartuja), University of Seville and CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Irene Díaz-Moreno
- Institute for Chemical Research (IIQ), Scientific Research Centre “Isla de la Cartuja” (cicCartuja), University of Seville and CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
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22
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Han ZZ, Kang SG, Arce L, Westaway D. Prion-like strain effects in tauopathies. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:179-199. [PMID: 35460367 PMCID: PMC9034081 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03620-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that plays crucial roles in physiology and pathophysiology. In the realm of dementia, tau protein misfolding is associated with a wide spectrum of clinicopathologically diverse neurodegenerative diseases, collectively known as tauopathies. As proposed by the tau strain hypothesis, the intrinsic heterogeneity of tauopathies may be explained by the existence of structurally distinct tau conformers, “strains”. Tau strains can differ in their associated clinical features, neuropathological profiles, and biochemical signatures. Although prior research into infectious prion proteins offers valuable lessons for studying how a protein-only pathogen can encompass strain diversity, the underlying mechanism by which tau subtypes are generated remains poorly understood. Here we summarize recent advances in understanding different tau conformers through in vivo and in vitro experimental paradigms, and the implications of heterogeneity of pathological tau species for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuang Zhuang Han
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sang-Gyun Kang
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Luis Arce
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - David Westaway
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada. .,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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23
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Thomasen FE, Pesce F, Roesgaard MA, Tesei G, Lindorff-Larsen K. Improving Martini 3 for Disordered and Multidomain Proteins. J Chem Theory Comput 2022; 18:2033-2041. [PMID: 35377637 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c01042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations are a useful tool to determine conformational ensembles of proteins. Here, we show that the coarse-grained force field Martini 3 underestimates the global dimensions of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and multidomain proteins when compared with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data and that increasing the strength of protein-water interactions favors more expanded conformations. We find that increasing the strength of interactions between protein and water by ca. 10% results in improved agreement with the SAXS data for IDPs and multidomain proteins. We also show that this correction results in a more accurate description of self-association of IDPs and folded proteins and better agreement with paramagnetic relaxation enhancement data for most IDPs. While simulations with this revised force field still show deviations to experiments for some systems, our results suggest that it is overall a substantial improvement for coarse-grained simulations of soluble proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Emil Thomasen
- Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Francesco Pesce
- Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Mette Ahrensback Roesgaard
- Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Giulio Tesei
- Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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24
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Kazemi Shariat Panahi H, Dehhaghi M, Heng B, Lane DJR, Bush AI, Guillemin GJ, Tan VX. Neuropathological Mechanisms of β-N-Methylamino-L-Alanine (BMAA) with a Focus on Iron Overload and Ferroptosis. Neurotox Res 2022; 40:614-635. [PMID: 35023054 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-021-00455-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of neurodegenerative diseases and cyanobacterial blooms is concomitantly increasing worldwide. The cyanotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is produced by most of the Cyanobacteria spp. This cyanotoxin is described as a potential environmental etiology factor for some sporadic neurodegenerative diseases. Climate change and eutrophication significantly increase the frequency and intensity of cyanobacterial bloom in water bodies. This review evaluates different neuropathological mechanisms of BMAA at molecular and cellular levels and compares the related studies to provide some useful recommendations. Additionally, the structure and properties of BMAA as well as its microbial origin, especially by gut bacteria, are also briefly covered. Unlike previous reviews, we hypothesize the possible neurotoxic mechanism of BMAA through iron overload. We also discuss the involvement of BMAA in excitotoxicity, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) translocation and accumulation, tauopathy, and other protein misincorporation and misfolding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Kazemi Shariat Panahi
- Neuroinflammation Group, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mona Dehhaghi
- Neuroinflammation Group, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- PANDIS.Org, Bendigo, Australia
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, School of Biology and Centre of Excellence in Phylogeny of Living Organisms, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Benjamin Heng
- Neuroinflammation Group, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Darius J R Lane
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashley I Bush
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Gilles J Guillemin
- Neuroinflammation Group, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- PANDIS.Org, Bendigo, Australia.
| | - Vanessa X Tan
- Neuroinflammation Group, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- PANDIS.Org, Bendigo, Australia
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25
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Stelzl L, Pietrek LM, Holla A, Oroz J, Sikora M, Köfinger J, Schuler B, Zweckstetter M, Hummer G. Global Structure of the Intrinsically Disordered Protein Tau Emerges from Its Local Structure. JACS AU 2022; 2:673-686. [PMID: 35373198 PMCID: PMC8970000 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The paradigmatic disordered protein tau plays an important role in neuronal function and neurodegenerative diseases. To disentangle the factors controlling the balance between functional and disease-associated conformational states, we build a structural ensemble of the tau K18 fragment containing the four pseudorepeat domains involved in both microtubule binding and amyloid fibril formation. We assemble 129-residue-long tau K18 chains with atomic detail from an extensive fragment library constructed with molecular dynamics simulations. We introduce a reweighted hierarchical chain growth (RHCG) algorithm that integrates experimental data reporting on the local structure into the assembly process in a systematic manner. By combining Bayesian ensemble refinement with importance sampling, we obtain well-defined ensembles and overcome the problem of exponentially varying weights in the integrative modeling of long-chain polymeric molecules. The resulting tau K18 ensembles capture nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift and J-coupling measurements. Without further fitting, we achieve very good agreement with measurements of NMR residual dipolar couplings. The good agreement with experimental measures of global structure such as single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiencies is improved further by ensemble refinement. By comparing wild-type and mutant ensembles, we show that pathogenic single-point P301L, P301S, and P301T mutations shift the population from the turn-like conformations of the functional microtubule-bound state to the extended conformations of disease-associated tau fibrils. RHCG thus provides us with an atomically detailed view of the population equilibrium between functional and aggregation-prone states of tau K18, and demonstrates that global structural characteristics of this intrinsically disordered protein emerge from its local structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas
S. Stelzl
- Department
of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Faculty
of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University
Mainz, Gresemundweg 2, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- KOMET 1, Institute of Physics, Johannes
Gutenberg University Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Lisa M. Pietrek
- Department
of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andrea Holla
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Javier Oroz
- German
Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Rocasolano
Institute for Physical Chemistry, CSIC, Serrano 119, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mateusz Sikora
- Department
of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Faculty
of Physics, University of Vienna, Kolingasse 14-16, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jürgen Köfinger
- Department
of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Benjamin Schuler
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department
of Physics, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German
Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Department
for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck
Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gerhard Hummer
- Department
of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute
for Biophysics, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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26
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Hornakova L, Sinsky J, Janubova M, Mederlyova A, Paulenka Ivanovova N, Piestansky J, Kovac A, Galba J, Skrabana R, Cehlar O. Interaction kinetics reveal distinct properties of conformational ensembles of three-repeat and four-repeat tau proteins. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:1178-1189. [PMID: 35322890 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14339] [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: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Tau protein is an intrinsically disordered protein. Its physiological state is best described as a conformational ensemble (CE) of metastable structures interconverting on the local and molecular scale. The monoclonal antibody DC39C recognizes a linear C-terminal tau epitope, and as the tau interaction partner, its binding parameters report about tau CE. Association kinetics of DC39C binding, together with crosslinking mass spectrometry, show differences in the accessibility of the C-terminus in CEs of tau isoforms. Furthermore, removal of the C-terminus accelerated the aggregation kinetics of three-repeat tau proteins. Our results suggest a novel mechanism of splicing-driven regulation of the tau C-terminal domain with consequences on the specific roles of tau isoforms in microtubule assembly and pathological aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Hornakova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84510, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, 84215, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Institute of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Comenius University, Sasinkova 2, 811 08, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Jakub Sinsky
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84510, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Maria Janubova
- Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo Nabrezie 10, 81102, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Institute of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Comenius University, Sasinkova 2, 811 08, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Anna Mederlyova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84510, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | | | - Juraj Piestansky
- Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo Nabrezie 10, 81102, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Nuclear Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University, Odbojarov 10, 83232, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Toxicological and Antidoping Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Odbojarov 10, 832 32, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andrej Kovac
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84510, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo Nabrezie 10, 81102, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Jaroslav Galba
- Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo Nabrezie 10, 81102, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84510, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Rostislav Skrabana
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84510, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo Nabrezie 10, 81102, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Ondrej Cehlar
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84510, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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27
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Ye H, Han Y, Li P, Su Z, Huang Y. The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on the Structure and Function of Tau Protein. J Mol Neurosci 2022; 72:1557-1571. [PMID: 35325356 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Involving addition of chemical groups or protein units to specific residues of the target protein, post-translational modifications (PTMs) alter the charge, hydrophobicity, and conformation of a protein, which in tune influences protein function, protein - protein interaction, and protein aggregation. While the occurrence of PTMs is dynamic and subject to regulations, conformational disorder of the target protein facilitates PTMs. The microtubule-associated protein tau is a typical intrinsically disordered protein that undergoes a variety of PTMs including phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, methylation, and oxidation. Accumulated evidence shows that these PTMs play a critical role in regulating tau-microtubule interaction, tau localization, tau degradation and aggregation, and reinforces the correlation between tau PTMs and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. Here, we review tau PTMs with an emphasis on their influence on tau structure. With available biophysical characterization results, we describe how PTMs induce conformational changes in tau monomer and regulate tau aggregation. Compared to functional analysis of tau PTMs, biophysical characterization of tau PTMs is lagging. While it is challenging, characterizing the specific effects of PTMs on tau conformation and interaction is indispensable to unravel the tau PTM code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqiong Ye
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yue Han
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Zhengding Su
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yongqi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
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28
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Hochmair J, Exner C, Franck M, Dominguez-Baquero A, Diez L, Brognaro H, Kraushar ML, Mielke T, Radbruch H, Kaniyappan S, Falke S, Mandelkow E, Betzel C, Wegmann S. Molecular crowding and RNA synergize to promote phase separation, microtubule interaction, and seeding of Tau condensates. EMBO J 2022; 41:e108882. [PMID: 35298090 PMCID: PMC9156969 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021108882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomolecular condensation of the neuronal microtubule‐associated protein Tau (MAPT) can be induced by coacervation with polyanions like RNA, or by molecular crowding. Tau condensates have been linked to both functional microtubule binding and pathological aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. We find that molecular crowding and coacervation with RNA, two conditions likely coexisting in the cytosol, synergize to enable Tau condensation at physiological buffer conditions and to produce condensates with a strong affinity to charged surfaces. During condensate‐mediated microtubule polymerization, their synergy enhances bundling and spatial arrangement of microtubules. We further show that different Tau condensates efficiently induce pathological Tau aggregates in cells, including accumulations at the nuclear envelope that correlate with nucleocytoplasmic transport deficits. Fluorescent lifetime imaging reveals different molecular packing densities of Tau in cellular accumulations and a condensate‐like density for nuclear‐envelope Tau. These findings suggest that a complex interplay between interaction partners, post‐translational modifications, and molecular crowding regulates the formation and function of Tau condensates. Conditions leading to prolonged existence of Tau condensates may induce the formation of seeding‐competent Tau and lead to distinct cellular Tau accumulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Hochmair
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Exner
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Franck
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Lisa Diez
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Hévila Brognaro
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Thorsten Mielke
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MOLGEN), Berlin, Germany
| | - Helena Radbruch
- Institute for Neuropathology, Charité Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Senthil Kaniyappan
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sven Falke
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Betzel
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
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29
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Naullage PM, Haghighatlari M, Namini A, Teixeira JMC, Li J, Zhang O, Gradinaru CC, Forman-Kay JD, Head-Gordon T. Protein Dynamics to Define and Refine Disordered Protein Ensembles. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:1885-1894. [PMID: 35213160 PMCID: PMC10122607 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c10925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins and unfolded proteins have fluctuating conformational ensembles that are fundamental to their biological function and impact protein folding, stability, and misfolding. Despite the importance of protein dynamics and conformational sampling, time-dependent data types are not fully exploited when defining and refining disordered protein ensembles. Here we introduce a computational framework using an elastic network model and normal-mode displacements to generate a dynamic disordered ensemble consistent with NMR-derived dynamics parameters, including transverse R2 relaxation rates and Lipari-Szabo order parameters (S2 values). We illustrate our approach using the unfolded state of the drkN SH3 domain to show that the dynamical ensembles give better agreement than a static ensemble for a wide range of experimental validation data including NMR chemical shifts, J-couplings, nuclear Overhauser effects, paramagnetic relaxation enhancements, residual dipolar couplings, hydrodynamic radii, single-molecule fluorescence Förster resonance energy transfer, and small-angle X-ray scattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavithra M Naullage
- Pitzer Center for Theoretical Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Mojtaba Haghighatlari
- Pitzer Center for Theoretical Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Ashley Namini
- Molecular Medicine Program, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - João M C Teixeira
- Molecular Medicine Program, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jie Li
- Pitzer Center for Theoretical Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Oufan Zhang
- Pitzer Center for Theoretical Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Claudiu C Gradinaru
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Julie D Forman-Kay
- Molecular Medicine Program, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Teresa Head-Gordon
- Pitzer Center for Theoretical Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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30
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Pesce F, Lindorff-Larsen K. Refining conformational ensembles of flexible proteins against small-angle x-ray scattering data. Biophys J 2021; 120:5124-5135. [PMID: 34627764 PMCID: PMC8633713 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins and flexible regions in multidomain proteins display substantial conformational heterogeneity. Characterizing the conformational ensembles of these proteins in solution typically requires combining one or more biophysical techniques with computational modeling or simulations. Experimental data can either be used to assess the accuracy of a computational model or to refine the computational model to get a better agreement with the experimental data. In both cases, one generally needs a so-called forward model (i.e., an algorithm to calculate experimental observables from individual conformations or ensembles). In many cases, this involves one or more parameters that need to be set, and it is not always trivial to determine the optimal values or to understand the impact on the choice of parameters. For example, in the case of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, many forward models include parameters that describe the contribution of the hydration layer and displaced solvent to the background-subtracted experimental data. Often, one also needs to fit a scale factor and a constant background for the SAXS data but across the entire ensemble. Here, we present a protocol to dissect the effect of the free parameters on the calculated SAXS intensities and to identify a reliable set of values. We have implemented this procedure in our Bayesian/maximum entropy framework for ensemble refinement and demonstrate the results on four intrinsically disordered proteins and a protein with three domains connected by flexible linkers. Our results show that the resulting ensembles can depend on the parameters used for solvent effects and suggest that these should be chosen carefully. We also find a set of parameters that work robustly across all proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Pesce
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, The Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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31
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Tesei G, Schulze TK, Crehuet R, Lindorff-Larsen K. Accurate model of liquid-liquid phase behavior of intrinsically disordered proteins from optimization of single-chain properties. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2111696118. [PMID: 34716273 DOI: 10.1101/2021.06.23.449550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Many intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) may undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and participate in the formation of membraneless organelles in the cell, thereby contributing to the regulation and compartmentalization of intracellular biochemical reactions. The phase behavior of IDPs is sequence dependent, and its investigation through molecular simulations requires protein models that combine computational efficiency with an accurate description of intramolecular and intermolecular interactions. We developed a general coarse-grained model of IDPs, with residue-level detail, based on an extensive set of experimental data on single-chain properties. Ensemble-averaged experimental observables are predicted from molecular simulations, and a data-driven parameter-learning procedure is used to identify the residue-specific model parameters that minimize the discrepancy between predictions and experiments. The model accurately reproduces the experimentally observed conformational propensities of a set of IDPs. Through two-body as well as large-scale molecular simulations, we show that the optimization of the intramolecular interactions results in improved predictions of protein self-association and LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Tesei
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Thea K Schulze
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ramon Crehuet
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- CSIC-Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC), E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
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32
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Tesei G, Schulze TK, Crehuet R, Lindorff-Larsen K. Accurate model of liquid-liquid phase behavior of intrinsically disordered proteins from optimization of single-chain properties. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2111696118. [PMID: 34716273 PMCID: PMC8612223 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111696118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) may undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and participate in the formation of membraneless organelles in the cell, thereby contributing to the regulation and compartmentalization of intracellular biochemical reactions. The phase behavior of IDPs is sequence dependent, and its investigation through molecular simulations requires protein models that combine computational efficiency with an accurate description of intramolecular and intermolecular interactions. We developed a general coarse-grained model of IDPs, with residue-level detail, based on an extensive set of experimental data on single-chain properties. Ensemble-averaged experimental observables are predicted from molecular simulations, and a data-driven parameter-learning procedure is used to identify the residue-specific model parameters that minimize the discrepancy between predictions and experiments. The model accurately reproduces the experimentally observed conformational propensities of a set of IDPs. Through two-body as well as large-scale molecular simulations, we show that the optimization of the intramolecular interactions results in improved predictions of protein self-association and LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Tesei
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Thea K Schulze
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ramon Crehuet
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- CSIC-Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC), E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark;
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33
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Joseph JA, Reinhardt A, Aguirre A, Chew PY, Russell KO, Espinosa JR, Garaizar A, Collepardo-Guevara R. Physics-driven coarse-grained model for biomolecular phase separation with near-quantitative accuracy. NATURE COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 1:732-743. [PMID: 35795820 PMCID: PMC7612994 DOI: 10.1038/s43588-021-00155-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Various physics- and data-driven sequence-dependent protein coarse-grained models have been developed to study biomolecular phase separation and elucidate the dominant physicochemical driving forces. Here, we present Mpipi, a multiscale coarse-grained model that describes almost quantitatively the change in protein critical temperatures as a function of amino-acid sequence. The model is parameterised from both atomistic simulations and bioinformatics data and accounts for the dominant role of π-π and hybrid cation-π/π-π interactions and the much stronger attractive contacts established by arginines than lysines. We provide a comprehensive set of benchmarks for Mpipi and seven other residue-level coarse-grained models against experimental radii of gyration and quantitative in-vitro phase diagrams; Mpipi predictions agree well with experiment on both fronts. Moreover, it can account for protein-RNA interactions, correctly predicts the multiphase behaviour of a charge-matched poly-arginine/poly-lysine/RNA system, and recapitulates experimental LLPS trends for sequence mutations on FUS, DDX4 and LAF-1 proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerelle A. Joseph
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Aleks Reinhardt
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Anne Aguirre
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Pin Yu Chew
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Kieran O. Russell
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Jorge R. Espinosa
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Adiran Garaizar
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Rosana Collepardo-Guevara
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
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34
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Moreira GG, Cantrelle FX, Quezada A, Carvalho FS, Cristóvão JS, Sengupta U, Puangmalai N, Carapeto AP, Rodrigues MS, Cardoso I, Fritz G, Herrera F, Kayed R, Landrieu I, Gomes CM. Dynamic interactions and Ca 2+-binding modulate the holdase-type chaperone activity of S100B preventing tau aggregation and seeding. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6292. [PMID: 34725360 PMCID: PMC8560819 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26584-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau is implicated in the formation of oligomers and fibrillar aggregates that evade proteostasis control and spread from cell-to-cell. Tau pathology is accompanied by sustained neuroinflammation and, while the release of alarmin mediators aggravates disease at late stages, early inflammatory responses encompass protective functions. This is the case of the Ca2+-binding S100B protein, an astrocytic alarmin which is augmented in AD and which has been recently implicated as a proteostasis regulator, acting over amyloid β aggregation. Here we report the activity of S100B as a suppressor of tau aggregation and seeding, operating at sub-stoichiometric conditions. We show that S100B interacts with tau in living cells even in microtubule-destabilizing conditions. Structural analysis revealed that tau undergoes dynamic interactions with S100B, in a Ca2+-dependent manner, notably with the aggregation prone repeat segments at the microtubule binding regions. This interaction involves contacts of tau with a cleft formed at the interface of the S100B dimer. Kinetic and mechanistic analysis revealed that S100B inhibits the aggregation of both full-length tau and of the microtubule binding domain, and that this proceeds through effects over primary and secondary nucleation, as confirmed by seeding assays and direct observation of S100B binding to tau oligomers and fibrils. In agreement with a role as an extracellular chaperone and its accumulation near tau positive inclusions, we show that S100B blocks proteopathic tau seeding. Together, our findings establish tau as a client of the S100B chaperone, providing evidence for neuro-protective functions of this inflammatory mediator across different tauopathies. The calcium binding protein S100B is an abundantly expressed protein in the brain and has neuro-protective functions by inhibiting Aβ aggregation and metal ion toxicity. Here, the authors combine cell biology and biochemical experiments with chemical kinetics and NMR measurements and show that S100B protein is an extracellular Tau chaperone and further characterize the interactions between S100B and Tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme G Moreira
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - François-Xavier Cantrelle
- CNRS ERL9002 Integrative Structural Biology, F-59000, Lille, France.,Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Andrea Quezada
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Filipa S Carvalho
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana S Cristóvão
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX, 77555-1045, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX, 77555-1045, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Ana P Carapeto
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mário S Rodrigues
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), 4050-013, Porto, Portugal
| | - Güenter Fritz
- Institute of Biology, Department of Cellular Microbiology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, 70599, Germany
| | - Federico Herrera
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX, 77555-1045, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Isabelle Landrieu
- CNRS ERL9002 Integrative Structural Biology, F-59000, Lille, France.,Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Cláudio M Gomes
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. .,Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
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35
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Lyu C, Da Vela S, Al-Hilaly Y, Marshall KE, Thorogate R, Svergun D, Serpell LC, Pastore A, Hanger DP. The Disease Associated Tau35 Fragment has an Increased Propensity to Aggregate Compared to Full-Length Tau. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:779240. [PMID: 34778381 PMCID: PMC8581542 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.779240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau35 is a truncated form of tau found in human brain in a subset of tauopathies. Tau35 expression in mice recapitulates key features of human disease, including progressive increase in tau phosphorylation, along with cognitive and motor dysfunction. The appearance of aggregated tau suggests that Tau35 may have structural properties distinct from those of other tau species that could account for its pathological role in disease. To address this hypothesis, we performed a structural characterization of monomeric and aggregated Tau35 and compared the results to those of two longer isoforms, 2N3R and 2N4R tau. We used small angle X-ray scattering to show that Tau35, 2N3R and 2N4R tau all behave as disordered monomeric species but Tau35 exhibits higher rigidity. In the presence of the poly-anion heparin, Tau35 increases thioflavin T fluorescence significantly faster and to a greater extent than full-length tau, demonstrating a higher propensity to aggregate. By using atomic force microscopy, circular dichroism, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray fiber diffraction, we provide evidence that Tau35 aggregation is mechanistically and morphologically similar to previously reported tau fibrils but they are more densely packed. These data increase our understanding of the aggregation inducing properties of clinically relevant tau fragments and their potentially damaging role in the pathogenesis of human tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lyu
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stefano Da Vela
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Youssra Al-Hilaly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Karen E. Marshall
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Thorogate
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Louise C. Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Annalisa Pastore
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Diane P. Hanger
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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36
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Limorenko G, Lashuel HA. To target Tau pathologies, we must embrace and reconstruct their complexities. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 161:105536. [PMID: 34718129 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of hyperphosphorylated fibrillar Tau aggregates in the brain is one of the defining hallmarks of Tauopathy diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. However, the primary events or molecules responsible for initiation of the pathological Tau aggregation and spreading remain unknown. The discovery of heparin as an effective inducer of Tau aggregation in vitro was instrumental to enabling different lines of research into the role of Tau aggregation in the pathogenesis of Tauopathies. However, recent proteomics and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies have revealed that heparin-induced Tau fibrils generated in vitro do not reproduce the biochemical and ultrastructural properties of disease-associated brain-derived Tau fibrils. These observations demand that we reassess our current approaches for investigating the mechanisms underpinning Tau aggregation and pathology formation. Our review article presents an up-to-date survey and analyses of 1) the evolution of our understanding of the interactions between Tau and heparin, 2) the various structural and mechanistic models of the heparin-induced Tau aggregation, 3) the similarities and differences between brain-derived and heparin-induced Tau fibrils; and 4) emerging concepts on the biochemical and structural determinants underpinning Tau pathological heterogeneity in Tauopathies. Our analyses identify specific knowledge gaps and call for 1) embracing the complexities of Tau pathologies; 2) reassessment of current approaches to investigate, model and reproduce pathological Tau aggregation as it occurs in the brain; 3) more research towards a better understanding of the naturally-occurring cofactor molecules that are associated with Tau brain pathology initiation and propagation; and 4) developing improved approaches for in vitro production of the Tau aggregates and fibrils that recapitulate and/or amplify the biochemical and structural complexity and diversity of pathological Tau in Tauopathies. This will result in better and more relevant tools, assays, and mechanistic models, which could significantly improve translational research and the development of drugs and antibodies that have higher chances for success in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Limorenko
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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37
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Gomes T, Martin-Malpartida P, Ruiz L, Aragón E, Cordeiro TN, Macias MJ. Conformational landscape of multidomain SMAD proteins. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:5210-5224. [PMID: 34630939 PMCID: PMC8479633 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
SMAD transcription factors, the main effectors of the TGFβ (transforming growth factor β) network, have a mixed architecture of globular domains and flexible linkers. Such a complicated architecture precluded the description of their full-length (FL) structure for many years. In this study, we unravel the structures of SMAD4 and SMAD2 proteins through an integrative approach combining Small-angle X-ray scattering, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, X-ray, and computational modeling. We show that both proteins populate ensembles of conformations, with the globular domains tethered by disordered and flexible linkers, which defines a new dimension of regulation. The flexibility of the linkers facilitates DNA and protein binding and modulates the protein structure. Yet, SMAD4FL is monomeric, whereas SMAD2FL is in different monomer-dimer-trimer states, driven by interactions of the MH2 domains. Dimers are present regardless of the SMAD2FL activation state and concentration. Finally, we propose that SMAD2FL dimers are key building blocks for the quaternary structures of SMAD complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Gomes
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Pau Martin-Malpartida
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Lidia Ruiz
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Eric Aragón
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Tiago N. Cordeiro
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Maria J. Macias
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain
- ICREA, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain
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38
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Wang D, Huang X, Yan L, Zhou L, Yan C, Wu J, Su Z, Huang Y. The Structure Biology of Tau and Clue for Aggregation Inhibitor Design. Protein J 2021; 40:656-668. [PMID: 34401998 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-021-10017-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that is mainly expressed in central and peripheral nerve systems. Tau binds to tubulin and regulates assembly and stabilization of microtubule, thus playing a critical role in neuron morphology, axon development and navigation. Tau is highly stable under normal conditions; however, there are several factors that can induce or promote aggregation of tau, forming neurofibrillary tangles. Neurofibrillary tangles are toxic to neurons, which may be related to a series of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. Thus, tau is widely accepted as an important therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases. While the monomeric structure of tau is highly disordered, the aggregate structure of tau is formed by closed packing of β-stands. Studies on the structure of tau and the structural transition mechanism provide valuable information on the occurrence, development, and therapy of tauopathies. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the structural investigation of tau and based on which we discuss aggregation inhibitor design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Xianlong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Lu Yan
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Luoqi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Chang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Jinhu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Zhengding Su
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Yongqi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China.
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39
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He H, Liu Y, Sun Y, Ding F. Misfolding and Self-Assembly Dynamics of Microtubule-Binding Repeats of the Alzheimer-Related Protein Tau. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:2916-2925. [PMID: 34032430 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pathological aggregation of intrinsically disordered tau protein, driven by the interactions between microtubule-binding (MTB) domains, is associated with Alzheimer's disease. The MTB domain contains either three or four repeats with sequence similarities. Compared to amyloid β, many aspects of the misfolding and aggregation mechanisms of tau are largely unknown. In this study, we systematically investigated the dynamics of monomer misfolding and dimerization of each MTB repeat using atomistic discrete molecular dynamic simulations. Our results revealed that all the four repeat monomers (R1-R4) were very dynamic, featuring frequent conformational conversion and lacking stable conformations. While R1, R2, and R4 monomers occasionally adopted partially helical conformations, R3 monomers frequently formed β-sheets. In dimerization simulations, R3 displayed the strongest aggregation propensity with high β-sheet contents, while R1 was the least prone to aggregation. The R2 and R4 dimers contained both helix and β-sheet structures. The β-sheets in R4 assemblies were dominant with β-hairpin conformation. In R2 and R3 dimers, intermolecular β-sheets were mainly driven by residues around the paired helical filament (PHF) regions. Residues around the PHF6* in R2 and PHF6 in R3 had significantly higher intermolecular contacts than other regions, suggesting that these residues play a key role in the amyloid aggregation of tau. Our results on the structural ensembles and early aggregation dynamics of each tau MTB repeat will help understand the nucleation and fibrillization of tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan He
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yuying Liu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yunxiang Sun
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
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40
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Sagar A, Jeffries CM, Petoukhov MV, Svergun DI, Bernadó P. Comment on the Optimal Parameters to Derive Intrinsically Disordered Protein Conformational Ensembles from Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Data Using the Ensemble Optimization Method. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:2014-2021. [PMID: 33725442 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The Ensemble Optimization Method (EOM) is a popular approach to describe small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data from highly disordered proteins. The EOM algorithm selects subensembles of coexisting states from large pools of randomized conformations to fit the SAXS data. Based on the unphysical bimodal radius of gyration (Rg) distribution of conformations resulting from the EOM analysis, a recent article (Fagerberg et al. J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2019, 15 (12), 6968-6983) concluded that this approach inadequately described the SAXS data measured for human Histatin 5 (Hst5), a peptide with antifungal properties. Using extensive experimental and synthetic data, we explored the origin of this observation. We found that the one-bead-per-residue coarse-grained representation with averaged scattering form factors (provided in the EOM as an add-on to represent disordered missing loops or domains) may not be appropriate for EOM analyses of scattering data from short (below 50 residues) proteins/peptides. The method of choice for these proteins is to employ atomistic models (e.g., from molecular dynamics simulations) to sample the protein conformational landscape. As a convenient alternative, we have also improved the coarse-grained approach by introducing amino acid specific form factors in the calculations. We also found that, for small proteins, the search for relatively large subensembles of 20-50 conformers (as implemented in the original EOM version) more adequately describes the conformational space sampled in solution than the procedures optimizing the ensemble size. Our observations have been added as recommendations into the information for EOM users to promote the proper utilization of the program for ensemble-based modeling of SAXS data for all types of disordered systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Sagar
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), INSERM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 29, rue de Navacelles, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Cy M Jeffries
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maxim V Petoukhov
- A.V. Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography of Federal Scientific Research Centre "Crystallography and Photonics" of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119333 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitri I Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Pau Bernadó
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), INSERM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 29, rue de Navacelles, 34090 Montpellier, France
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41
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Dong X, Bera S, Qiao Q, Tang Y, Lao Z, Luo Y, Gazit E, Wei G. Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Tau Protein Is Encoded at the Monomeric Level. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:2576-2586. [PMID: 33686854 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c00208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is involved in both physiological and pathological processes. The intrinsically disordered protein Tau and its K18 construct can undergo LLPS in a distinct temperature-dependent manner, and the LLPS of Tau protein can initiate Tau aggregation. However, the underlying mechanism driving Tau LLPS remains largely elusive. To understand the temperature-dependent LLPS behavior of Tau at the monomeric level, we explored the conformational ensemble of Tau at different temperatures by performing all-atom replica-exchange molecular dynamic simulation on K18 monomer with an accumulated simulation time of 26.4 μs. Our simulation demonstrates that the compactness, β-structure propensity, and intramolecular interaction of K18 monomer exhibit nonlinear temperature-dependent behavior. 295DNIKHV300/326GNIHHK331/337VEVKSE342 make significant contributions to the temperature dependence of the β propensity of K18 monomer, while the two fibril-nucleating cores display relatively high β propensity at all temperatures. At a specific temperature, K18 monomer adopts the most collapsed state with exposed sites for both persistent and transient interactions. Given that more collapsed polypeptide chains were reported to be more prone to phase separate, our results suggest that K18 monomer inherently possesses conformational characteristics favoring LLPS. Our simulation predicts the importance of 295DNIKHV300/326GNIHHK331/337VEVKSE342 to the temperature-dependent conformational properties of K18, which is corroborated by CD spectra, turbidity assays, and DIC microscopy. Taken together, we offer a computational and experimental approach to comprehend the structural basis for LLPS by amyloidal building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewei Dong
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Santu Bera
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Qin Qiao
- Digital Medical Research Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiming Tang
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Zenghui Lao
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yin Luo
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
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42
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Beveridge R, Calabrese AN. Structural Proteomics Methods to Interrogate the Conformations and Dynamics of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. Front Chem 2021; 9:603639. [PMID: 33791275 PMCID: PMC8006314 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.603639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and regions of intrinsic disorder (IDRs) are abundant in proteomes and are essential for many biological processes. Thus, they are often implicated in disease mechanisms, including neurodegeneration and cancer. The flexible nature of IDPs and IDRs provides many advantages, including (but not limited to) overcoming steric restrictions in binding, facilitating posttranslational modifications, and achieving high binding specificity with low affinity. IDPs adopt a heterogeneous structural ensemble, in contrast to typical folded proteins, making it challenging to interrogate their structure using conventional tools. Structural mass spectrometry (MS) methods are playing an increasingly important role in characterizing the structure and function of IDPs and IDRs, enabled by advances in the design of instrumentation and the development of new workflows, including in native MS, ion mobility MS, top-down MS, hydrogen-deuterium exchange MS, crosslinking MS, and covalent labeling. Here, we describe the advantages of these methods that make them ideal to study IDPs and highlight recent applications where these tools have underpinned new insights into IDP structure and function that would be difficult to elucidate using other methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Beveridge
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Antonio N. Calabrese
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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43
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Zeng Y, Yang J, Zhang B, Gao M, Su Z, Huang Y. The structure and phase of tau: from monomer to amyloid filament. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:1873-1886. [PMID: 33078207 PMCID: PMC11073437 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03681-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein involved in regulation of assembly and spatial organization of microtubule in neurons. However, in pathological conditions, tau monomers assemble into amyloid filaments characterized by the cross-β structures in a number of neurodegenerative diseases known as tauopathies. In this review, we summarize recent progression on the characterization of structures of tau monomer and filament, as well as the dynamic liquid droplet assembly. Our aim is to reveal how post-translational modifications, amino acid mutations, and interacting molecules modulate the conformational ensemble of tau monomer, and how they accelerate or inhibit tau assembly into aggregates. Structure-based aggregation inhibitor design is also discussed in the context of dynamics and heterogeneity of tau structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bailing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Gao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhengding Su
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yongqi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China.
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44
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Kodera N, Noshiro D, Dora SK, Mori T, Habchi J, Blocquel D, Gruet A, Dosnon M, Salladini E, Bignon C, Fujioka Y, Oda T, Noda NN, Sato M, Lotti M, Mizuguchi M, Longhi S, Ando T. Structural and dynamics analysis of intrinsically disordered proteins by high-speed atomic force microscopy. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 16:181-189. [PMID: 33230318 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-020-00798-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are ubiquitous proteins that are disordered entirely or partly and play important roles in diverse biological phenomena. Their structure dynamically samples a multitude of conformational states, thus rendering their structural analysis very difficult. Here we explore the potential of high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) for characterizing the structure and dynamics of IDPs. Successive HS-AFM images of an IDP molecule can not only identify constantly folded and constantly disordered regions in the molecule, but can also document disorder-to-order transitions. Moreover, the number of amino acids contained in these disordered regions can be roughly estimated, enabling a semiquantitative, realistic description of the dynamic structure of IDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyuki Kodera
- Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Daisuke Noshiro
- Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Sujit K Dora
- Department of Physics, Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Mori
- Department of Physics, Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Johnny Habchi
- Aix-Marseille University and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolecules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 7257, Marseille, France
| | - David Blocquel
- Aix-Marseille University and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolecules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 7257, Marseille, France
| | - Antoine Gruet
- Aix-Marseille University and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolecules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 7257, Marseille, France
| | - Marion Dosnon
- Aix-Marseille University and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolecules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 7257, Marseille, France
| | - Edoardo Salladini
- Aix-Marseille University and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolecules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 7257, Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Bignon
- Aix-Marseille University and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolecules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 7257, Marseille, France
| | | | - Takashi Oda
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Mamoru Sato
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Marina Lotti
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, State University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Sonia Longhi
- Aix-Marseille University and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolecules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 7257, Marseille, France.
| | - Toshio Ando
- Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Japan.
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45
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Majewski J, Jones EM, Vander Zanden CM, Biernat J, Mandelkow E, Chi EY. Lipid membrane templated misfolding and self-assembly of intrinsically disordered tau protein. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13324. [PMID: 32770092 PMCID: PMC7414892 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70208-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of the intrinsically disordered tau protein into highly ordered β-sheet-rich fibrils is implicated in the pathogenesis of a range of neurodegenerative disorders. The mechanism of tau fibrillogenesis remains unresolved, particularly early events that trigger the misfolding and assembly of the otherwise soluble and stable tau. We investigated the role the lipid membrane plays in modulating the aggregation of three tau variants, the largest isoform hTau40, the truncated construct K18, and a hyperphosphorylation-mimicking mutant hTau40/3Epi. Despite being charged and soluble, the tau proteins were also highly surface active and favorably interacted with anionic lipid monolayers at the air/water interface. Membrane binding of tau also led to the formation of a macroscopic, gelatinous layer at the air/water interface, possibly related to tau phase separation. At the molecular level, tau assembled into oligomers composed of ~ 40 proteins misfolded in a β-sheet conformation at the membrane surface, as detected by in situ synchrotron grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction. Concomitantly, membrane morphology and lipid packing became disrupted. Our findings support a general tau aggregation mechanism wherein tau’s inherent surface activity and favorable interactions with anionic lipids drive tau-membrane association, inducing misfolding and self-assembly of the disordered tau into β-sheet-rich oligomers that subsequently seed fibrillation and deposition into diseased tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaroslaw Majewski
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA, 22314, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.,Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Emmalee M Jones
- Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering Graduate Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Crystal M Vander Zanden
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, 80918, USA
| | - Jacek Biernat
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127, Bonn, Germany.,CAESAR Research Center, 53175, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127, Bonn, Germany.,CAESAR Research Center, 53175, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eva Y Chi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
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46
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Baul U, Bley M, Dzubiella J. Thermal Compaction of Disordered and Elastin-like Polypeptides: A Temperature-Dependent, Sequence-Specific Coarse-Grained Simulation Model. Biomacromolecules 2020; 21:3523-3538. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Upayan Baul
- Applied Theoretical Physics—Computational Physics, Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder Strasse 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Bley
- Applied Theoretical Physics—Computational Physics, Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder Strasse 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Dzubiella
- Applied Theoretical Physics—Computational Physics, Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder Strasse 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS@FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, D-79110 Freiburg, Germany
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47
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Mioduszewski Ł, Różycki B, Cieplak M. Pseudo-Improper-Dihedral Model for Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 16:4726-4733. [PMID: 32436706 PMCID: PMC7588027 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
We present a new coarse-grained Cα-based protein model with a nonradial multibody pseudo-improper-dihedral potential that is transferable, time-independent, and suitable for molecular dynamics. It captures the nature of backbone and side-chain interactions between amino acid residues by adapting a simple improper dihedral term for a one-bead-per-residue model. It is parameterized for intrinsically disordered proteins and applicable to simulations of such proteins and their assemblies on millisecond time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Mioduszewski
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartosz Różycki
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marek Cieplak
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
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48
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Ahmad W, Shabbiri K, Ahmad I. Prediction of human tau 3D structure, and interplay between O-β-GlcNAc and phosphorylation modifications in Alzheimer's disease: C. elegans as a suitable model to study these interactions in vivo. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 528:466-472. [PMID: 32499112 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.05.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Tau protein regulates, maintains and stabilizes microtubule assembly under normal physiological conditions. In certain pathological circumstances, tau is post-translationally modified predominantly via phosphorylation and glycosylation. Hyper-phosphorylation of tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD) resulted in aggregated neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) formation. Unfortunately, absence of tau 3D structure makes difficult to understand exact mechanism involved in tau pathology. Here by using ab-initio modelling, we predicted a tau 3D structure that not only explains its binding with microtubules but also elucidates NFTs formation. O-linked β-N-acetylglucosaminylation (O-β-GlcNAc) is thought to regulate tau phosphorylation on single or proximal Ser/Thr residues (called as Yin-Yang sites). In this study, we not only validate the previously described three-serine residues (208, 238 and 400) as Yin-Yang sites but also predicted 22 more possible Ser/Thr O-glycosylation sites. Among them seventeen residues were predicted as possible Yin-Yang sites and are proposed to mediate NFT formation in AD. These predicted Yin-Yang sites may act as attractive therapeutic targets for the drug development in AD. Predicted 3D structure of tau441 was highly accessible for phosphorylation and hyperphosphorylation, and showed higher surface accessibility for interplay between O-β-GlcNAc and phosphorylation modifications. Kinases and phosphatases involved in tau phosphorylation are conserved in human and other organisms. Homology modelling revealed conserved catalytic domain for both human and C. elegans O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), suggesting that transgenic C. elegans expressing human tau may be a suitable model system to study these modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqar Ahmad
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia.
| | - Khadija Shabbiri
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia.
| | - Ishtiaq Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry, GC University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.
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49
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Kawasaki R, Tate SI. Impact of the Hereditary P301L Mutation on the Correlated Conformational Dynamics of Human Tau Protein Revealed by the Paramagnetic Relaxation Enhancement NMR Experiments. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113920. [PMID: 32486218 PMCID: PMC7313075 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau forms intracellular insoluble aggregates as a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Tau is largely unstructured, which complicates the characterization of the tau aggregation process. Recent studies have demonstrated that tau samples two distinct conformational ensembles, each of which contains the soluble and aggregation-prone states of tau. A shift to populate the aggregation-prone ensemble may promote tau fibrillization. However, the mechanism of this ensemble transition remains elusive. In this study, we explored the conformational dynamics of a tau fragment by using paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) and interference (PRI) NMR experiments. The PRE correlation map showed that tau is composed of segments consisting of residues in correlated motions. Intriguingly, residues forming the β-structures in the heparin-induced tau filament coincide with residues in these segments, suggesting that each segment behaves as a structural unit in fibrillization. PRI data demonstrated that the P301L mutation exclusively alters the transiently formed tau structures by changing the short- and long-range correlated motions among residues. The transient conformations of P301L tau expose the amyloid motif PHF6 to promote tau self-aggregation. We propose the correlated motions among residues within tau determine the population sizes of the conformational ensembles, and perturbing the correlated motions populates the aggregation-prone form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Kawasaki
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan;
| | - Shin-ichi Tate
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan;
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of the Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
- Research Center for the Mathematics on Chromatin Live Dynamics (RcMcD), Hiroshima University, 1-3-1, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-82-424-7387
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50
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Ciccone L, Shi C, di Lorenzo D, Van Baelen AC, Tonali N. The Positive Side of the Alzheimer's Disease Amyloid Cross-Interactions: The Case of the Aβ 1-42 Peptide with Tau, TTR, CysC, and ApoA1. Molecules 2020; 25:E2439. [PMID: 32456156 PMCID: PMC7288020 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25102439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents a progressive amyloidogenic disorder whose advancement is widely recognized to be connected to amyloid-β peptides and Tau aggregation. However, several other processes likely contribute to the development of AD and some of them might be related to protein-protein interactions. Amyloid aggregates usually contain not only single type of amyloid protein, but also other type of proteins and this phenomenon can be rationally explained by the process of protein cross-seeding and co-assembly. Amyloid cross-interaction is ubiquitous in amyloid fibril formation and so a better knowledge of the amyloid interactome could help to further understand the mechanisms of amyloid related diseases. In this review, we discuss about the cross-interactions of amyloid-β peptides, and in particular Aβ1-42, with other amyloids, which have been presented either as integrated part of Aβ neurotoxicity process (such as Tau) or conversely with a preventive role in AD pathogenesis by directly binding to Aβ (such as transthyretin, cystatin C and apolipoprotein A1). Particularly, we will focus on all the possible therapeutic strategies aiming to rescue the Aβ toxicity by taking inspiration from these protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Ciccone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Chenghui Shi
- CNRS, BioCIS, Université Paris-Saclay, rue Jean-Baptiste Clément 5, 92290 Châtenay-Malabry, France; (C.S.); (D.d.L.)
| | - Davide di Lorenzo
- CNRS, BioCIS, Université Paris-Saclay, rue Jean-Baptiste Clément 5, 92290 Châtenay-Malabry, France; (C.S.); (D.d.L.)
| | - Anne-Cécile Van Baelen
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), CEA, INRAE, Université Paris Saclay, SIMoS, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France;
| | - Nicolo Tonali
- CNRS, BioCIS, Université Paris-Saclay, rue Jean-Baptiste Clément 5, 92290 Châtenay-Malabry, France; (C.S.); (D.d.L.)
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