The basic helix-loop-helix region of human neurogenin 1 is a monomeric natively unfolded protein which forms a "fuzzy" complex upon DNA binding

Homodimeric and Heterodimeric Interactions among Vertebrate Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors

The basic helix–loop–helix transcription factor (bHLH TF) family is involved in tissue development, cell differentiation, and disease. These factors have transcriptionally positive, negative, and inactive functions by combining dimeric interactions among family members. The best known bHLH TFs are the E-protein homodimers and heterodimers with the tissue-specific TFs or ID proteins. These cooperative and dynamic interactions result in a complex transcriptional network that helps define the cell’s fate. Here, the reported dimeric interactions of 67 vertebrate bHLH TFs with other family members are summarized in tables, including specifications of the experimental techniques that defined the dimers. The compilation of these extensive data underscores homodimers of tissue-specific bHLH TFs as a central part of the bHLH regulatory network, with relevant positive and negative transcriptional regulatory roles. Furthermore, some sequence-specific TFs can also form transcriptionally inactive heterodimers with each other. The function, classification, and developmental role for all vertebrate bHLH TFs in four major classes are detailed.

Adenosine triphosphate energy-independently controls protein homeostasis with unique structure and diverse mechanisms

Proteins function in the crowded cellular environments with high salt concentrations, thus facing tremendous challenges of misfolding/aggregation which represents a pathological hallmark of aging and an increasing spectrum of human diseases. Recently, intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) were recognized to drive liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), a common principle for organizing cellular membraneless organelles (MLOs). ATP, the universal energy currency for all living cells, mysteriously has concentrations of 2-12 mM, much higher than required for its previously-known functions. Only recently, ATP was decoded to behave as a biological hydrotrope to inhibit protein LLPS and aggregation at mM. We further revealed that ATP also acts as a bivalent binder, which not only biphasically modulates LLPS driven by IDRs of human and viral proteins, but also bind to the conserved nucleic-acid-binding surfaces of the folded proteins. Most unexpectedly, ATP appears to act as a hydration mediator to antagonize the crowding-induced destabilization as well as to enhance folding of proteins without significant binding. Here, this review focuses on summarizing the results of these biophysical studies and discussing their implications in an evolutionary context. By linking triphosphate with unique hydration property to adenosine, ATP appears to couple the ability for establishing hydrophobic, π-π, π-cation and electrostatic interactions to the capacity in mediating hydration of proteins, which is at the heart of folding, dynamics, stability, phase separation and aggregation. Consequently, ATP acquired a category of functions at ~mM to energy-independently control protein homeostasis with diverse mechanisms, thus implying a link between cellular ATP concentrations and protein-aggregation diseases.

Remodeling of the Conformational Dynamics of Noncanonical DNA Structures by Monomeric and Aggregated α-Synuclein

Research on Parkinson's disease most often focuses on the ability of the protein α-synuclein (α-syn) to form oligomers and amyloid fibrils, and how such species promote brain death. However, there are indications that α-syn also plays a gene-regulatory role in the cell nucleus. Noncanonical tetrahelical nucleic acids, G-quadruplexes (G4Q), and i-motifs have been shown to play an important role in the control of genomic events. Using the conformation-sensitive single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer technique we show that monomeric and oligomeric α-syn affect G4Qs and i-motifs in a different way and lead to remodeling of their conformational substates. Aggregated α-syn destabilizes the G4Q leading to unfolding. In contrast, both monomeric and aggregated α-syn enhance folding of the i-motif sequence of telomeric DNA. Importantly, macromolecular crowding is able to partially rescue G4Q from unfolding.

Merkel Cell Polyomavirus and Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Viruses are the cause of approximately 15% of all human cancers. Both RNA and DNA human tumor viruses have been identified, with Merkel cell polyomavirus being the most recent one to be linked to cancer. This virus is associated with about 80% of Merkel cell carcinomas, a rare, but aggressive cutaneous malignancy. Despite its name, the cells of origin of this tumor may not be Merkel cells. This review provides an update on the structure and life cycle, cell tropism and epidemiology of the virus and its oncogenic properties. Putative strategies to prevent viral infection or treat virus-positive Merkel cell carcinoma patients are discussed.

The Significance of the Intrinsically Disordered Regions for the Functions of the bHLH Transcription Factors

The bHLH proteins are a family of eukaryotic transcription factors regulating expression of a wide range of genes involved in cell differentiation and development. They contain the Helix-Loop-Helix (HLH) domain, preceded by a stretch of basic residues, which are responsible for dimerization and binding to E-box sequences. In addition to the well-preserved DNA-binding bHLH domain, these proteins may contain various additional domains determining the specificity of performed transcriptional regulation. According to this, the family has been divided into distinct classes. Our aim was to emphasize the significance of existing disordered regions within the bHLH transcription factors for their functionality. Flexible, intrinsically disordered regions containing various motives and specific sequences allow for multiple interactions with transcription co-regulators. Also, based on in silico analysis and previous studies, we hypothesize that the bHLH proteins have a general ability to undergo spontaneous phase separation, forming or participating into liquid condensates which constitute functional centers involved in transcription regulation. We shortly introduce recent findings on the crucial role of the thermodynamically liquid-liquid driven phase separation in transcription regulation by disordered regions of regulatory proteins. We believe that further experimental studies should be performed in this field for better understanding of the mechanism of gene expression regulation (among others regarding oncogenes) by important and linked to many diseases the bHLH transcription factors.

MCPyV Large T Antigen-Induced Atonal Homolog 1 Is a Lineage-Dependency Oncogene in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Despite the fact that the transcription factor ATOH1 is a master regulator of Merkel cell development, its role in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) carcinogenesis remains controversial. Here, we provide several lines of evidence that ATOH1 is a lineage-dependent oncogene in MCC. Luciferase assays revealed binding of ATOH1 and subsequent activation to the promoter of miR-375, which is one of the most abundant microRNAs in MCCs. Overexpression of ATOH1 in variant MCC cell lines and fibroblasts induced miR-375 expression, whereas ATOH1 knockdown in classical MCC cell lines reduced miR-375 expression. Moreover, ATOH1 overexpression in these cells changed their growth characteristics from adherent to suspension and/orspheroidal growth, that is, resembling the neuroendocrine growth pattern of classical MCC cell lines. Notably, ectopic expression of different Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-derived truncated large T antigens induced ATOH1 expression in fibroblasts, which was paralleled by miR-375 expression and similar morphologic changes. In summary, MCPyV-associated carcinogenesis is likely to induce the characteristic neuroendocrine features of MCC via induction of ATOH1; thus, ATOH1 can be regarded as a lineage-dependent oncogene in MCC.

Disordered RNA chaperones can enhance nucleic acid folding via local charge screening

RNA chaperones are proteins that aid in the folding of nucleic acids, but remarkably, many of these proteins are intrinsically disordered. How can these proteins function without a well-defined three-dimensional structure? Here, we address this question by studying the hepatitis C virus core protein, a chaperone that promotes viral genome dimerization. Using single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, we find that this positively charged disordered protein facilitates the formation of compact nucleic acid conformations by acting as a flexible macromolecular counterion that locally screens repulsive electrostatic interactions with an efficiency equivalent to molar salt concentrations. The resulting compaction can bias unfolded nucleic acids towards folding, resulting in faster folding kinetics. This potentially widespread mechanism is supported by molecular simulations that rationalize the experimental findings by describing the chaperone as an unstructured polyelectrolyte.

RNA chaperones, such as the hepatitic C virus (HCV) core protein, are proteins that aid in the folding of nucleic acids. Here authors use single‐molecule spectroscopy and simulation to show that the HCV core protein acts as a flexible macromolecular counterion which facilitates nucleic acid folding.

Environment-transformable sequence-structure relationship: a general mechanism for proteotoxicity

In his Nobel Lecture, Anfinsen stated "the native conformation is determined by the totality of interatomic interactions and hence by the amino acid sequence, in a given environment." As aqueous solutions and membrane systems co-exist in cells, proteins are classified into membrane and non-membrane proteins, but whether one can transform one into the other remains unknown. Intriguingly, many well-folded non-membrane proteins are converted into "insoluble" and toxic forms by aging- or disease-associated factors, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In 2005, we discovered a previously unknown regime of proteins seemingly inconsistent with the classic "Salting-in" dogma: "insoluble" proteins including the integral membrane fragments could be solubilized in the ion-minimized water. We have thus successfully studied "insoluble" forms of ALS-causing P56S-MSP, L126Z-SOD1, nascent SOD1 and C71G-Profilin1, as well as E. coli S1 fragments. The results revealed that these "insoluble" forms are either unfolded or co-exist with their unfolded states. Most unexpectedly, these unfolded states acquire a novel capacity of interacting with membranes energetically driven by the formation of helices/loops over amphiphilic/hydrophobic regions which universally exit in proteins but are normally locked away in their folded native states. Our studies suggest that most, if not all, proteins contain segments which have the dual ability to fold into distinctive structures in aqueous and membrane environments. The abnormal membrane interaction might initiate disease and/or aging processes; and its further coupling with protein aggregation could result in radical proteotoxicity by forming inclusions composed of damaged membranous organelles and protein aggregates. Therefore, environment-transformable sequence-structure relationship may represent a general mechanism for proteotoxicity.

Conformational Plasticity of Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein Enables RNA-Induced Formation of Nucleocapsid-like Particles

Many of the unanswered questions associated with hepatitis C virus assembly are related to the core protein (HCVcp), which forms an oligomeric nucleocapsid encompassing the viral genome. The structural properties of HCVcp have been difficult to quantify, at least in part because it is an intrinsically disordered protein. We have used single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer techniques to study the conformational dimensions and dynamics of the HCVcp nucleocapsid domain (HCVncd) at various stages during the RNA-induced formation of nucleocapsid-like particles. Our results indicate that HCVncd is a typical intrinsically disordered protein. When it forms small ribonucleoprotein complexes with various RNA hairpins from the 3' end of the HCV genome, it compacts but remains intrinsically disordered and conformationally dynamic. Above a critical RNA concentration, these ribonucleoprotein complexes rapidly and cooperatively assemble into large nucleocapsid-like particles, wherein the individual HCVncd subunits become substantially more extended.

Fragment-Based NMR Study of the Conformational Dynamics in the bHLH Transcription Factor Ascl1

The Achaete-scute homolog 1 (Ascl1) protein regulates a large subset of genes that leads neuronal progenitor cells to distinctive differentiation pathways during human brain development. Although it is well known that Ascl1 binds DNA as a homo- or heterodimer via its basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) motif, little is known about the conformational sampling properties of the DNA-free full-length protein, and in particular about the bHLH domain-flanking N- and C-terminal segments, which are predicted to be highly disordered in solution. The structural heterogeneity, low solubility, and high aggregation propensity of Ascl1 in aqueous buffer solutions make high-resolution studies of this protein a challenging task. Here, we have adopted a fragment-based strategy that allowed us to obtain high-quality NMR data providing, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive high-resolution information on the structural propensities and conformational dynamics of Ascl1. The emerging picture is that of an overall extended and highly dynamic polypeptide chain comprising three helical segments and lacking persistent long-range interactions. We also show that the C-terminal helix of the bHLH domain is involved in intermolecular interactions, even in the absence of DNA. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action that govern the regulation of proneural transcription factors.

Fuzzy regions in an intrinsically disordered protein impair protein-protein interactions

Despite the partial disorder-to-order transition that intrinsically disordered proteins often undergo upon binding to their partners, a considerable amount of residual disorder may be retained in the bound form, resulting in a fuzzy complex. Fuzzy regions flanking molecular recognition elements may enable partner fishing through non-specific, transient contacts, thereby facilitating binding, but may also disfavor binding through various mechanisms. So far, few computational or experimental studies have addressed the effect of fuzzy appendages on partner recognition by intrinsically disordered proteins. In order to shed light onto this issue, we used the interaction between the intrinsically disordered C-terminal domain of the measles virus (MeV) nucleoprotein (NTAIL ) and the X domain (XD) of the viral phosphoprotein as model system. After binding to XD, the N-terminal region of NTAIL remains conspicuously disordered, with α-helical folding taking place only within a short molecular recognition element. To study the effect of the N-terminal fuzzy region on NTAIL /XD binding, we generated N-terminal truncation variants of NTAIL , and assessed their binding abilities towards XD. The results revealed that binding increases with shortening of the N-terminal fuzzy region, with this also being observed with hsp70 (another MeV NTAIL binding partner), and for the homologous NTAIL /XD pairs from the Nipah and Hendra viruses. Finally, similar results were obtained when the MeV NTAIL fuzzy region was replaced with a highly dissimilar artificial disordered sequence, supporting a sequence-independent inhibitory effect of the fuzzy region.

Fuzzy complexes: Specific binding without complete folding

Specific molecular recognition is assumed to require a well-defined set of contacts and devoid of conformational and interaction ambiguities. Growing experimental evidence demonstrates however, that structural multiplicity or dynamic disorder can be retained in protein complexes, termed as fuzziness. Fuzzy regions establish alternative contacts between specific partners usually via transient interactions. Nature often tailors the dynamic properties of these segments via post-translational modifications or alternative splicing to fine-tune affinity. Most experimentally characterized fuzzy complexes are involved in regulation of gene-expression, signal transduction and cell-cycle regulation. Fuzziness is also characteristic to viral protein complexes, cytoskeleton structure, and surprisingly in a few metabolic enzymes. A plausible role of fuzzy complexes in increasing half-life of intrinsically disordered proteins is also discussed.

Insoluble protein characterization by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)

Besides misfolded proteins, which still retain the capacity to fold into uniquely defined structures but are misled to "off-pathway" aggregation, there exists a group of proteins which are unrefoldable and insoluble in buffers. Previously no general method was available to solubilize them and consequently their solution conformations could not be characterized. Recently, we discovered that these insoluble proteins could in fact be solubilized in pure water. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) characterization led to their classification into three groups, all of which lack the tight tertiary packing and consequently anticipated to unavoidably aggregate in vivo with ~150 mM ions, thus designated as "intrinsically insoluble proteins (IIPs)." It appears that eukaryotic genomes contain many "IIP," which also have a potential to interact with membranes to trigger neurodegenerative diseases. In this chapter, we provide a detailed procedure to express and purify these proteins, followed by CD and NMR spectroscopy characterization of their conformation and interaction with dodecylphosphocholine (DPC).

Phosphorylation in intrinsically disordered regions regulates the activity of Neurogenin2

Background

Neuronal differentiation is largely under the control of basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) proneural transcription factors that play key roles during development of the embryonic nervous system. In addition to well-characterised regulation of their expression, increasing evidence is emerging for additional post-translational regulation of proneural protein activity. Of particular interest is the bHLH proneural factor Neurogenin2 (Ngn2), which orchestrates progression from neural progenitor to differentiated neuron in several regions of the central nervous system. Previous studies have demonstrated a key role for cell cycle-dependent multi-site phosphorylation of Ngn2 protein at Serine-Proline (SP) sites for regulation of its neuronal differentiation activity, although the potential structural and functional consequences of phosphorylation at different regions of the protein are unclear.

Results

Here we characterise the role of phosphorylation of specific regions of Ngn2 on the stability of Ngn2 protein and on its neuronal differentiation activity in vivo in the developing embryo, demonstrating clearly that the location of SP sites is less important than the number of SP sites available for control of Ngn2 activity in vivo. We also provide structural evidence that Ngn2 contains large, intrinsically disordered regions that undergo phosphorylation by cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks).

Conclusions

Phosphorylation of Ngn2 occurs in both the N- and C-terminal regions, either side of the conserved basic Helix-Loop-Helix domain. While these phosphorylation events do not change the intrinsic stability of Ngn2, phosphorylation on multiple sites acts to limit its ability to drive neuronal differentiation in vivo. Phosphorylated regions of Ngn2 are predicted to be intrinsically disordered and cdk-dependent phosphorylation of these intrinsically disordered regions contributes to Ngn2 regulation.

Complex domain interactions regulate stability and activity of closely related proneural transcription factors

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Although closely related, Ngn2 is rapidly degraded whereas NeuroD is stable.

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NeuroD is ubiquitylated but not degraded.

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The N-terminal domain of NeuroD confers stability.

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Conserved bHLHs of Ngn2 and NeuroD promote instability/stability respectively.

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Stability of chimeric proteins is not correlated with differentiation activity.

Characterising post-translational regulation of key transcriptional activators is crucial for understanding how cell division and differentiation are coordinated in developing organisms and cycling cells. One important mode of protein post-translational control is by regulation of half-life via ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Two key basic Helix-Loop-Helix transcription factors, Neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) and NeuroD, play central roles in development of the central nervous system but despite their homology, Ngn2 is a highly unstable protein whilst NeuroD is, by comparison, very stable. The basis for and the consequences of the difference in stability of these two structurally and functionally related proteins has not been explored. Here we see that ubiquitylation alone does not determine Ngn2 or NeuroD stability. By making chimeric proteins, we see that the N-terminus of NeuroD in particular has a stabilising effect, whilst despite their high levels of homology, the most conserved bHLH domains of these proneural proteins alone can confer significant changes in protein stability. Despite widely differing stabilities of Ngn2, NeuroD and the chimeric proteins composed of domains of both, there is little correlation between protein half-life and ability to drive neuronal differentiation. Therefore, we conclude that despite significant homology between Ngn2 and NeuroD, the regulation of their stability differs markedly and moreover, stability/instability of the proteins is not a direct correlate of their activity.

Resolving the paradox for protein aggregation diseases: NMR structure and dynamics of the membrane-embedded P56S-MSP causing ALS imply a common mechanism for aggregation-prone proteins to attack membranes

Paradoxically, aggregation of specific proteins is characteristic of many human diseases and aging, yet aggregates have increasingly been found to be unnecessary for initiating pathogenesis. Here we determined the NMR topology and dynamics of a helical mutant in a membrane environment transformed from the 125-residue cytosolic all-β MSP domain of vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAPB) by the ALS-causing P56S mutation. Despite its low hydrophobicity, the P56S major sperm protein (MSP) domain becomes largely embedded in the membrane environment with high backbone rigidity. Furthermore it is composed of five helices with amphiphilicity comparable to those of the partly-soluble membrane toxin mellitin and α-synuclein causing Parkinson's disease. Consequently, the mechanism underlying this chameleon transformation becomes clear: by disrupting the specific tertiary interaction network stabilizing the native all-β MSP fold to release previously-locked amphiphilic segments, the P56S mutation acts to convert the classic MSP fold into a membrane-active protein that is fundamentally indistinguishable from mellitin and α-synuclein which are disordered in aqueous solution but spontaneously partition into membrane interfaces driven by hydrogen-bond energetics gained from forming α-helix in the membrane environments. As segments with high amphiphilicity exist in all proteins, our study successfully resolves the paradox by deciphering that the proteins with a higher tendency to aggregate have a stronger potential to partition into membranes through the same mechanism as α-synuclein to initially attack membranes to trigger pathogenesis without needing aggregates. This might represent the common first step for various kinds of aggregated proteins to trigger familiar, sporadic and aging diseases. Therefore the homeostasis of aggregated proteins in vivo is the central factor responsible for a variety of human diseases including aging. The number and degree of the membrane attacks by aggregated proteins may act as an endogenous clock to count down the aging process. Consequently, a key approach to fight against them is to develop strategies and agents to maintain or even enhance the functions of the degradation machineries.

Resolving the paradox for protein aggregation diseases: NMR structure and dynamics of the membrane-embedded P56S-MSP causing ALS imply a common mechanism for aggregation-prone proteins to attack membranes

Paradoxically, aggregation of specific proteins is characteristic of many human diseases and aging, yet aggregates have increasingly been found to be unnecessary for initiating pathogenesis. Here we determined the NMR topology and dynamics of a helical mutant in a membrane environment transformed from the 125-residue cytosolic all-β MSP domain of vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAPB) by the ALS-causing P56S mutation. Despite its low hydrophobicity, the P56S major sperm protein (MSP) domain becomes largely embedded in the membrane environment with high backbone rigidity. Furthermore it is composed of five helices with amphiphilicity comparable to those of the partly-soluble membrane toxin mellitin and α-synuclein causing Parkinson's disease. Consequently, the mechanism underlying this chameleon transformation becomes clear: by disrupting the specific tertiary interaction network stabilizing the native all-β MSP fold to release previously-locked amphiphilic segments, the P56S mutation acts to convert the classic MSP fold into a membrane-active protein that is fundamentally indistinguishable from mellitin and α-synuclein which are disordered in aqueous solution but spontaneously partition into membrane interfaces driven by hydrogen-bond energetics gained from forming α-helix in the membrane environments. As segments with high amphiphilicity exist in all proteins, our study successfully resolves the paradox by deciphering that the proteins with a higher tendency to aggregate have a stronger potential to partition into membranes through the same mechanism as α-synuclein to initially attack membranes to trigger pathogenesis without needing aggregates. This might represent the common first step for various kinds of aggregated proteins to trigger familiar, sporadic and aging diseases. Therefore the homeostasis of aggregated proteins in vivo is the central factor responsible for a variety of human diseases including aging. The number and degree of the membrane attacks by aggregated proteins may act as an endogenous clock to count down the aging process. Consequently, a key approach to fight against them is to develop strategies and agents to maintain or even enhance the functions of the degradation machineries.

Why do proteins aggregate? "Intrinsically insoluble proteins" and "dark mediators" revealed by studies on "insoluble proteins" solubilized in pure water

In 2008, I reviewed and proposed a model for our discovery in 2005 that unrefoldable and insoluble proteins could in fact be solubilized in unsalted water. Since then, this discovery has offered us and other groups a powerful tool to characterize insoluble proteins, and we have further addressed several fundamental and disease-relevant issues associated with this discovery. Here I review these results, which are conceptualized into several novel scenarios. 1) Unlike 'misfolded proteins', which still retain the capacity to fold into well-defined structures but are misled to 'off-pathway' aggregation, unrefoldable and insoluble proteins completely lack this ability and will unavoidably aggregate in vivo with ~150 mM ions, thus designated as 'intrinsically insoluble proteins (IIPs)' here. IIPs may largely account for the 'wastefully synthesized' DRiPs identified in human cells. 2) The fact that IIPs including membrane proteins are all soluble in unsalted water, but get aggregated upon being exposed to ions, logically suggests that ions existing in the background play a central role in mediating protein aggregation, thus acting as 'dark mediators'. Our study with 14 salts confirms that IIPs lack the capacity to fold into any well-defined structures. We uncover that salts modulate protein dynamics and anions bind proteins with high selectivity and affinity, which is surprisingly masked by pre-existing ions. Accordingly, I modified my previous model. 3) Insoluble proteins interact with lipids to different degrees. Remarkably, an ALS-causing P56S mutation transforms the β-sandwich MSP domain into a helical integral membrane protein. Consequently, the number of membrane-interacting proteins might be much larger than currently recognized. To attack biological membranes may represent a common mechanism by which aggregated proteins initiate human diseases. 4) Our discovery also implies a solution to the 'chicken-and-egg paradox' for the origin of primitive membranes embedded with integral membrane proteins, if proteins originally emerged in unsalted prebiotic media.

Complex regulation controls Neurogenin3 proteolysis

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is known to be responsible for the rapid turnover of many transcription factors, where half-life is held to be critical for regulation of transcriptional activity. However, the stability of key transcriptional regulators of development is often very poorly characterised. Neurogenin 3 (Ngn3) is a basic helix–loop–helix transcription factor that plays a central role in specification and differentiation of endocrine cells of the pancreas and gut, as well as spermatogonia and regions of the brain. Here we demonstrate that Ngn3 protein stability is regulated by the ubiquitin proteasome system and that Ngn3 can be ubiquitylated on lysines, the N-terminus and, highly unusually, on non-canonical residues including cysteines and serines/threonines. Rapid turnover of Ngn3 is regulated both by binding to its heterodimeric partner E protein and by the presence of cdk inhibitors. We show that protein half-life does appear to regulate the activity of Ngn3 in vivo, but, unlike the related transcription factor c-myc, ubiquitylation on canonical sites is not a requirement for transcriptional activity of Ngn3. Hence, we characterise an important new level of Ngn3 post-translational control, which may regulate its transcriptional activity.

The bZIP dimer localizes at DNA full-sites where each basic region can alternately translocate and bind to subsites at the half-site

Crystal structures of the GCN4 bZIP (basic region/leucine zipper) with the AP-1 or CRE site show how each GCN4 basic region binds to a 4 bp cognate half-site as a single DNA target; however, this may not always fully describe how bZIP proteins interact with their target sites. Previously, we showed that the GCN4 basic region interacts with all 5 bp in half-site TTGCG (termed 5H-LR) and that 5H-LR comprises two 4 bp subsites, TTGC and TGCG, which individually are also target sites of the basic region. In this work, we explore how the basic region interacts with 5H-LR when the bZIP dimer localizes to full-sites. Using AMBER molecular modeling, we simulated GCN4 bZIP complexes with full-sites containing 5H-LR to investigate in silico the interface between the basic region and 5H-LR. We also performed in vitro investigation of bZIP-DNA interactions at a number of full-sites that contain 5H-LR versus either subsite: we analyzed results from DNase I footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and from EMSA titrations to quantify binding affinities. Our computational and experimental results together support a highly dynamic DNA-binding model: when a bZIP dimer localizes to its target full-site, the basic region can alternately recognize either subsite as a distinct target at 5H-LR and translocate between the subsites, potentially by sliding and hopping. This model provides added insights into how α-helical DNA-binding domains of transcription factors can localize to their gene regulatory sequences in vivo.

Atoh1, an essential transcription factor in neurogenesis and intestinal and inner ear development: function, regulation, and context dependency

Atoh1 (also known as Math1, Hath1, and Cath1 in mouse, human, and chicken, respectively) is a proneural basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor that is required in a variety of developmental contexts. Atoh1 is involved in differentiation of neurons, secretory cells in the gut, and mechanoreceptors including auditory hair cells. Together with the two closely related bHLH genes, Neurog1 and NeuroD1, Atoh1 regulates neurosensory development in the ear as well as neurogenesis in the cerebellum. Atoh1 activity in the cochlea is both necessary and sufficient to drive auditory hair cell differentiation, in keeping with its known role as a regulator of various genes that are markers of terminal differentiation. Atoh1 is known in other fields as an oncogene and a tumor suppressor involved in regulation of cell cycle control and apoptosis. Aberrant Atoh1 activity in adult tissue is implicated in cancer progression, specifically in medullablastoma and adenomatous polyposis carcinoma. We demonstrate through protein sequence comparison that Atoh1 contains conserved phosphorylation sites outside the bHLH domain, which may allow regulation through post-translational modification. With such diverse roles, tight regulation of Atoh1 at both the transcriptional and protein level is essential.

Selective and specific ion binding on proteins at physiologically-relevant concentrations

Insoluble proteins dissolved in unsalted water appear to have no well-folded tertiary structures. This raises a fundamental question as to whether being unstructured is due to the absence of salt ions. To address this issue, we solubilized the insoluble ephrin-B2 cytoplasmic domain in unsalted water and first confirmed using NMR spectroscopy that it is only partially folded. Using NMR HSQC titrations with 14 different salts, we further demonstrate that the addition of salt triggers no significant folding of the protein within physiologically relevant ion concentrations. We reveal however that their 8 anions bind to the ephrin-B2 protein with high affinity and specificity at biologically-relevant concentrations. Interestingly, the binding is found to be both salt- and residue-specific.

Cell cycle-regulated multi-site phosphorylation of Neurogenin 2 coordinates cell cycling with differentiation during neurogenesis

During development of the central nervous system, the transition from progenitor maintenance to differentiation is directly triggered by a lengthening of the cell cycle that occurs as development progresses. However, the mechanistic basis of this regulation is unknown. The proneural transcription factor Neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) acts as a master regulator of neuronal differentiation. Here, we demonstrate that Ngn2 is phosphorylated on multiple serine-proline sites in response to rising cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) levels. This multi-site phosphorylation results in quantitative inhibition of the ability of Ngn2 to induce neurogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, multi-site phosphorylation inhibits binding of Ngn2 to E box DNA, and inhibition of DNA binding depends on the number of phosphorylation sites available, quantitatively controlling promoter occupancy in a rheostat-like manner. Neuronal differentiation driven by a mutant of Ngn2 that cannot be phosphorylated by cdks is no longer inhibited by elevated cdk kinase levels. Additionally, phosphomutant Ngn2-driven neuronal differentiation shows a reduced requirement for the presence of cdk inhibitors. From these results, we propose a model whereby multi-site cdk-dependent phosphorylation of Ngn2 interprets cdk levels to control neuronal differentiation in response to cell cycle lengthening during development.

Dynamic protein-DNA recognition: beyond what can be seen

Traditionally, specific DNA recognition is thought to rely on static contacts with the bases or phosphates. Recent results, however, indicate that residues far outside the binding context can crucially influence selectivity or binding affinity via transient, dynamic interactions with the DNA binding interface. These regions usually do not adopt a well-defined structure, even when bound to DNA, and thus form a fuzzy complex. Here, we propose the existence of a dynamic DNA readout mechanism, wherein distant segments modulate conformational preferences, flexibility or spacing of the DNA binding motifs or serve as competitive partners. Despite their low sequence similarity, these intrinsically disordered regions are often conserved at the structural level, and exploited for regulation of the transcription machinery via protein-protein interactions, post-translational modifications or alternative splicing.

The CBS domain protein MJ0729 of Methanocaldococcus jannaschii binds DNA

The cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) domains function as regulatory motifs in several proteins. Elucidating how CBS domains exactly work is relevant because several genetic human diseases have been associated with mutations in those motifs. Here, we show, for the first time, that a CBS domain binds calf-thymus DNA and E-boxes recognized by transcription factors. We have carried out the DNA-binding characterization of the CBS domain protein MJ0729 from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii by biochemical and spectroscopic techniques. Binding induces conformational changes in the protein, and involves the sole tryptophan residue. The apparent dissociation constant for the E-boxes is ∼10 μM. These results suggest that CBS domains might interact with DNA.

The N-terminal domain of the enzyme I is a monomeric well-folded protein with a low conformational stability and residual structure in the unfolded state

The bacterial phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sugar phosphotransferase system is a multiprotein complex that phosphorylates and, concomitantly, transports carbohydrates across the membrane into the cell. The first protein of the cascade is a multidomain protein so-called enzyme I (EI). The N-terminal domain of EI from Streptomyces coelicolor, EIN(sc), responsible for the binding to the second protein in the cascade (the histidine phosphocarrier, HPr), was cloned and successfully expressed and purified. We have previously shown that EI(sc) binds to HPr(sc) with smaller affinity than other members of the EI and HPr families [Hurtado-Gómez et al. (2008) Biophys. J., 95, 1336-1348]. We think that the study of the isolated binding HPr(sc) domain, that is EIN(sc), could shed light on the small affinity value measured. Therefore, in this work we present a detailed description of the structural features of the EIN domain, as a first step towards a complete characterization of the molecular recognition process between the two proteins. We show that EIN(sc) is a folded protein, with alpha-helix and beta-sheet structures and also random-coil conformations, as shown by circular dichroism (CD), FTIR and NMR spectroscopies. The acquisition of secondary and tertiary structures, and the burial of hydrophobic regions, occurred concomitantly at acidic pHs, but at very low pH, the domain acquired a molten-globule conformation. The EIN(sc) protein was not very stable, with an apparent conformational free energy change upon unfolding, DeltaG, of 4.1 +/- 0.4 kcal mol(-1), which was pH independent in the range explored (from pH 6.0 to 8.5). The thermal denaturation midpoint, which was also pH invariant, was similar to that measured in the isolated intact EI(sc). Although EIN(sc) shows thermal- and chemical denaturations that seems to follow a two-state mechanism, there is evidence of residual structure in the chemical and thermally unfolded states, as indicated by differential scanning calorimetry and CD measurements.

Elimination of the native structure and solubility of the hVAPB MSP domain by the Pro56Ser mutation that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The Pro56Ser mutation in the human VAPB MSP domain causes a familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here we present the first structural investigation of both wild-type and Pro56Ser mutant MSP domains. The results reveal that the wild-type MSP domain is well-folded at neutral pH but can undergo acid-induced unfolding reversibly. It has a thermodynamic stability energy (DeltaG degrees (N-U)) of 7.40 kcal/mol and is also active in binding to a Nir2 peptide with a K(D) of 0.65 muM. Further determination of its crystal structure reveals that it adopts a seven-strand immunoglobulin-like beta sandwich in which Pro56 adopts the unusual cis-peptide bond conformation that appears to be critical in maintaining the characteristic S-shaped loop. Markedly, the Pro56Ser mutation renders the MSP domain insoluble in buffer. Nevertheless, as facilitated by our recent discovery that "insoluble proteins" can be solubilized in salt-free water, we have successfully characterized the residue-specific conformation of the Pro56Ser mutant by CD and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. The Pro56Ser mutant remains lacking of the native tight packing and secondary structures under various conditions and was further characterized as having a non-native helical conformation weakly populated at pH 3.5. Intriguingly, Pro12 located in another S-shaped loop also adopts the cis-peptide bond conformation, and its mutation to Ser is able to make the MSP domain highly insoluble and unfolded like the Pro56Ser mutant. Our study thus implies that the Pro56Ser mutation might lead to ALS by eliminating the native MSP structure, which consequently leads to aggregation and loss of functions under physiological conditions.