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Jin S, Bueno C, Lu W, Wang Q, Chen M, Chen X, Wolynes PG, Gao Y. Computationally exploring the mechanism of bacteriophage T7 gp4 helicase translocating along ssDNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2202239119. [PMID: 35914145 PMCID: PMC9371691 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202239119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage T7 gp4 helicase has served as a model system for understanding mechanisms of hexameric replicative helicase translocation. The mechanistic basis of how nucleoside 5'-triphosphate hydrolysis and translocation of gp4 helicase are coupled is not fully resolved. Here, we used a thermodynamically benchmarked coarse-grained protein force field, Associative memory, Water mediated, Structure and Energy Model (AWSEM), with the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) force field 3SPN.2C to investigate gp4 translocation. We found that the adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) at the subunit interface stabilizes the subunit-subunit interaction and inhibits subunit translocation. Hydrolysis of ATP to adenosine 5'-diphosphate enables the translocation of one subunit, and new ATP binding at the new subunit interface finalizes the subunit translocation. The LoopD2 and the N-terminal primase domain provide transient protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions that facilitate the large-scale subunit movement. The simulations of gp4 helicase both validate our coarse-grained protein-ssDNA force field and elucidate the molecular basis of replicative helicase translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikai Jin
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Carlos Bueno
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Wei Lu
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Department of Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Mingchen Chen
- Department of Research and Development, neoX Biotech, Beijing 100206, China
| | - Xun Chen
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Peter G Wolynes
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Department of Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
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Del Val C, Bondar AN. Diversity and sequence motifs of the bacterial SecA protein motor. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183319. [PMID: 32335021 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
SecA is an essential component of the Sec protein secretion pathway in bacteria. Secretory proteins targeted to the Sec pathway by their N-terminal signal peptide bind to SecA, which couples binding and hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate with movement of the secretory protein across the membrane-embedded SecYEG protein translocon. The phylogenetic diversity of bacteria raises the important question as to whether the region of SecA where the pre-protein binds has conserved sequence features that might impact the reaction mechanism of SecA. To address this question we established a large data set of SecA protein sequences and implemented a protocol to cluster and analyze these sequences according to features of two of the SecA functional domains, the protein binding domain and the nucleotide-binding domain 1. We identify remarkable sequence diversity of the protein binding domain, but also conserved motifs with potential role in protein binding. The N-terminus of SecA has sequence motifs that could help anchor SecA to the membrane. The overall sequence length and net estimated charge of SecA sequences depend on the organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coral Del Val
- University of Granada, Departmrent of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, E-18071 Granada, Spain; University of Granada, Andalusian Research Institute in Data Science and Computational Intelligence, E-18071 Granada, Spain.
| | - Ana-Nicoleta Bondar
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Motions of the SecA protein motor bound to signal peptide: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1860:416-427. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Crane JM, Randall LL. The Sec System: Protein Export in Escherichia coli. EcoSal Plus 2017; 7:10.1128/ecosalplus.ESP-0002-2017. [PMID: 29165233 PMCID: PMC5807066 DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.esp-0002-2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In Escherichia coli, proteins found in the periplasm or the outer membrane are exported from the cytoplasm by the general secretory, Sec, system before they acquire stably folded structure. This dynamic process involves intricate interactions among cytoplasmic and membrane proteins, both peripheral and integral, as well as lipids. In vivo, both ATP hydrolysis and proton motive force are required. Here, we review the Sec system from the inception of the field through early 2016, including biochemical, genetic, and structural data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennine M. Crane
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Linda L. Randall
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
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Milenkovic S, Bondar AN. Mechanism of conformational coupling in SecA: Key role of hydrogen-bonding networks and water interactions. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1858:374-85. [PMID: 26607006 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Revised: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
SecA uses the energy yielded by the binding and hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to push secretory pre-proteins across the plasma membrane in bacteria. Hydrolysis of ATP occurs at the nucleotide-binding site, which contains the conserved carboxylate groups of the DEAD-box helicases. Although crystal structures provide valuable snapshots of SecA along its reaction cycle, the mechanism that ensures conformational coupling between the nucleotide-binding site and the other domains of SecA remains unclear. The observation that SecA contains numerous hydrogen-bonding groups raises important questions about the role of hydrogen-bonding networks and hydrogen-bond dynamics in long-distance conformational couplings. To address these questions, we explored the molecular dynamics of SecA from three different organisms, with and without bound nucleotide, in water. By computing two-dimensional hydrogen-bonding maps we identify networks of hydrogen bonds that connect the nucleotide-binding site to remote regions of the protein, and sites in the protein that respond to specific perturbations. We find that the nucleotide-binding site of ADP-bound SecA has a preferred geometry whereby the first two carboxylates of the DEAD motif bridge via hydrogen-bonding water. Simulations of a mutant with perturbed ATP hydrolysis highlight the water-bridged geometry as a key structural element of the reaction path.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Milenkovic
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics, Department of Physics, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ana-Nicoleta Bondar
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics, Department of Physics, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Conformational Changes of the Clamp of the Protein Translocation ATPase SecA. J Mol Biol 2015; 427:2348-59. [PMID: 25982945 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2015.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Post-translational protein translocation across the bacterial plasma membrane is mediated by the interplay of the SecA ATPase and the protein-conducting SecY channel. SecA consists of several domains, including two nucleotide-binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2), a polypeptide cross-linking domain (PPXD), a helical scaffold domain (HSD), and a helical wing domain (HWD). PPXD, HSD, and NBD2 form a clamp that positions the polypeptide substrate above the channel so that it can be pushed into the channel by a two-helix finger of the HSD. How the substrate is accommodated in the clamp during translocation is unclear. Here, we report a crystal structure of Thermotoga maritima SecA at 1.9 Å resolution. Structural analysis and free-energy calculations indicate that the new structure represents an intermediate state during the transition of the clamp from an open to a closed conformation. Molecular dynamics simulations show that closure of the clamp occurs in two phases, an initial movement of PPXD, HSD, and HWD as a unit, followed by a movement of PPXD alone toward NBD2. Simulations in the presence of a polypeptide chain show that the substrate associates with the back of the clamp by dynamic hydrogen bonding and that the clamp is laterally closed by a conserved loop of the PPXD. Mutational disruption of clamp opening or closure abolishes protein translocation. These results suggest how conformational changes of SecA allow substrate binding and movement during protein translocation.
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Skariyachan S, Pachiappan A, Joy J, Bhaduri R, Aier I, S. Vasist K. Investigating the therapeutic potential of herbal leads against drug resistantListeria monocytogenesby computational virtual screening andin vitroassays. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2015; 33:2682-94. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2015.1004110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory
F. Pirrone
- Department of Chemistry and
Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115 United States
| | - Roxana E. Iacob
- Department of Chemistry and
Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115 United States
| | - John R. Engen
- Department of Chemistry and
Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115 United States
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A novel function for the conserved glutamate residue in the walker B motif of replication factor C. Genes (Basel) 2014; 4:134-51. [PMID: 23946885 PMCID: PMC3740443 DOI: 10.3390/genes4020134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In all domains of life, sliding clamps tether DNA polymerases to DNA to increase the processivity of synthesis. Clamp loaders load clamps onto DNA in a multi-step process that requires ATP binding and hydrolysis. Like other AAA+ proteins, clamp loaders contain conserved Walker A and Walker B sequence motifs, which participate in ATP binding and hydrolysis, respectively. Mutation of the glutamate residue in Walker B motifs (or DExx-boxes) in AAA+ proteins typically reduces ATP hydrolysis by as much as a couple orders of magnitude, but has no effect on ATP binding. Here, the Walker B Glu in each of the four active ATP sites of the eukaryotic clamp loader, RFC, was mutated to Gln and Ala separately, and ATP binding- and hydrolysis-dependent activities of the quadruple mutant clamp loaders were characterized. Fluorescence-based assays were used to measure individual reaction steps required for clamp loading including clamp binding, clamp opening, DNA binding and ATP hydrolysis. Our results show that the Walker B mutations affect ATP-binding-dependent interactions of RFC with the clamp and DNA in addition to reducing ligand-dependent ATP hydrolysis activity. Here, we show that the Walker B glutamate is required for ATP-dependent ligand binding activity, a previously unknown function for this conserved Glu residue in RFC.
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Rao C V S, De Waelheyns E, Economou A, Anné J. Antibiotic targeting of the bacterial secretory pathway. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2014; 1843:1762-83. [PMID: 24534745 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2014.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Revised: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Finding new, effective antibiotics is a challenging research area driven by novel approaches required to tackle unconventional targets. In this review we focus on the bacterial protein secretion pathway as a target for eliminating or disarming pathogens. We discuss the latest developments in targeting the Sec-pathway for novel antibiotics focusing on two key components: SecA, the ATP-driven motor protein responsible for driving preproteins across the cytoplasmic membrane and the Type I signal peptidase that is responsible for the removal of the signal peptide allowing the release of the mature protein from the membrane. We take a bird's-eye view of other potential targets in the Sec-pathway as well as other Sec-dependent or Sec-independent protein secretion pathways as targets for the development of novel antibiotics. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein trafficking and secretion in bacteria. Guest Editors: Anastassios Economou and Ross Dalbey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smitha Rao C V
- Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, Rega Institute, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, O&N1, 6th floor, Herestraat 49, P.O. Box 1037, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Evelien De Waelheyns
- Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, Rega Institute, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, O&N1, 6th floor, Herestraat 49, P.O. Box 1037, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Anastassios Economou
- Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, Rega Institute, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, O&N1, 6th floor, Herestraat 49, P.O. Box 1037, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, FORTH, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1385, GR-711 10 Iraklio, Crete, Greece; Department of Biology, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1385, GR-71110 Iraklio, Crete, Greece.
| | - Jozef Anné
- Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, Rega Institute, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, O&N1, 6th floor, Herestraat 49, P.O. Box 1037, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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