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Kulshrestha A, Punnathanam SN, Roy R, Ayappa KG. Cholesterol catalyzes unfolding in membrane-inserted motifs of the pore forming protein cytolysin A. Biophys J 2023; 122:4068-4081. [PMID: 37740492 PMCID: PMC10598289 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasma membrane-induced protein folding and conformational transitions play a central role in cellular homeostasis. Several transmembrane proteins are folded in the complex lipid milieu to acquire a specific structure and function. Bacterial pore forming toxins (PFTs) are proteins expressed by a large class of pathogenic bacteria that exploit the plasma membrane environment to efficiently undergo secondary structure changes, oligomerize, and form transmembrane pores. Unregulated pore formation causes ion imbalance, leading to cell death and infection. Determining the free energy landscape of these membrane-driven-driven transitions remains a challenging problem. Although cholesterol recognition is required for lytic activity of several proteins in the PFT family of toxins, the regulatory role of cholesterol for the α-PFT, cytolysin A expressed by Escherichia coli remains unexplained. In a recent free energy computation, we showed that the β tongue, a critical membrane-inserted motif of the ClyA toxin, has an on-pathway partially unfolded intermediate that refolds into the helix-turn-helix motif of the pore state. To understand the molecular role played by cholesterol, we carry out string-method-based computations in membranes devoid of cholesterol, which reveals an increase of ∼30 times in the free energy barrier for the loss of β sheet secondary structure when compared with membranes containing cholesterol. Specifically, the tyrosine-cholesterol interaction was found to be critical to creating the unfolded intermediate. Cholesterol also increases the packing and hydrophobicity of the bilayer, resulting in enhanced interactions of the bound protein before complete membrane insertion. Our study illustrates that cholesterol is critical to catalyzing and stabilizing the membrane-inserted unfolded state of the β tongue motif of ClyA, opening up fresh insights into cholesterol-assisted unfolding of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avijeet Kulshrestha
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Sudeep N Punnathanam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Rahul Roy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India; Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - K Ganapathy Ayappa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
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2
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New Antimicrobial Peptide with Two CRAC Motifs: Activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081538. [PMID: 36013956 PMCID: PMC9412426 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the emergence of multiple antibiotic resistance in many pathogens, the studies on new antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have become a priority scientific direction in fundamental and applied biology. Diverse mechanisms underlie the antibacterial action of AMPs. Among them are the effects that AMPs cause on bacterial cell membranes. In this work, we studied the antibacterial activity of a peptide named P4 with the following sequence RTKLWEMLVELGNMDKAVKLWRKLKR that was constructed from two alpha-helical fragments of the influenza virus protein M1 and containing two cholesterol-recognizing amino-acid consensus (CRAC) motifs. Previously we have shown that 50 μM of peptide P4 is toxic to cultured mouse macrophages. In the present work, we have found that peptide P4 inhibits the growth of E. coli and B. subtilis strains at concentrations that are significantly lower than the cytotoxic concentration that was found for macrophages. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for B. subtilis and E. coli cells were 0.07 ± 0.01 μM and 1.9 ± 0.4 μM, respectively. Scramble peptide without CRAC motifs did not inhibit the growth of E. coli cells and was not cytotoxic for macrophages but had an inhibitory effect on the growth of B. subtilis cells (IC50 0.4 ± 0.2 μM). A possible involvement of CRAC motifs and membrane sterols in the mechanism of the antimicrobial action of the P4 peptide is discussed. We assume that in the case of the Gram-negative bacterium E. coli, the mechanism of the toxic action of peptide P4 is related to the interaction of CRAC motifs with sterols that are present in the bacterial membrane, whereas in the case of the Gram-positive bacterium B. subtilis, which lacks sterols, the toxic action of peptide P4 is based on membrane permeabilization through the interaction of the peptide cationic domain and anionic lipids of the bacterial membrane. Whatever the mechanism can be, we report antimicrobial activity of the peptide P4 against the representatives of Gram-positive (B. subtilis) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria.
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3
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Kulkarni P, Leite VBP, Roy S, Bhattacharyya S, Mohanty A, Achuthan S, Singh D, Appadurai R, Rangarajan G, Weninger K, Orban J, Srivastava A, Jolly MK, Onuchic JN, Uversky VN, Salgia R. Intrinsically disordered proteins: Ensembles at the limits of Anfinsen's dogma. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2022; 3:011306. [PMID: 38505224 PMCID: PMC10903413 DOI: 10.1063/5.0080512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are proteins that lack rigid 3D structure. Hence, they are often misconceived to present a challenge to Anfinsen's dogma. However, IDPs exist as ensembles that sample a quasi-continuum of rapidly interconverting conformations and, as such, may represent proteins at the extreme limit of the Anfinsen postulate. IDPs play important biological roles and are key components of the cellular protein interaction network (PIN). Many IDPs can interconvert between disordered and ordered states as they bind to appropriate partners. Conformational dynamics of IDPs contribute to conformational noise in the cell. Thus, the dysregulation of IDPs contributes to increased noise and "promiscuous" interactions. This leads to PIN rewiring to output an appropriate response underscoring the critical role of IDPs in cellular decision making. Nonetheless, IDPs are not easily tractable experimentally. Furthermore, in the absence of a reference conformation, discerning the energy landscape representation of the weakly funneled IDPs in terms of reaction coordinates is challenging. To understand conformational dynamics in real time and decipher how IDPs recognize multiple binding partners with high specificity, several sophisticated knowledge-based and physics-based in silico sampling techniques have been developed. Here, using specific examples, we highlight recent advances in energy landscape visualization and molecular dynamics simulations to discern conformational dynamics and discuss how the conformational preferences of IDPs modulate their function, especially in phenotypic switching. Finally, we discuss recent progress in identifying small molecules targeting IDPs underscoring the potential therapeutic value of IDPs. Understanding structure and function of IDPs can not only provide new insight on cellular decision making but may also help to refine and extend Anfinsen's structure/function paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kulkarni
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA
| | - Vitor B. P. Leite
- Departamento de Física, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Susmita Roy
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Supriyo Bhattacharyya
- Translational Bioinformatics, Center for Informatics, Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA
| | - Atish Mohanty
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA
| | - Srisairam Achuthan
- Center for Informatics, Division of Research Informatics, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA
| | - Divyoj Singh
- Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Rajeswari Appadurai
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Govindan Rangarajan
- Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Keith Weninger
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | | | - Anand Srivastava
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Jose N. Onuchic
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005-1892, USA
| | | | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA
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4
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Dunina-Barkovskaya AY, Vishnyakova KS. Modulation of the Cholesterol-Dependent Activity of Macrophages IC-21 by CRAC Peptides with Substituted Motif-Forming Amino Acids. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) SUPPLEMENT. SERIES A, MEMBRANE AND CELL BIOLOGY 2020; 14:331-343. [PMID: 33288988 PMCID: PMC7709805 DOI: 10.1134/s1990747820040054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The activity of many membrane proteins, such as receptors, ionic channels, transporters, and enzymes, is cholesterol dependent; however, mechanisms of the cholesterol-dependent regulation of protein functions remain obscure. Recent studies suggest that membrane proteins can directly interact with cholesterol owing to the presence of the cholesterol-recognizing amino-acid consensus (CRAC) motifs. One of the ways to verify and further develop this notion is a design of CRAC-containing peptides and investigation of their effects on cholesterol-dependent cell functions. Previously we showed that a newly constructed peptide RTKLWEMLVELGNMDKAVKLWRKLKR (peptide P4) containing two CRAC motifs modulates cholesterol-dependent interactions of cultured macrophages IC-21 with 2-μm particles. In this work, in order to clarify the role of CRAC-forming amino acids, we employed the same experimental system to test the activity of peptides closely related to P4 but with modified CRAC motifs. We found that peptide STKLSEMLSELGNMDKASKLSRKLSR (Mut2) analogous to P4, except that all CRAC-forming amino acids (V, W, K/R) were substituted by serine, did not produce any effect in the concentration range 0.5-50 μM corresponding to the range of the P4 activity. Neither was effective peptide RTKLSEMLVELGNMDKAVKLSRKLKR (Mut3), in which only aromatic amino acids (W) of the CRAC motifs were substituted. Peptide STKLWEMLVELGNMDKAVKLWRKLSR (Mut4), in which only cationic amino acids (R/K) in the CRAC motifs were changed, produced almost the same effect as that of peptide P4 with a bell-shape dose-response curve. At low concentrations (1-4 μM) Mut4 notably increased the number of beads per cell, at higher concentrations this parameter diminished, and at 50 μM Mut4 produced a robust toxic effect. Finally, peptide EWGMAVLWERNRKLKKDLKVLKMLRT (Mut1) composed of the same amino acid residues as P4 but in a random order ("scramble") and possessing one CRAC motif, different from that in P4, produced a moderate stimulation at 4-10 μM but was not toxic at 50 μM. As in the case of peptide P4, the effects of Mut4 and Mut1 depended on the cholesterol content in the cell membrane: after the incubation of cells with cholesterol-extracting agent methyl-β-cyclodextrin stimulatory effects produced by Mut4 and Mut1 at low doses were suppressed. Our results indicate that CRAC motifs play an important role in the mechanisms of the peptide-induced modulations of cholesterol-dependent cell functions in the experimental system used and that of the three motif-forming amino acids, critical is the presence of the aromatic amino acid (W). Further research is required to comprehend the molecular mechanisms of interactions of CRAC-containing peptides with cell membrane components that lead to modulation of cell functions. We anticipate that CRAC-containing peptides may provide a basis for the development of new tools for directed regulation of the activity of target cholesterol-dependent membrane proteins and for the design of new antimicrobial and immunomodulating drugs in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Ya. Dunina-Barkovskaya
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-chemical Biology, Moscow Lomonosov State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia
| | - Kh. S. Vishnyakova
- Engelgardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119191 Moscow, Russia
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5
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Direct and indirect cholesterol effects on membrane proteins with special focus on potassium channels. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2020; 1865:158706. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2020.158706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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6
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Muller MP, Jiang T, Sun C, Lihan M, Pant S, Mahinthichaichan P, Trifan A, Tajkhorshid E. Characterization of Lipid-Protein Interactions and Lipid-Mediated Modulation of Membrane Protein Function through Molecular Simulation. Chem Rev 2019; 119:6086-6161. [PMID: 30978005 PMCID: PMC6506392 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The cellular membrane constitutes one of the most fundamental compartments of a living cell, where key processes such as selective transport of material and exchange of information between the cell and its environment are mediated by proteins that are closely associated with the membrane. The heterogeneity of lipid composition of biological membranes and the effect of lipid molecules on the structure, dynamics, and function of membrane proteins are now widely recognized. Characterization of these functionally important lipid-protein interactions with experimental techniques is however still prohibitively challenging. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations offer a powerful complementary approach with sufficient temporal and spatial resolutions to gain atomic-level structural information and energetics on lipid-protein interactions. In this review, we aim to provide a broad survey of MD simulations focusing on exploring lipid-protein interactions and characterizing lipid-modulated protein structure and dynamics that have been successful in providing novel insight into the mechanism of membrane protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie P. Muller
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- College of Medicine
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Tao Jiang
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Chang Sun
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Muyun Lihan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shashank Pant
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Paween Mahinthichaichan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Anda Trifan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- College of Medicine
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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7
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Brown AC, Boesze-Battaglia K, Balashova NV, Mas Gómez N, Speicher K, Tang HY, Duszyk ME, Lally ET. Membrane localization of the Repeats-in-Toxin (RTX) Leukotoxin (LtxA) produced by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205871. [PMID: 30335797 PMCID: PMC6193665 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The oral bacterium, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, which is associated with localized aggressive periodontitis, as well as systemic infections including endocarditis, produces numerous virulence factors, including a repeats-in-toxin (RTX) protein called leukotoxin (LtxA), which kills human immune cells. The strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans most closely associated with disease have been shown to produce the most LtxA, suggesting that LtxA plays a significant role in the virulence of this organism. LtxA, like many of the RTX toxins, can be divided into four functional domains: an N-terminal hydrophobic domain, which contains a significant fraction of hydrophobic residues and has been proposed to play a role in the membrane interaction of the toxin; the central domain, which contains two lysine residues that are the sites of post-translational acylation; the repeat domain that is characteristic of the RTX toxins, and a C-terminal domain thought to be involved in secretion. In its initial interaction with the host cell, LtxA must bind to both cholesterol and an integrin receptor, lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1). While both interactions are essential for toxicity, the domains of LtxA involved remain unknown. We therefore undertook a series of experiments, including tryptophan quenching and trypsin digestion, to characterize the structure of LtxA upon interaction with membranes of various lipid compositions. Our results demonstrate that LtxA adopts a U-shaped conformation in the membrane, with the N- and C-terminal domains residing outside of the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela C. Brown
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Nataliya V. Balashova
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Nestor Mas Gómez
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Kaye Speicher
- Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Hsin-Yao Tang
- Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Margaret E. Duszyk
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Edward T. Lally
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Monje-Galvan V, Klauda JB. Preferred Binding Mechanism of Osh4’s Amphipathic Lipid-Packing Sensor Motif, Insights from Molecular Dynamics. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:9713-9723. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b07067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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9
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Xiang Y, Halin J, Fan Z, Hu S, Wang M, Qiu L, Zhang Z, Mattjus P, Zhang Y. Topovectorial mechanisms control the juxtamembrane proteolytic processing of Nrf1 to remove its N-terminal polypeptides during maturation of the CNC-bZIP factor. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2018; 360:160-184. [PMID: 30268580 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2018.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The topobiological behaviour of Nrf1 dictates its post-translational modification and its ability to transactivate target genes. Here, we have elucidated that topovectorial mechanisms control the juxtamembrane processing of Nrf1 on the cyto/nucleoplasmic side of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), whereupon it is cleaved and degraded to remove various lengths of its N-terminal domain (NTD, also refolded into a UBL module) and acidic domain-1 (AD1) to yield multiple isoforms. Notably, an N-terminal ~12.5-kDa polypeptide of Nrf1 arises from selective cleavage at an NHB2-adjoining region within NTD, whilst other longer UBL-containing isoforms may arise from proteolytic processing of the protein within AD1 around PEST1 and Neh2L degrons. The susceptibility of Nrf1 to proteolysis is determined by dynamic repositioning of potential UBL-adjacent degrons and cleavage sites from the ER lumen through p97-driven retrotranslocation and -independent pathways into the cyto/nucleoplasm. These repositioned degrons and cleavage sites within NTD and AD1 of Nrf1 are coming into their bona fide functionality, thereby enabling it to be selectively processed by cytosolic DDI-1/2 proteases and also partiality degraded via 26S proteasomes. The resultant proteolytic processing of Nrf1 gives rise to a mature ~85-kDa CNC-bZIP transcription factor, which regulates transcriptional expression of cognate target genes. Furthermore, putative ubiquitination of Nrf1 is not a prerequisite necessary for involvement of p97 in the client processing. Overall, the regulated juxtamembrane proteolysis (RJP) of Nrf1, though occurring in close proximity to the ER, is distinctive from the mechanism that regulates the intramembrane proteolytic (RIP) processing of ATF6 and SREBP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuancai Xiang
- The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Josefin Halin
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Artillerigatan 6A, III, BioCity, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Zhuo Fan
- The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Shaofan Hu
- The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Meng Wang
- The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Lu Qiu
- The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Zhengwen Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 42 Western Common Road, G22 5PQ Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Mattjus
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Artillerigatan 6A, III, BioCity, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Yiguo Zhang
- The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China.
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10
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Dunina-Barkovskaya AY, Vishnyakova KS, Golovko AO, Arutyunyan AM, Baratova LA, Bathishchev OV, Radyukhin VA. Amphipathic CRAC-Containing Peptides Derived from the Influenza Virus A M1 Protein Modulate Cholesterol-Dependent Activity of Cultured IC-21 Macrophages. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2018; 83:982-991. [PMID: 30208834 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297918080096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Entry of many viral and bacterial pathogens into host cells depends on cholesterol and/or cholesterol-enriched domains (lipid rafts) in the cell membrane. Earlier, we showed that influenza virus A matrix protein M1 contains amphipathic α-helices with exposed cholesterol-recognizing amino acid consensus (CRAC) motifs. In order to test possible functional activity of these motifs, we studied the effects of three synthetic peptides corresponding to the CRAC-containing α-helices of the viral M1 protein on the phagocytic activity of cultured mouse IC-21 macrophages. The following peptides were used: LEVLMEWLKTR (M1 α-helix 3, a.a. 39-49; further referred to as peptide 1), NNMDKAVKLYRKLK (M1 α-helix 6, a.a. 91-105; peptide 2), and GLKNDLLENLQAYQKR (M1 α-helix 13, a.a. 228-243; peptide 3). We found that all three peptides modulated interactions of IC-21 macrophages with non-opsonized 2-µm target particles. The greatest effect was demonstrated by peptide 2: in the presence of 35 μM peptide 2, the phagocytic index of IC-21 macrophages exceeded the control value by 60%; 10-11 mM methyl-β-cyclodextrin abolished this effect. Peptides 1 and 3 exerted weak inhibitory effect in a narrow concentration range of 5-10 μM. The dose-response curves could be approximated by a sum of two (stimulatory and inhibitory) components with different Hill coefficients, suggesting existence of at least two peptide-binding sites with different affinities on the cell surface. CD spectroscopy confirmed that the peptides exhibit structural flexibility in solutions. Altogether, our data indicate that amphipathic CRAC-containing peptides derived from the viral M1 protein modulate lipid raft-dependent processes in IC-21 macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ya Dunina-Barkovskaya
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Kh S Vishnyakova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - A O Golovko
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - A M Arutyunyan
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - L A Baratova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - O V Bathishchev
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119071, Russia
| | - V A Radyukhin
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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11
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Das P, Matysiak S, Mittal J. Looking at the Disordered Proteins through the Computational Microscope. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2018; 4:534-542. [PMID: 29805999 PMCID: PMC5968442 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.7b00626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) have attracted wide interest over the past decade due to their surprising prevalence in the proteome and versatile roles in cell physiology and pathology. A large selection of IDPs has been identified as potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Characterizing the structure-function relationship of disordered proteins is therefore an essential but daunting task, as these proteins can adapt transient structure, necessitating a new paradigm for connecting structural disorder to function. Molecular simulation has emerged as a natural complement to experiments for atomic-level characterizations and mechanistic investigations of this intriguing class of proteins. The diverse range of length and time scales involved in IDP function requires performing simulations at multiple levels of resolution. In this Outlook, we focus on summarizing available simulation methods, along with a few interesting example applications. We also provide an outlook on how these simulation methods can be further improved in order to provide a more accurate description of IDP structure, binding, and assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payel Das
- IBM Thomas J.
Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, United States
- E-mail:
| | - Silvina Matysiak
- Fischell
Department of Bioengineering, University
of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Jeetain Mittal
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
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12
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Abstract
This review summarizes over a decade of investigations into how membrane-binding proteins from the HIV-1 virus interact with lipid membrane mimics various HIV and host T-cell membranes. The goal of the work was to characterize at the molecular level both the elastic and structural changes that occur due to HIV protein/membrane interactions, which could lead to new drugs to thwart the HIV virus. The main technique used to study these interactions is diffuse X-ray scattering, which yields the bending modulus, KC, as well as structural parameters such as membrane thickness, area/lipid and position of HIV peptides (parts of HIV proteins) in the membrane. Our methods also yield information about lipid chain order or disorder caused by the peptides. This review focuses on three stages of the HIV-1 life cycle: 1) infection, 2) Tat membrane transport, and 3) budding. In the infection stage, our lab studied three different parts of HIV-1 gp41 (glycoprotein 41 fusion protein): 1) FP23, the N-terminal 23 amino acids that interact non-specifically with the T-cell host membrane to cause fusion of two membranes, and its trimer version, 2) CRAC (cholesterol recognition amino acid consensus sequence), on the MPER (membrane proximal external region) near the membrane-spanning domain, and 3) LLP2 (lentiviral lytic peptide 2) on the CTT (cytoplasmic C-terminal tail). For Tat transport, we used membrane mimics of the T-cell nuclear membrane as well as simpler models that varied charge and negative curvature. For membrane budding, we varied the myristoylation of the MA31 peptide as well as the negatively charged lipid. These studies show that HIV peptides with different roles in the HIV life cycle affect differently the relevant membrane mimics. In addition, the membrane lipid composition plays an important role in the peptides' effects.
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13
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Han M, Xu J, Ren Y. Sampling conformational space of intrinsically disordered proteins in explicit solvent: Comparison between well-tempered ensemble approach and solute tempering method. J Mol Graph Model 2016; 72:136-147. [PMID: 28092832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2016.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Revised: 12/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are a class of proteins that expected to be largely unstructured under physiological conditions. Due to their heterogeneous nature, experimental characterization of IDP is challenging. Temperature replica exchange molecular dynamics (T-REMD) is a widely used enhanced sampling method to probe structural characteristics of these proteins. However, its application has been hindered due to its tremendous computational cost, especially when simulating large systems in explicit solvent. Two methods, parallel tempering well-tempered ensemble (PT-WTE) and replica exchange with solute tempering (REST), have been proposed to alleviate the computational expense of T-REMD. In this work, we select three different IDP systems to compare the sampling characteristics and efficiencies of the two methods Both the two methods could efficiently sample the conformational space of IDP and yield highly consistent results for all the three IDPs. The efficiencies of the two methods: are compatible, with about 5-6 times better than the plain T-REMD. Besides, the advantages and disadvantages of each method are also discussed. Specially, the PT-WTE method could provide temperature dependent data of the system which could not be achieved by REST, while the REST method could readily be used to a part of the system, which is quite efficient to simulate some biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengzhi Han
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ji Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Ying Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
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14
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Effect of the CRAC Peptide, VLNYYVW, on mPTP Opening in Rat Brain and Liver Mitochondria. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17122096. [PMID: 27983605 PMCID: PMC5187896 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17122096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The translocator protein (TSPO; 18 kDa) is a high-affinity cholesterol-binding protein located in the outer membrane of mitochondria. A domain in the C-terminus of TSPO was characterized as the cholesterol recognition/interaction amino acid consensus (CRAC). The ability of the CRAC domain to bind to cholesterol led us to hypothesize that this peptide may participate in the regulation of mitochondrial membrane permeability. Herein, we report the effect of the synthetic CRAC peptide, VLNYYVW, on mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening. It was found that the CRAC peptide alone prevents the mPTP from opening, as well as the release of apoptotic factors (cytochrome c, AIF, and EndoG) in rat brain mitochondria (RBM). Co-incubation of CRAC, together with the TSPO drug ligand, PK 11195, resulted in the acceleration of mPTP opening and in the increase of apoptotic factor release. VLNYYVW did not induce swelling in rat liver mitochondria (RLM). 3,17,19-androsten-5-triol (19-Atriol; an inhibitor of the cholesterol-binding activity of the CRAC peptide) alone and in combination with the peptide was able to stimulate RLM swelling, which was Ca2+- and CsA-sensitive. Additionally, a combination of 19-Atriol with 100 nM PK 11195 or with 100 µM PK 11195 displayed the opposite effect: namely, the addition of 19-Atriol with 100 µM PK 11195 in a suspension of RLM suppressed the Ca2+-induced swelling of RLM by 40%, while the presence of 100 nM PK 11195 with 19-Atriol enhanced the swelling of RLM by 60%. Taken together, these data suggest the participation of the TSPO’s CRAC domain in the regulation of permeability transition.
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15
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Koufos E, Chang EH, Rasti ES, Krueger E, Brown AC. Use of a Cholesterol Recognition Amino Acid Consensus Peptide To Inhibit Binding of a Bacterial Toxin to Cholesterol. Biochemistry 2016; 55:4787-97. [PMID: 27504950 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Recognition of and binding to cholesterol on the host cell membrane is an initial step in the mechanism of numerous pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and bacterial toxins; however, a viable method of inhibiting this interaction has not yet been uncovered. Here, we describe the mechanism by which a cholesterol recognition amino acid consensus peptide interacts with cholesterol and inhibits the activity of a cholesterol-binding bacterial leukotoxin (LtxA). Using a series of biophysical techniques, we have shown that the peptide recognizes the hydroxyl group of cholesterol with nanomolar affinity and does not disrupt membrane packing, suggesting that it sits primarily near the membrane surface. As a result, LtxA is unable to bind to cholesterol or subsequently become internalized in host cells. Additionally, because cholesterol is not being removed from the cell membrane, the peptide-treated target cells remain viable over extended periods of time. We have demonstrated the use of this peptide in the inhibition of toxin activity for an antivirulence approach to the treatment of bacterial disease, and we anticipate that this approach might have broad utility in the inhibition of viral and bacterial pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Koufos
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - En Hyung Chang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Elnaz S Rasti
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Eric Krueger
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Angela C Brown
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
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16
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Disorder-to-Order Transition of an Active-Site Loop Mediates the Allosteric Activation of Sortase A. Biophys J 2016; 109:1706-15. [PMID: 26488662 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins and intrinsically disordered regions are implicated in many biological functions and associated with many diseases, but their conformational characterizations are challenging. The disordered β6/β7 loop of Staphylococcus aureus sortase A is involved in the binding of both sorting signals and calcium. Calcium binding allosterically activates the enzyme, but the detailed mechanism has been unclear. Here we adapted the replica exchange with solute tempering method to sample the conformations of the β6/β7 loop, in apo form and in three liganded forms (bound with a sorting signal or calcium or both). The extensive molecular dynamics simulations yield atomic details of the disordered-to-order transition of the loop and suggest a mechanism for allosteric activation: calcium binding results in partial closure and ordering of the loop, thereby leading to preorganization of the binding pocket for the sorting signal. The approach has general applicability to the study of intrinsically disordered regions.
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17
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Webb JN, Koufos E, Brown AC. Inhibition of Bacterial Toxin Activity by the Nuclear Stain, DRAQ5™. J Membr Biol 2016; 249:503-11. [PMID: 27039399 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-016-9892-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The repeats-in-toxin family of toxins includes proteins produced by Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli (α-hemolysin), Bordetella pertussis (adenylate cyclase toxin), and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (LtxA), which contribute to the pathogenesis of these organisms by killing host cells. In the case of LtxA produced by A. actinomycetemcomitans, white blood cells are targeted, allowing the bacteria to avoid clearance by the host immune system. In its association with target cells, LtxA binds to a receptor, lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1, as well as membrane lipids and cholesterol, before being internalized via a lysosomal-mediated pathway. The motivation for this project comes from our discovery that DRAQ5™, a membrane-permeable nuclear stain, prevents the internalization of LtxA in a Jurkat T cell line. We hypothesized that DRAQ5™, in crossing the plasma membrane, alters the properties of the membrane to inhibit LtxA internalization. To investigate how DRAQ5™ interacts with the lipid membrane to prevent LtxA internalization, we used studied DRAQ5™-mediated membrane changes in model membranes using a variety of techniques, including differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy. Our results suggest that DRAQ5™ inhibits the activity of LtxA by decreasing the fluidity of the cellular lipid membrane, which decreases LtxA binding. These results present an interesting possible anti-virulence strategy; by altering bacterial toxin activity by modifying membrane fluidity, it may be possible to inhibit the pathogenicity of A. actinomycetemcomitans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua N Webb
- Program in Bioengineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA
| | - Evan Koufos
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University, B323 Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Drive, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA
| | - Angela C Brown
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University, B323 Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Drive, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA.
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18
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Surface force measurements and simulations of mussel-derived peptide adhesives on wet organic surfaces. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:4332-7. [PMID: 27036002 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1603065113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Translating sticky biological molecules-such as mussel foot proteins (MFPs)-into synthetic, cost-effective underwater adhesives with adjustable nano- and macroscale characteristics requires an intimate understanding of the glue's molecular interactions. To help facilitate the next generation of aqueous adhesives, we performed a combination of surface forces apparatus (SFA) measurements and replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations on a synthetic, easy to prepare, Dopa-containing peptide (MFP-3s peptide), which adheres to organic surfaces just as effectively as its wild-type protein analog. Experiments and simulations both show significant differences in peptide adsorption on CH3-terminated (hydrophobic) and OH-terminated (hydrophilic) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), where adsorption is strongest on hydrophobic SAMs because of orientationally specific interactions with Dopa. Additional umbrella-sampling simulations yield free-energy profiles that quantitatively agree with SFA measurements and are used to extract the adhesive properties of individual amino acids within the context of MFP-3s peptide adhesion, revealing a delicate balance between van der Waals, hydrophobic, and electrostatic forces.
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19
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Derler I, Jardin I, Stathopulos PB, Muik M, Fahrner M, Zayats V, Pandey SK, Poteser M, Lackner B, Absolonova M, Schindl R, Groschner K, Ettrich R, Ikura M, Romanin C. Cholesterol modulates Orai1 channel function. Sci Signal 2016; 9:ra10. [PMID: 26814231 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aad7808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
STIM1 (stromal interaction molecule 1) and Orai proteins are the essential components of Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) channels. We focused on the role of cholesterol in the regulation of STIM1-mediated Orai1 currents. Chemically induced cholesterol depletion enhanced store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) and Orai1 currents. Furthermore, cholesterol depletion in mucosal-type mast cells augmented endogenous CRAC currents, which were associated with increased degranulation, a process that requires calcium influx. Single point mutations in the Orai1 amino terminus that would be expected to abolish cholesterol binding enhanced SOCE to a similar extent as did cholesterol depletion. The increase in Orai1 activity in cells expressing these cholesterol-binding-deficient mutants occurred without affecting the amount in the plasma membrane or the coupling of STIM1 to Orai1. We detected cholesterol binding to an Orai1 amino-terminal fragment in vitro and to full-length Orai1 in cells. Thus, our data showed that Orai1 senses the amount of cholesterol in the plasma membrane and that the interaction of Orai1 with cholesterol inhibits its activity, thereby limiting SOCE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Derler
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Gruberstrasse 40, 4020 Linz, Austria.
| | - Isaac Jardin
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Gruberstrasse 40, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Peter B Stathopulos
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Martin Muik
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Gruberstrasse 40, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Marc Fahrner
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Gruberstrasse 40, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Vasilina Zayats
- Center for Nanobiology and Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, CZ-373 33 Nové Hrady, Czech Republic
| | - Saurabh K Pandey
- Center for Nanobiology and Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, CZ-373 33 Nové Hrady, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Poteser
- Institute of Biophysics, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21/4, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Barbara Lackner
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Gruberstrasse 40, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Marketa Absolonova
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Gruberstrasse 40, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Rainer Schindl
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Gruberstrasse 40, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Klaus Groschner
- Institute of Biophysics, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21/4, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Rüdiger Ettrich
- Center for Nanobiology and Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, CZ-373 33 Nové Hrady, Czech Republic
| | - Mitsu Ikura
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Christoph Romanin
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Gruberstrasse 40, 4020 Linz, Austria.
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20
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Brown AC, Koufos E, Balashova NV, Boesze-Battaglia K, Lally ET. Inhibition of LtxA toxicity by blocking cholesterol binding with peptides. Mol Oral Microbiol 2015; 31:94-105. [PMID: 26352738 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12133] [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] [Accepted: 09/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The leukotoxin (LtxA) produced by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans kills host immune cells, allowing the bacterium to establish an ecological niche in the upper aerodigestive tract of its human host. The interaction of LtxA with human immune cells is both complex and multifaceted, involving membrane lipids as well as cell-surface proteins. In the initial encounter with the host cell, LtxA associates with lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1, a cell surface adhesion glycoprotein. However, we have also demonstrated that the toxin associates strongly with the plasma membrane lipids, specifically cholesterol. This association with cholesterol is regulated by a cholesterol recognition amino acid consensus (CRAC) motif, with a sequence of (334) LEEYSKR(340), in the N-terminal region of the toxin. Here, we have demonstrated that removal of cholesterol from the plasma membrane or mutation of the LtxA CRAC motif inhibits the activity of the toxin in THP-1 cells. To inhibit LtxA activity, we designed a short peptide corresponding to the CRAC(336) motif of LtxA (CRAC(336WT)). This peptide binds to cholesterol and thereby inhibits the toxicity of LtxA in THP-1 cells. Previously, we showed that this peptide inhibits LtxA toxicity against Jn.9 (Jurkat) cells, indicating that peptides derived from the cholesterol-binding site of LtxA may have a potential clinical applicability in controlling infections of repeats-in-toxin-producing organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Brown
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - E Koufos
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - N V Balashova
- Department of Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - K Boesze-Battaglia
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - E T Lally
- Department of Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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21
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Mukai M, Krause MR, Regen SL. Peptide Recognition of Cholesterol in Fluid Phospholipid Bilayers. J Am Chem Soc 2015; 137:12518-20. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b08132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Masaru Mukai
- Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Martin R. Krause
- Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Steven L. Regen
- Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
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22
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Vitiello G, Falanga A, Petruk AA, Merlino A, Fragneto G, Paduano L, Galdiero S, D'Errico G. Fusion of raft-like lipid bilayers operated by a membranotropic domain of the HSV-type I glycoprotein gH occurs through a cholesterol-dependent mechanism. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:3003-3016. [PMID: 25734956 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm02769h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A wealth of evidence indicates that lipid rafts are involved in the fusion of the viral lipid envelope with the target cell membrane. However, the interplay between these sterol- and sphingolipid-enriched ordered domains and viral fusion glycoproteins has not yet been clarified. In this work we investigate the molecular mechanism by which a membranotropic fragment of the glycoprotein gH of the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) type I (gH625) drives fusion of lipid bilayers formed by palmitoyl oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC)-sphingomyelin (SM)-cholesterol (CHOL) (1 : 1 : 1 wt/wt/wt), focusing on the role played by each component. The comparative analysis of the liposome fusion assays, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), spectrofluorimetry, Neutron Reflectivity (NR) and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) experiments, and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations shows that CHOL is fundamental for liposome fusion to occur. In detail, CHOL stabilizes the gH625-bilayer association by specific interactions with the peptide Trp residue. The interaction with gH625 causes an increased order of the lipid acyl chains, whose local rotational motion is significantly hampered. SM plays only a minor role in the process, favoring the propagation of lipid perturbation to the bilayer inner core. The stiffening of the peptide-interacting bilayer leaflet results in an asymmetric perturbation of the membrane, which is locally destabilized thus favoring fusion events. Our results show that viral fusion glycoproteins are optimally suited to exert a high fusogenic activity on lipid rafts and support the relevance of cholesterol as a key player of membrane-related processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Vitiello
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
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23
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Grouleff J, Irudayam SJ, Skeby KK, Schiøtt B. The influence of cholesterol on membrane protein structure, function, and dynamics studied by molecular dynamics simulations. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1848:1783-95. [PMID: 25839353 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The plasma membrane, which encapsulates human cells, is composed of a complex mixture of lipids and embedded proteins. Emerging knowledge points towards the lipids as having a regulating role in protein function. Furthermore, insight from protein crystallography has revealed several different types of lipids intimately bound to membrane proteins and peptides, hereby possibly pointing to a site of action for the observed regulation. Cholesterol is among the lipid membrane constituents most often observed to be co-crystallized with membrane proteins, and the cholesterol levels in cell membranes have been found to play an essential role in health and disease. Remarkably little is known about the mechanism of lipid regulation of membrane protein function in health as well as in disease. Herein, we review molecular dynamics simulation studies aimed at investigating the effect of cholesterol on membrane protein and peptide properties. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Lipid-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Grouleff
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Sheeba Jem Irudayam
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Katrine K Skeby
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Birgit Schiøtt
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
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24
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Nierzwicki Ł, Czub J. Specific Binding of Cholesterol to the Amyloid Precursor Protein: Structure of the Complex and Driving Forces Characterized in Molecular Detail. J Phys Chem Lett 2015; 6:784-790. [PMID: 26262653 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b00197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
C99 is the C-terminal membrane-bound fragment of the amyloid precursor protein that is cleaved by γ-secretase to release Aβ peptides, the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specific interactions of C99 with cholesterol have been proposed to underlie the recognized role of cholesterol in promoting amyloidogenesis. By using molecular dynamics simulations, we studied cholesterol binding to C99 in a lipid bilayer. We determined the free-energy profile of binding and analyzed the structure of C99/cholesterol complexes in two low-energy binding modes. We also examined the complexation driving forces and found, unexpectedly, that the interactions between the GxxxG dimerization motif and the cholesterol ring system are not sufficient for binding and that further stabilization mediated by the C99 N-terminal domain is essential. Taken together, our results strongly support the view that C99 specifically binds cholesterol in the cell membrane; the detailed information on the structure and energetics of the complex may assist in the design of new anti-AD drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Nierzwicki
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza St. 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Jacek Czub
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza St. 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
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