Interactions of PAN's C-termini with archaeal 20S proteasome and implications for the eukaryotic proteasome-ATPase interactions

Occupancy of the HbYX hydrophobic pocket is sufficient to induce gate opening in the archaeal 20S proteasomes

Enhancing proteasome function has been a long-standing but challenging target of interest for the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, emphasizing the importance of understanding proteasome activation mechanisms. Most proteasome activator complexes use the C-terminal HbYX motif to bind and trigger gate-opening in the 20S proteasome. This study defines a critical molecular interaction in the HbYX mechanism that triggers gate opening. Here, we focus on the Hb site interaction and find it plays a surprisingly central and crucial role in driving the allosteric conformational changes that induce gate opening in the archaeal 20S. We examined the cryo-EM structure of two mutant archaeal proteasomes, αV24Y T20S and αV24F T20S. These two mutants were engineered to place a bulky aromatic residue in the HbYX hydrophobic pocket and both mutants are highly active, though their mechanisms of activation are undefined. Collectively, our findings indicate that the interaction between the Hb group of the HbYX motif and its corresponding hydrophobic pocket is sufficient to induce gate opening in a mechanistically similar way to the HbYX motif. The involved activation mechanism appears to involve expansion of this hydrophobic binding site affecting the state of the IT switch to triggering gate-opening. Furthermore, we show that the canonical αK66 residue, understood to be critical for proteasome activator binding, plays a key role in stabilizing the open gate, irrespective of activator binding. This study differentiates between the residues in the HbYX motif that support binding interactions ("YX") versus those that allosterically contribute to gate opening (Hb). The insights reported here will guide future drug development efforts, particularly in designing small molecule proteasome activators, by targeting the identified hydrophobic pocket.

High resolution structures define divergent and convergent mechanisms of archaeal proteasome activation

Considering the link between neurodegenerative diseases and impaired proteasome function, and the neuro-protective impact of enhanced proteasome activity in animal models, it's crucial to understand proteasome activation mechanisms. A hydrophobic-tyrosine-any residue (HbYX) motif on the C-termini of proteasome-activating complexes independently triggers gate-opening of the 20S core particle for protein degradation; however, the causal allosteric mechanism remains unclear. Our study employs a structurally irreducible dipeptide HbYX mimetic to investigate the allosteric mechanism of gate-opening in the archaeal proteasome. High-resolution cryo-EM structures pinpoint vital residues and conformational changes in the proteasome α-subunit implicated in HbYX-dependent activation. Using point mutations, we simulated the HbYX-bound state, providing support for our mechanistic model. We discerned four main mechanistic elements triggering gate-opening: 1) back-loop rearrangement adjacent to K66, 2) intra- and inter- α subunit conformational changes, 3) occupancy of the hydrophobic pocket, and 4) a highly conserved isoleucine-threonine pair in the 20S channel stabilizing the open and closed states, termed the "IT switch." Comparison of different complexes unveiled convergent and divergent mechanism of 20S gate-opening among HbYX-dependent and independent activators. This study delivers a detailed molecular model for HbYX-dependent 20S gate-opening, enabling the development of small molecule proteasome activators that hold promise to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

Minimal mechanistic component of HbYX-dependent proteasome activation

The implication of reduced proteasomal function in neurodegenerative diseases combined with numerous studies showing the protective effects of increasing proteasome activity in animal models justify the need to understand how the proteasome is activated for protein degradation. The C-terminal HbYX motif is present on many proteasome binding proteins and functions to tether activators to the 20S core particle. Peptides with a HbYX motif can also autonomously activate 20S gate-opening to allow protein degradation, but the underlying allosteric molecular mechanism is not clear. We designed a HbYX-like dipeptide mimetic that represents only the fundamental components of the HbYX motif to allow rigorous elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanisms of HbYX induced 20S gate-opening in the archaeal and mamalian proteasome. By generating several high-resolution cryo-EM structures (e.g. 1.9Å) we identified multiple proteasome α subunit residues involved in HbYX-dependent activation and the conformational changes involved in gate-opening. In addition, we generated mutants probing these structural findings and identified specific point mutations that strongly activate the proteasome by partially mimicking a HbYX-bound state. These structures resolve 3 novel mechanistic features that are critical for allosteric α subunit conformational changes that ultimately trigger gate-opening: 1) rearrangement of the loop adjacent to K66, 2) inter- and intra- α subunit conformational changes and 3) a pair of IT residues on the α N-terminus in the 20S channel that alternate binding sites to stabilize the open and closed states. All gate-opening mechanisms appear to converge on this "IT switch". When stimulated by the mimetic, the human 20S can degrade unfolded proteins such as tau, and prevent proteasomal inhibition by toxic soluble oligomers. Collectively, the results presented here provide a mechanistic model of HbYX-dependent 20S gate-opening and offer proof of concept for the robust potential of HbYX-like small molecules to stimulate proteasome function, which could be useful to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

A Role for the Proteasome Alpha2 Subunit N-Tail in Substrate Processing

The proteolytic active sites of the 26S proteasome are sequestered within the catalytic chamber of its 20S core particle (CP). Access to this chamber is through a narrow channel defined by the seven outer α subunits. In the resting state, the N-termini of neighboring α subunits form a gate blocking access to the channel. The attachment of the activators or regulatory particles rearranges the blocking α subunit N-termini facilitating the entry of substrates. By truncating or mutating each of the participating α N-termini, we report that whereas only a few N-termini are important for maintaining the closed gate, all seven N-termini participate in the open gate. Specifically, the open state is stabilized by a hydrogen bond between an invariant tyrosine (Y) in each subunit with a conserved aspartate (D) in its counterclockwise neighbor. The lone exception is the α1-α2 pair leaving a gap in the ring circumference. The third residue (X) of this YD(X) motif aligns with the open channel. Phenylalanine at this position in the α2 subunit comes in direct contact with the translocating substrate. Consequently, deletion of the α2 N-terminal tail attenuates proteolysis despite the appearance of an open gate state. In summary, the interlacing N-terminal YD(X) motifs regulate both the gating and translocation of the substrate.

The β-Grasp Domain of Proteasomal ATPase Mpa Makes Critical Contacts with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis 20S Core Particle to Facilitate Degradation

Mycobacterium tuberculosis possesses a Pup-proteasome system analogous to the eukaryotic ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. We have previously shown that the hexameric mycobacterial proteasome ATPase (Mpa) recruits pupylated protein substrates via interactions between amino-terminal coiled-coils in Mpa monomers and the degradation tag Pup. However, it is unclear how Mpa rings interact with a proteasome due to the presence of a carboxyl-terminal β-grasp domain unique to Mpa homologues that makes the interaction highly unstable. Here, we describe newly identified critical interactions between Mpa and 20S core proteasomes. Interestingly, the Mpa C-terminal GQYL motif binds the 20S core particle activation pocket differently than the same motif of the ATP-independent proteasome accessory factor PafE. We further found that the β-hairpin of the Mpa β-grasp domain interacts variably with the H0 helix on top of the 20S core particle via a series of ionic and hydrogen-bond interactions. Individually mutating several involved residues reduced Mpa-mediated protein degradation both in vitro and in vivo. IMPORTANCE The Pup-proteasome system in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is critical for this species to cause lethal infections in mice. Investigating the molecular mechanism of how the Mpa ATPase recruits and unfolds pupylated substrates to the 20S proteasomal core particle for degradation will be essential to fully understand how degradation is regulated, and the structural information we report may be useful for the development of new tuberculosis chemotherapies.

The YΦ motif defines the structure-activity relationships of human 20S proteasome activators

The 20S proteasome (20S) facilitates turnover of most eukaryotic proteins. Substrate entry into the 20S first requires opening of gating loops through binding of HbYX motifs that are present at the C-termini of certain proteasome activators (PAs). The HbYX motif has been predominantly characterized in the archaeal 20S, whereas little is known about the sequence preferences of the human 20S (h20S). Here, we synthesize and screen ~120 HbYX-like peptides, revealing unexpected differences from the archaeal system and defining the h20S recognition sequence as the Y-F/Y (YФ) motif. To gain further insight, we create a functional chimera of the optimized sequence, NLSYYT, fused to the model activator, PA26^E102A. A cryo-EM structure of PA26^E102A-h20S is used to identify key interactions, including non-canonical contacts and gate-opening mechanisms. Finally, we demonstrate that the YФ sequence preferences are tuned by valency, allowing multivalent PAs to sample greater sequence space. These results expand the model for termini-mediated gating and provide a template for the design of h20S activators.

The proteasome complexes, composed of 20S core particles and one or two regulatory particles (proteasome activators), degrade most eukaryotic proteins. Here, the authors identify a sequence motif and resolve its interactions mediating the activation of the human 20S proteasome.

Nanofluidic chips for cryo-EM structure determination from picoliter sample volumes

Cryogenic electron microscopy has become an essential tool for structure determination of biological macromolecules. In practice, the difficulty to reliably prepare samples with uniform ice thickness still represents a barrier for routine high-resolution imaging and limits the current throughput of the technique. We show that a nanofluidic sample support with well-defined geometry can be used to prepare cryo-EM specimens with reproducible ice thickness from picoliter sample volumes. The sample solution is contained in electron-transparent nanochannels that provide uniform thickness gradients without further optimisation and eliminate the potentially destructive air-water interface. We demonstrate the possibility to perform high-resolution structure determination with three standard protein specimens. Nanofabricated sample supports bear potential to automate the cryo-EM workflow, and to explore new frontiers for cryo-EM applications such as time-resolved imaging and high-throughput screening.

Proteasome Inhibition Is an Effective Treatment Strategy for Microsporidia Infection in Honey Bees

The microsporidia Nosema ceranae is an obligate intracellular parasite that causes honey bee mortality and contributes to colony collapse. Fumagillin is presently the only pharmacological control for N. ceranae infections in honey bees. Resistance is already emerging, and alternative controls are critically needed. Nosema spp. exhibit increased sensitivity to heat shock, a common proteotoxic stress. Thus, we hypothesized that targeting the Nosema proteasome, the major protease removing misfolded proteins, might be effective against N. ceranae infections in honey bees. Nosema genome analysis and molecular modeling revealed an unexpectedly compact proteasome apparently lacking multiple canonical subunits, but with highly conserved proteolytic active sites expected to be receptive to FDA-approved proteasome inhibitors. Indeed, N. ceranae were strikingly sensitive to pharmacological disruption of proteasome function at doses that were well tolerated by honey bees. Thus, proteasome inhibition is a novel candidate treatment strategy for microsporidia infection in honey bees.

An astonishing wealth of new proteasome homologs

Motivation

The proteasome is the main proteolytic machine for targeted protein degradation in archaea and eukaryotes. While some bacteria also possess the proteasome, most of them contain a simpler and more specialized homolog, the heat shock locus V protease. In recent years, three further homologs of the proteasome core subunits have been characterized in prokaryotes: Anbu, BPH and connectase. With the inclusion of these members, the family of proteasome-like proteins now exhibits a range of architectural and functional forms, from the canonical proteasome, a barrel-shaped protease without pronounced intrinsic substrate specificity, to the monomeric connectase, a highly specific protein ligase.

Results

We employed systematic sequence searches to show that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg so far and that beyond the hitherto known proteasome homologs lies a wealth of distantly related, uncharacterized homologs. We describe a total of 22 novel proteasome homologs in bacteria and archaea. Using sequence and structure analysis, we analyze their evolutionary history and assess structural differences that may modulate their function. With this initial description, we aim to stimulate the experimental investigation of these novel proteasome-like family members.

Availability and implementation

The protein sequences in this study are searchable in the MPI Bioinformatics Toolkit (https://toolkit.tuebingen.mpg.de) with ProtBLAST/PSI-BLAST and with HHpred (database ‘proteasome_homologs’). The following data are available at https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/t48yhff7hs/3: (i) sequence alignments for each proteasome-like homolog, (ii) the coordinates for their structural models and (iii) a cluster-map file, which can be navigated interactively in CLANS and gives direct access to all the sequences in this study.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

The mycobacterial proteasomal ATPase Mpa forms a gapped ring to engage the 20S proteasome

Although many bacterial species do not possess proteasome systems, the actinobacteria, including the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, use proteasome systems for targeted protein removal. Previous structural analyses of the mycobacterial proteasome ATPase Mpa revealed a general structural conservation with the archaeal proteasome-activating nucleotidase and eukaryotic proteasomal Rpt1–6 ATPases, such as the N-terminal coiled-coil domain, oligosaccharide-/oligonucleotide-binding domain, and ATPase domain. However, Mpa has a unique β-grasp domain that in the ADP-bound crystal structure appears to interfere with the docking to the 20S proteasome core particle (CP). Thus, it is unclear how Mpa binds to proteasome CPs. In this report, we show by cryo-EM that the Mpa hexamer in the presence of a degradation substrate and ATP forms a gapped ring, with two of its six ATPase domains being highly flexible. We found that the linkers between the oligonucleotide-binding and ATPase domains undergo conformational changes that are important for function, revealing a previously unappreciated role of the linker region in ATP hydrolysis–driven protein unfolding. We propose that this gapped ring configuration is an intermediate state that helps rearrange its β-grasp domains and activating C termini to facilitate engagement with proteasome CPs. This work provides new insights into the crucial process of how an ATPase interacts with a bacterial proteasome protease.

The proteasome and its role in the nervous system

Proteasomes are multisubunit complexes that catalyze the majority of protein degradation in mammalian cells to maintain protein homeostasis and influence the regulation of most cellular processes. The proteasome, a multicatalytic protease complex, is a ring-like structure with a narrow pore that exhibits regulated gating, enabling the selective degradation of target proteins into peptide fragments. This process of removing proteins is essential for eliminating proteins that are no longer wanted, such as unfolded or aggregated proteins. This is important for preserving cellular function relevant to brain health and disease. Recently, in the nervous system, specialized proteasomes have been shown to generate peptides with important cellular functions. These discoveries challenge the prevailing notion that proteasomes primarily operate to eliminate proteins and identify signaling-competent proteasomes. This review focuses on the structure, function, and regulation of proteasomes and sheds light on emerging areas of investigation regarding the role of proteasomes in the nervous system.

Structure, Dynamics and Function of the 26S Proteasome

The 26S proteasome is the most complex ATP-dependent protease machinery, of ~2.5 MDa mass, ubiquitously found in all eukaryotes. It selectively degrades ubiquitin-conjugated proteins and plays fundamentally indispensable roles in regulating almost all major aspects of cellular activities. To serve as the sole terminal "processor" for myriad ubiquitylation pathways, the proteasome evolved exceptional adaptability in dynamically organizing a large network of proteins, including ubiquitin receptors, shuttle factors, deubiquitinases, AAA-ATPase unfoldases, and ubiquitin ligases, to enable substrate selectivity and processing efficiency and to achieve regulation precision of a vast diversity of substrates. The inner working of the 26S proteasome is among the most sophisticated, enigmatic mechanisms of enzyme machinery in eukaryotic cells. Recent breakthroughs in three-dimensional atomic-level visualization of the 26S proteasome dynamics during polyubiquitylated substrate degradation elucidated an extensively detailed picture of its functional mechanisms, owing to progressive methodological advances associated with cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Multiple sites of ubiquitin binding in the proteasome revealed a canonical mode of ubiquitin-dependent substrate engagement. The proteasome conformation in the act of substrate deubiquitylation provided insights into how the deubiquitylating activity of RPN11 is enhanced in the holoenzyme and is coupled to substrate translocation. Intriguingly, three principal modes of coordinated ATP hydrolysis in the heterohexameric AAA-ATPase motor  were discovered to regulate intermediate functional steps of the proteasome, including ubiquitin-substrate engagement, deubiquitylation, initiation of substrate translocation and processive substrate degradation. The atomic dissection of the innermost working of the 26S proteasome opens up a new era in our understanding of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and has far-reaching implications in health and disease.

Allosteric coupling between α-rings of the 20S proteasome

Proteasomal machinery performs essential regulated protein degradation in eukaryotes. Classic proteasomes are symmetric, with a regulatory ATPase docked at each end of the cylindrical 20S. Asymmetric complexes are also present in cells, either with a single ATPase or with an ATPase and non-ATPase at two opposite ends. The mechanism that populates these different proteasomal complexes is unknown. Using archaea homologs, we construct asymmetric forms of proteasomes. We demonstrate that the gate conformation of the two opposite ends of 20S are coupled: binding one ATPase opens a gate locally, and also opens the opposite gate allosterically. Such allosteric coupling leads to cooperative binding of proteasomal ATPases to 20S and promotes formation of proteasomes symmetrically configured with two identical ATPases. It may also promote formation of asymmetric complexes with an ATPase and a non-ATPase at opposite ends. We propose that in eukaryotes a similar mechanism regulates the composition of the proteasomal population.

The 26S proteasome is a protein degradation machine composed of a 20S core particle (CP) flanked at one or both ends by a 19S ATPase regulatory particle (RP). Here the authors reconstitute asymmetric archaeal proteasomes and reveal allosteric coupling between the conformations of gates in the α-rings positioned at opposite ends of the CP, which modulates RP assembly and substrate entry.

Expanded Coverage of the 26S Proteasome Conformational Landscape Reveals Mechanisms of Peptidase Gating

The proteasome is the central protease for intracellular protein breakdown. Coordinated binding and hydrolysis of ATP by the six proteasomal ATPase subunits induces conformational changes that drive the unfolding and translocation of substrates into the proteolytic 20S core particle for degradation. Here, we combine genetic and biochemical approaches with cryo-electron microscopy and integrative modeling to dissect the relationship between individual nucleotide binding events and proteasome conformational dynamics. We demonstrate unique impacts of ATP binding by individual ATPases on the proteasome conformational distribution and report two conformational states of the proteasome suggestive of a rotary ATP hydrolysis mechanism. These structures, coupled with functional analyses, reveal key roles for the ATPases Rpt1 and Rpt6 in gating substrate entry into the core particle. This deepened knowledge of proteasome conformational dynamics reveals key elements of intersubunit communication within the proteasome and clarifies the regulation of substrate entry into the proteolytic chamber.

Characterization of the 20S proteasome of the lepidopteran, Spodoptera frugiperda

Multiple complexes of 20S proteasomes with accessory factors play an essential role in proteolysis in eukaryotic cells. In this report, several forms of 20S proteasomes from extracts of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells were separated using electrophoresis in a native polyacrylamide gel and examined for proteolytic activity in the gel and by Western blotting. Distinct proteasome bands isolated from the gel were subjected to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and identified as free core particles (CP) and complexes of CP with one or two dimers of assembly chaperones PAC1-PAC2 and activators PA28γ or PA200. In contrast to the activators PA28γ and PA200 that regulate the access of protein substrates to the internal proteolytic chamber of CP in an ATP-independent manner, the 19S regulatory particle (RP) in 26S proteasomes performs stepwise substrate unfolding and opens the chamber gate in an ATP-dependent manner. Electron microscopic analysis suggested that spontaneous dissociation of RP in isolated 26S proteasomes leaves CPs with different gate sizes related presumably to different stages in the gate opening. The primary structure of 20S proteasome subunits in Sf9 cells was determined by a search of databases and by sequencing. The protein sequences were confirmed by mass spectrometry and verified by 2D gel electrophoresis. The relative rates of sequence divergence in the evolution of 20S proteasome subunits, the assembly chaperones and activators were determined by using bioinformatics. The data confirmed the conservation of regular CP subunits and PA28γ, a more accelerated evolution of PAC2 and PA200, and especially high divergence rates of PAC1.

A Practical Review of Proteasome Pharmacology

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) degrades individual proteins in a highly regulated fashion and is responsible for the degradation of misfolded, damaged, or unneeded cellular proteins. During the past 20 years, investigators have established a critical role for the UPS in essentially every cellular process, including cell cycle progression, transcriptional regulation, genome integrity, apoptosis, immune responses, and neuronal plasticity. At the center of the UPS is the proteasome, a large and complex molecular machine containing a multicatalytic protease complex. When the efficiency of this proteostasis system is perturbed, misfolded and damaged protein aggregates can accumulate to toxic levels and cause neuronal dysfunction, which may underlie many neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, many cancers rely on robust proteasome activity for degrading tumor suppressors and cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors necessary for rapid cell division. Thus, proteasome inhibitors have proven clinically useful to treat some types of cancer, especially multiple myeloma. Numerous cellular processes rely on finely tuned proteasome function, making it a crucial target for future therapeutic intervention in many diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, cystic fibrosis, atherosclerosis, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and cancer. In this review, we discuss the structure and function of the proteasome, the mechanisms of action of different proteasome inhibitors, various techniques to evaluate proteasome function in vitro and in vivo, proteasome inhibitors in preclinical and clinical development, and the feasibility for pharmacological activation of the proteasome to potentially treat neurodegenerative disease.

Biology and Biochemistry of Bacterial Proteasomes

Proteasomes are a class of protease that carry out the degradation of a specific set of cellular proteins. While essential for eukaryotic life, proteasomes are found only in a small subset of bacterial species. In this chapter, we present the current knowledge of bacterial proteasomes, detailing the structural features and catalytic activities required to achieve proteasomal proteolysis. We describe the known mechanisms by which substrates are doomed for degradation, and highlight potential non-degradative roles for components of bacterial proteasome systems. Additionally, we highlight several pathways of microbial physiology that rely on proteasome activity. Lastly, we explain the various gaps in our understanding of bacterial proteasome function and emphasize several opportunities for further study.

Cryo-EM structures of the archaeal PAN-proteasome reveal an around-the-ring ATPase cycle

Proteasomes are ATP-dependent proteases that occur in all three domains of life, and are the principal molecular machines for the regulated degradation of intracellular proteins. The eukaryotic 26S proteasome has been extensively characterized. However, its evolutionary precursor, the archaeal proteasome–ATPase complex, remains poorly understood. The inherent instability of these primordial protein complexes has so far hindered attempts for detailed structure determination. Using cryo-EM single-particle analysis, we were able to determine the structure of an archaeal PAN-proteasome, which is a complex of the proteolytic core and the ATPase PAN (proteasome-activating nucleotidase). The structures reported here not only provide insights into the functional cycle of PAN-proteasomes, they reveal a fundamental mechanism of ATPase operation.

Proteasomes occur in all three domains of life, and are the principal molecular machines for the regulated degradation of intracellular proteins. They play key roles in the maintenance of protein homeostasis, and control vital cellular processes. While the eukaryotic 26S proteasome is extensively characterized, its putative evolutionary precursor, the archaeal proteasome, remains poorly understood. The primordial archaeal proteasome consists of a 20S proteolytic core particle (CP), and an AAA-ATPase module. This minimal complex degrades protein unassisted by non-ATPase subunits that are present in a 26S proteasome regulatory particle (RP). Using cryo-EM single-particle analysis, we determined structures of the archaeal CP in complex with the AAA-ATPase PAN (proteasome-activating nucleotidase). Five conformational states were identified, elucidating the functional cycle of PAN, and its interaction with the CP. Coexisting nucleotide states, and correlated intersubunit signaling features, coordinate rotation of the PAN-ATPase staircase, and allosterically regulate N-domain motions and CP gate opening. These findings reveal the structural basis for a sequential around-the-ring ATPase cycle, which is likely conserved in AAA-ATPases.

Proteolytic systems of archaea: slicing, dicing, and mincing in the extreme

Archaea are phylogenetically distinct from bacteria, and some of their proteolytic systems reflect this distinction. Here, the current knowledge of archaeal proteolysis is reviewed as it relates to protein metabolism, protein homeostasis, and cellular regulation including targeted proteolysis by proteasomes associated with AAA-ATPase networks and ubiquitin-like modification. Proteases and peptidases that facilitate the recycling of peptides to amino acids as well as membrane-associated and integral membrane proteases are also reviewed.

Could a Common Mechanism of Protein Degradation Impairment Underlie Many Neurodegenerative Diseases?

At the cellular level, many neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), often considered proteinopathies, are characterized by the accumulation of misfolded and damaged proteins into large insoluble aggregates. Prominent species that accumulate early and play fundamental roles in disease pathogenesis are amyloid β (Aβ) and tau in Alzheimer disease, α-synuclein (α-syn) in Parkinson disease, and polyQ-expanded huntingtin (Htt) in Huntington disease. Although significant efforts have focused on how the cell deals with these protein aggregates, why is it that these misfolded proteins are not degraded normally in the first place? A vast body of literature supports the notion that the cell's protein degradation system for individual proteins-the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS)-does not function sufficiently in many NDs. The proteasome itself has received significant focus for years due to its obvious failure to degrade misfolded proteins in ND, but no general mechanism has been uncovered. We have recently found that specific pathologically relevant oligomers can potently and directly inhibit the proteasome. What is most interesting is that the misfolded protein's primary amino acid sequence was irrelevant to its ability to inhibit. Instead, the culprit is the 3-dimensional shape of the misfolded oligomers. It turns out that many misfolded proteins in ND can take on this proteasome-impairing shape suggesting that there could be a common mechanism for UPS impairment in many NDs. The proteasome is already an important target for treating cancer, could it also be targeted to broadly treat ND?

Structure and Function of the 26S Proteasome

As the endpoint for the ubiquitin-proteasome system, the 26S proteasome is the principal proteolytic machine responsible for regulated protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. The proteasome's cellular functions range from general protein homeostasis and stress response to the control of vital processes such as cell division and signal transduction. To reliably process all the proteins presented to it in the complex cellular environment, the proteasome must combine high promiscuity with exceptional substrate selectivity. Recent structural and biochemical studies have shed new light on the many steps involved in proteasomal substrate processing, including recognition, deubiquitination, and ATP-driven translocation and unfolding. In addition, these studies revealed a complex conformational landscape that ensures proper substrate selection before the proteasome commits to processive degradation. These advances in our understanding of the proteasome's intricate machinery set the stage for future studies on how the proteasome functions as a major regulator of the eukaryotic proteome.

Structural mechanism for nucleotide-driven remodeling of the AAA-ATPase unfoldase in the activated human 26S proteasome

The proteasome is a sophisticated ATP-dependent molecular machine responsible for protein degradation in all known eukaryotic cells. It remains elusive how conformational changes of the AAA-ATPase unfoldase in the regulatory particle (RP) control the gating of the substrate–translocation channel leading to the proteolytic chamber of the core particle (CP). Here we report three alternative states of the ATP-γ-S-bound human proteasome, in which the CP gates are asymmetrically open, visualized by cryo-EM at near-atomic resolutions. At least four nucleotides are bound to the AAA-ATPase ring in these open-gate states. Variation in nucleotide binding gives rise to an axial movement of the pore loops narrowing the substrate-translation channel, which exhibit remarkable structural transitions between the spiral-staircase and saddle-shaped-circle topologies. Gate opening in the CP is thus regulated by nucleotide-driven conformational changes of the AAA-ATPase unfoldase. These findings demonstrate an elegant mechanism of allosteric coordination among sub-machines within the human proteasome holoenzyme.

The 26S proteasome consists of a core particle that is capped at each side by a regulatory particle. Here the authors present cryo-EM structures of the activated human 26S proteasome holoenzyme in three alternative open-gate states, which provides mechanistic insights into gate opening and dynamic remodeling of the substrate–translocation pathway.

A common mechanism of proteasome impairment by neurodegenerative disease-associated oligomers

Protein accumulation and aggregation with a concomitant loss of proteostasis often contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, and the ubiquitin–proteasome system plays a major role in protein degradation and proteostasis. Here, we show that three different proteins from Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease that misfold and oligomerize into a shared three-dimensional structure potently impair the proteasome. This study indicates that the shared conformation allows these oligomers to bind and inhibit the proteasome with low nanomolar affinity, impairing ubiquitin-dependent and ubiquitin-independent proteasome function in brain lysates. Detailed mechanistic analysis demonstrates that these oligomers inhibit the 20S proteasome through allosteric impairment of the substrate gate in the 20S core particle, preventing the 19S regulatory particle from injecting substrates into the degradation chamber. These results provide a novel molecular model for oligomer-driven impairment of proteasome function that is relevant to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, irrespective of the specific misfolded protein that is involved.

Disruption of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is often associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Here the authors demonstrate the existence of a general mechanism of proteasomal impairment triggered by a specific protein oligomer structure, irrespective of its protein constituent.

Proteasome substrate capture and gate opening by the accessory factor PafE from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

In all domains of life, proteasomes are gated, chambered proteases that require opening by activators to facilitate protein degradation. Twelve proteasome accessory factor E (PafE) monomers assemble into a single dodecameric ring that promotes proteolysis required for the full virulence of the human bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis Whereas the best characterized proteasome activators use ATP to deliver proteins into a proteasome, PafE does not require ATP. Here, to unravel the mechanism of PafE-mediated protein targeting and proteasome activation, we studied the interactions of PafE with native substrates, including a newly identified proteasome substrate, the ParA-like protein, Rv3213c, and with proteasome core particles. We characterized the function of a highly conserved feature in bacterial proteasome activator proteins: a glycine-glutamine-tyrosine-leucine (GQYL) motif at their C termini that is essential for stimulating proteolysis. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we found that the GQYL motif of PafE interacts with specific residues in the α subunits of the proteasome core particle to trigger gate opening and degradation. Finally, we also found that PafE rings have 40-Å openings lined with hydrophobic residues that form a chamber for capturing substrates before they are degraded, suggesting PafE has a previously unrecognized chaperone activity. In summary, we have identified the interactions between PafE and the proteasome core particle that cause conformational changes leading to the opening of the proteasome gate and have uncovered a mechanism of PafE-mediated substrate degradation. Collectively, our results provide detailed insights into the mechanism of ATP-independent proteasome degradation in bacteria.

Probing the cooperativity of Thermoplasma acidophilum proteasome core particle gating by NMR spectroscopy

The 20S proteasome core particle (20S CP) plays an integral role in cellular homeostasis by degrading proteins no longer required for function. The process is, in part, controlled via gating residues localized to the ends of the heptameric barrel-like CP structure that occlude substrate entry pores, preventing unregulated degradation of substrates that might otherwise enter the proteasome. Previously, we showed that the N-terminal residues of the α-subunits of the CP from the archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum are arranged such that, on average, two of the seven termini are localized inside the lumen of the proteasome, thereby plugging the entry pore and functioning as a gate. However, the mechanism of gating remains unclear. Using solution NMR and a labeling procedure in which a series of mixed proteasome rings are prepared such that the percentage of gate-containing subunits is varied, we address the energetics of gating and establish whether gating is a cooperative process involving the concerted action of residues from more than a single protomer. Our results establish that the intrinsic probability of a gate entering the lumen favors the in state by close to 20-fold, that entry of each gate is noncooperative, with the number of gates that can be accommodated inside the lumen a function of the substrate entry pore size and the bulkiness of the gating residues. Insight into the origin of the high affinity for the in state is obtained from spin-relaxation experiments. More generally, our approach provides an avenue for dissecting interactions of individual protomers in homo-oligomeric complexes.

Small Molecule Enhancement of 20S Proteasome Activity Targets Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

The 20S proteasome is the main protease for the degradation of oxidatively damaged and intrinsically disordered proteins. When accumulation of disordered or oxidatively damaged proteins exceeds proper clearance in neurons, imbalanced pathway signaling or aggregation occurs, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurological disorders. Screening of the NIH Clinical Collection and Prestwick libraries identified the neuroleptic agent chlorpromazine as a lead agent capable of enhancing 20S proteasome activity. Chemical manipulation of chlorpromazine abrogated its D2R receptor binding affinity while retaining its ability to enhance 20S mediated proteolysis at low micromolar concentrations. The resulting small molecule enhancers of 20S proteasome activity induced the degradation of intrinsically disordered proteins, α-synuclein, and tau but not structured proteins. These small molecule 20S agonists can serve as leads to explore the therapeutic potential of 20S activation or as new tools to provide insight into the yet unclear mechanics of 20S-gate regulation.

Crystal structure of a low molecular weight activator Blm-pep with yeast 20S proteasome - insights into the enzyme activation mechanism

Proteasomes are responsible for protein turnover in eukaryotic cells, degrading short-lived species but also removing improperly folded or oxidatively damaged ones. Dysfunction of a proteasome results in gradual accumulation of misfolded/damaged proteins, leading to their aggregation. It has been postulated that proteasome activators may facilitate removal of such aggregation-prone proteins and thus prevent development of neurodegenerative disorders. However, the discovery of pharmacologically relevant compounds is hindered by insufficient structural understanding of the activation process. In this study we provide a model peptidic activator of human proteasome and analyze the structure-activity relationship within this novel scaffold. The binding mode of the activator at the relevant pocket within the proteasome has been determined by X-ray crystallography. This crystal structure provides an important basis for rational design of pharmacological compounds. Moreover, by providing a novel insight into the proteasome gating mechanism, our results allow the commonly accepted model of proteasome regulation to be revisited.

The Logic of the 26S Proteasome

The ubiquitin proteasome pathway is responsible for most of the protein degradation in mammalian cells. Rates of degradation by this pathway have generally been assumed to be determined by rates of ubiquitylation. However, recent studies indicate that proteasome function is also tightly regulated and determines whether a ubiquitylated protein is destroyed or deubiquitylated and survives longer. This article reviews recent advances in our understanding of the proteasome's multistep ATP-dependent mechanism, its biochemical and structural features that ensure efficient proteolysis and ubiquitin recycling while preventing nonselective proteolysis, and the regulation of proteasome activity by interacting proteins and subunit modifications, especially phosphorylation.

AAA-ATPases in Protein Degradation

Proteolytic machineries containing multisubunit protease complexes and AAA-ATPases play a key role in protein quality control and the regulation of protein homeostasis. In these protein degradation machineries, the proteolytically active sites are formed by either threonines or serines which are buried inside interior cavities of cylinder-shaped complexes. In eukaryotic cells, the proteasome is the most prominent protease complex harboring AAA-ATPases. To degrade protein substrates, the gates of the axial entry ports of the protease need to be open. Gate opening is accomplished by AAA-ATPases, which form a hexameric ring flanking the entry ports of the protease. Protein substrates with unstructured domains can loop into the entry ports without the assistance of AAA-ATPases. However, folded proteins require the action of AAA-ATPases to unveil an unstructured terminus or domain. Cycles of ATP binding/hydrolysis fuel the unfolding of protein substrates which are gripped by loops lining up the central pore of the AAA-ATPase ring. The AAA-ATPases pull on the unfolded polypeptide chain for translocation into the proteolytic cavity of the protease. Conformational changes within the AAA-ATPase ring and the adjacent protease chamber create a peristaltic movement for substrate degradation. The review focuses on new technologies toward the understanding of the function and structure of AAA-ATPases to achieve substrate recognition, unfolding and translocation into proteasomes in yeast and mammalian cells and into proteasome-equivalent proteases in bacteria and archaea.

The Architecture of the Anbu Complex Reflects an Evolutionary Intermediate at the Origin of the Proteasome System

Proteasomes are self-compartmentalizing proteases that function at the core of the cellular protein degradation machinery in eukaryotes, archaea, and some bacteria. Although their evolutionary history is under debate, it is thought to be linked to that of the bacterial protease HslV and the hypothetical bacterial protease Anbu (ancestral beta subunit). Here, together with an extensive bioinformatic analysis, we present the first biophysical characterization of Anbu. Anbu forms a dodecameric complex with a unique architecture that was only accessible through the combination of X-ray crystallography and small-angle X-ray scattering. While forming continuous helices in crystals and electron microscopy preparations, refinement of sections from the crystal structure against the scattering data revealed a helical open-ring structure in solution, contrasting the ring-shaped structures of proteasome and HslV. Based on this primordial architecture and exhaustive sequence comparisons, we propose that Anbu represents an ancestral precursor at the origin of self-compartmentalization.

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The crystal structure of the bacterial proteasome homolog Anbu has been solved

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The dodecameric architecture reveals unique features compared with classical proteasomes

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Bioinformatic analysis places Anbu at the root of the proteasome family

Loss-of-Function Mutations in HspR Rescue the Growth Defect of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis Proteasome Accessory Factor E (pafE) Mutant

Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses a proteasome to degrade proteins by both ATP-dependent and -independent pathways. While much has been learned about ATP-dependent degradation, relatively little is understood about the ATP-independent pathway, which is controlled by Mycobacterium tuberculosisproteasome accessory factor E (PafE). Recently, we found that a Mycobacterium tuberculosispafE mutant has slowed growth in vitro and is sensitive to killing by heat stress. However, we did not know if these phenotypes were caused by an inability to degrade the PafE-proteasome substrate HspR (heat shock protein repressor), an inability to degrade any damaged or misfolded proteins, or a defect in another protein quality control pathway. To address this question, we characterized pafE suppressor mutants that grew similarly to pafE⁺ bacteria under normal culture conditions. All but one suppressor mutant analyzed contained mutations that inactivated HspR function, demonstrating that the slowed growth and heat shock sensitivity of a pafE mutant were caused primarily by the inability of the proteasome to degrade HspR.IMPORTANCEMycobacterium tuberculosis encodes a proteasome that is highly similar to eukaryotic proteasomes and is required for virulence. We recently discovered a proteasome cofactor, PafE, which is required for the normal growth, heat shock resistance, and full virulence of M. tuberculosis In this study, we demonstrate that PafE influences this phenotype primarily by promoting the expression of protein chaperone genes that are necessary for surviving proteotoxic stress.

Reversible phosphorylation of the 26S proteasome

The 26S proteasome at the center of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is essential for virtually all cellular processes of eukaryotes. A common misconception about the proteasome is that, once made, it remains as a static and uniform complex with spontaneous and constitutive activity for protein degradation. Recent discoveries have provided compelling evidence to support the exact opposite insomuch as the 26S proteasome undergoes dynamic and reversible phosphorylation under a variety of physiopathological conditions. In this review, we summarize the history and current understanding of proteasome phosphorylation, and advocate the idea of targeting proteasome kinases/phosphatases as a new strategy for clinical interventions of several human diseases.

Structural insights into the functional cycle of the ATPase module of the 26S proteasome

In eukaryotic cells, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is responsible for the regulated degradation of intracellular proteins. The 26S holocomplex comprises the core particle (CP), where proteolysis takes place, and one or two regulatory particles (RPs). The base of the RP is formed by a heterohexameric AAA⁺ ATPase module, which unfolds and translocates substrates into the CP. Applying single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and image classification to samples in the presence of different nucleotides and nucleotide analogs, we were able to observe four distinct conformational states (s1 to s4). The resolution of the four conformers allowed for the construction of atomic models of the AAA⁺ ATPase module as it progresses through the functional cycle. In a hitherto unobserved state (s4), the gate controlling access to the CP is open. The structures described in this study allow us to put forward a model for the 26S functional cycle driven by ATP hydrolysis.

Bacterial Proteasomes: Mechanistic and Functional Insights

Regulated proteolysis is essential for the normal physiology of all organisms. While all eukaryotes and archaea use proteasomes for protein degradation, only certain orders of bacteria have proteasomes, whose functions are likely as diverse as the species that use them. In this review, we discuss the most recent developments in the understanding of how proteins are targeted to proteasomes for degradation, including ATP-dependent and -independent mechanisms, and the roles of proteasome-dependent degradation in protein quality control and the regulation of cellular physiology. Furthermore, we explore newly established functions of proteasome system accessory factors that function independently of proteolysis.

Structural Analysis of the Bacterial Proteasome Activator Bpa in Complex with the 20S Proteasome

Mycobacterium tuberculosis harbors proteasomes that recruit substrates for degradation through an ubiquitin-like modification pathway. Recently, a non-ATPase activator termed Bpa (bacterial proteasome activator) was shown to support an alternate proteasomal degradation pathway. Here, we present the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of Bpa in complex with the 20S core particle (CP). For docking into the cryo-EM density, we solved the X-ray structure of Bpa, showing that it forms tight four-helix bundles arranged into a 12-membered ring with a 40 Å wide central pore and the C-terminal helix of each protomer protruding from the ring. The Bpa model was fitted into the cryo-EM map of the Bpa-CP complex, revealing its architecture and striking symmetry mismatch. The Bpa-CP interface was resolved to 3.5 Å, showing the interactions between the C-terminal GQYL motif of Bpa and the proteasome α-rings. This docking mode is related to the one observed for eukaryotic activators with features specific to the bacterial complex.

An atomic structure of the human 26S proteasome

We report the cryo-EM structure of the human 26S proteasome at an average resolution of 3.5 Å, allowing atomic modeling of 28 subunits in the core particle (CP) and 18 subunits in the regulatory particle (RP). The C-terminal residues of Rpt3 and Rpt5 subunits in the RP can be seen inserted into surface pockets formed between adjacent α subunits in the CP. Each of the six Rpt subunits contains a bound nucleotide, and the central gate of the CP α-ring is closed despite RP association. The six pore 1 loops in the Rpt ring are arranged similarly to a spiral staircase along the axial channel of substrate transport, which is constricted by the pore 2 loops. We also determined the cryo-EM structure of the human proteasome bound to the deubiquitinating enzyme USP14 at 4.35-Å resolution. Together, our structures provide a framework for mechanistic understanding of eukaryotic proteasome function.

Cryo-EM Data Are Superior to Contact and Interface Information in Integrative Modeling

Protein-protein interactions carry out a large variety of essential cellular processes. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is a powerful technique for the modeling of protein-protein interactions at a wide range of resolutions, and recent developments have caused a revolution in the field. At low resolution, cryo-EM maps can drive integrative modeling of the interaction, assembling existing structures into the map. Other experimental techniques can provide information on the interface or on the contacts between the monomers in the complex. This inevitably raises the question regarding which type of data is best suited to drive integrative modeling approaches. Systematic comparison of the prediction accuracy and specificity of the different integrative modeling paradigms is unavailable to date. Here, we compare EM-driven, interface-driven, and contact-driven integrative modeling paradigms. Models were generated for the protein docking benchmark using the ATTRACT docking engine and evaluated using the CAPRI two-star criterion. At 20 Å resolution, EM-driven modeling achieved a success rate of 100%, outperforming the other paradigms even with perfect interface and contact information. Therefore, even very low resolution cryo-EM data is superior in predicting heterodimeric and heterotrimeric protein assemblies. Our study demonstrates that a force field is not necessary, cryo-EM data alone is sufficient to accurately guide the monomers into place. The resulting rigid models successfully identify regions of conformational change, opening up perspectives for targeted flexible remodeling.

Thiostrepton interacts covalently with Rpt subunits of the 19S proteasome and proteasome substrates

Here, we report a novel mechanism of proteasome inhibition mediated by Thiostrepton (Thsp), which interacts covalently with Rpt subunits of the 19S proteasome and proteasome substrates. We identified Thsp in a cell-based high-throughput screen using a fluorescent reporter sensitive to degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Thiostrepton behaves as a proteasome inhibitor in several paradigms, including cell-based reporters, detection of global ubiquitination status, and proteasome-mediated labile protein degradation. In vitro, Thsp does not block the chymotrypsin activity of the 26S proteasome. In a cell-based IκBα degradation assay, Thsp is a slow inhibitor and 4 hrs of treatment achieves the same effects as MG-132 at 30 min. We show that Thsp forms covalent adducts with proteins in human cells and demonstrate their nature by mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the ability of Thsp to interact covalently with the cysteine residues is essential for its proteasome inhibitory function. We further show that a Thsp modified peptide cannot be degraded by proteasomes in vitro. Importantly, we demonstrate that Thsp binds covalently to Rpt subunits of the 19S regulatory particle and forms bridges with a proteasome substrate. Taken together, our results uncover an important role of Thsp in 19S proteasome inhibition.

An adenosine triphosphate-independent proteasome activator contributes to the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis encodes a proteasome that is highly similar to eukaryotic proteasomes and is required to cause lethal infections in animals. The only pathway known to target proteins for proteasomal degradation in bacteria is pupylation, which is functionally analogous to eukaryotic ubiquitylation. However, evidence suggests that the M. tuberculosis proteasome contributes to pupylation-independent pathways as well. To identify new proteasome cofactors that might contribute to such pathways, we isolated proteins that bound to proteasomes overproduced in M. tuberculosis and found a previously uncharacterized protein, Rv3780, which formed rings and capped M. tuberculosis proteasome core particles. Rv3780 enhanced peptide and protein degradation by proteasomes in an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-independent manner. We identified putative Rv3780-dependent proteasome substrates and found that Rv3780 promoted robust degradation of the heat shock protein repressor, HspR. Importantly, an M. tuberculosis Rv3780 mutant had a general growth defect, was sensitive to heat stress, and was attenuated for growth in mice. Collectively, these data demonstrate that ATP-independent proteasome activators are not confined to eukaryotes and can contribute to the virulence of one the world's most devastating pathogens.

2.8 Å resolution reconstruction of the Thermoplasma acidophilum 20S proteasome using cryo-electron microscopy

Recent developments in detector hardware and image-processing software have revolutionized single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) and led to a wave of near-atomic resolution (typically ∼3.3 Å) reconstructions. Reaching resolutions higher than 3 Å is a prerequisite for structure-based drug design and for cryoEM to become widely interesting to pharmaceutical industries. We report here the structure of the 700 kDa Thermoplasma acidophilum 20S proteasome (T20S), determined at 2.8 Å resolution by single-particle cryoEM. The quality of the reconstruction enables identifying the rotameric conformation adopted by some amino-acid side chains (rotamers) and resolving ordered water molecules, in agreement with the expectations for crystal structures at similar resolutions. The results described in this manuscript demonstrate that single particle cryoEM is capable of competing with X-ray crystallography for determination of protein structures of suitable quality for rational drug design.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06380.001

Proteins perform many critical tasks within cells, and to do so, they must first fold into specific shapes. Being able to visualize these shapes can help scientists to understand how proteins work, and help them create drugs that can interact with the proteins to treat diseases.

The past few years have seen the rapid development of an imaging technique called single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (or cryoEM for short), and this technique is now increasingly used to investigate protein structures. First, proteins are embedded in a thin film of non-crystalline ice by rapidly cooling to around the temperature of liquid nitrogen (below −180°C). This traps the protein in the shape it has in solution. High-energy electrons are then transmitted through the protein sample and their interaction with the atoms in the protein is recorded by a direct electron camera. The analysis of a large series of images recorded in this way can be used to determine the approximate positions of the atoms in the protein.

Previously, single-particle cryoEM techniques have not produced a detailed enough protein structure to be useful to scientists interested in drug development. By refining these techniques, Campbell, Veesler et al. have now obtained the most detailed cryoEM protein structure to date—a structure of an enzyme complex that helps get rid of proteins that are misfolded or that have become too abundant. The structure is so detailed that it reveals the shapes of some small groups of atoms that stick out from the sides of amino acids in the enzyme complex. (Amino acids are the building blocks of enzymes and all other proteins.) Moreover, the structure shows where individual water molecules are positioned around the protein.

The level of detail in the structure produced by Campbell, Veesler et al. is high enough to be useful to drug researchers. Furthermore, because only 10% of the images Campbell, Veesler et al. collected were used to produce the structure, future work will investigate whether incorporating more of the images could reveal structures in even greater detail.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06380.002

Atomic-accuracy models from 4.5-Å cryo-electron microscopy data with density-guided iterative local refinement

We describe a general approach for refining protein structure models on the basis of cryo-electron microscopy maps with near-atomic resolution. The method integrates Monte Carlo sampling with local density-guided optimization, Rosetta all-atom refinement and real-space B-factor fitting. In tests on experimental maps of three different systems with 4.5-Å resolution or better, the method consistently produced models with atomic-level accuracy largely independently of starting-model quality, and it outperformed the molecular dynamics-based MDFF method. Cross-validated model quality statistics correlated with model accuracy over the three test systems.

N-terminal α7 deletion of the proteasome 20S core particle substitutes for yeast PI31 function

The proteasome core particle (CP) is a conserved protease complex that is formed by the stacking of two outer α-rings and two inner β-rings. The α-ring is a heteroheptameric ring of subunits α1 to α7 and acts as a gate that restricts entry of substrate proteins into the catalytic cavity formed by the two abutting β-rings. The 31-kDa proteasome inhibitor (PI31) was originally identified as a protein that binds to the CP and inhibits CP activity in vitro, but accumulating evidence indicates that PI31 is required for physiological proteasome activity. To clarify the in vivo role of PI31, we examined the Saccharomyces cerevisiae PI31 ortholog Fub1. Fub1 was essential in a situation where the CP assembly chaperone Pba4 was deleted. The lethality of Δfub1 Δpba4 was suppressed by deletion of the N terminus of α7 (α7ΔN), which led to the partial activation of the CP. However, deletion of the N terminus of α3, which activates the CP more efficiently than α7ΔN by gate opening, did not suppress Δfub1 Δpba4 lethality. These results suggest that the α7 N terminus has a role in CP activation different from that of the α3 N terminus and that the role of Fub1 antagonizes a specific function of the α7 N terminus.

Emerging mechanistic insights into AAA complexes regulating proteasomal degradation

The 26S proteasome is an integral element of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and, as such, responsible for regulated degradation of proteins in eukaryotic cells. It consists of the core particle, which catalyzes the proteolysis of substrates into small peptides, and the regulatory particle, which ensures specificity for a broad range of substrates. The heart of the regulatory particle is an AAA-ATPase unfoldase, which is surrounded by non-ATPase subunits enabling substrate recognition and processing. Cryo-EM-based studies revealed the molecular architecture of the 26S proteasome and its conformational rearrangements, providing insights into substrate recognition, commitment, deubiquitylation and unfolding. The cytosol proteasomal degradation of polyubiquitylated substrates is tuned by various associating cofactors, including deubiquitylating enzymes, ubiquitin ligases, shuttling ubiquitin receptors and the AAA-ATPase Cdc48/p97. Cdc48/p97 and its cofactors function upstream of the 26S proteasome, and their modular organization exhibits some striking analogies to the regulatory particle. In archaea PAN, the closest regulatory particle homolog and Cdc48 even have overlapping functions, underscoring their intricate relationship. Here, we review recent insights into the structure and dynamics of the 26S proteasome and its associated machinery, as well as our current structural knowledge on the Cdc48/p97 and its cofactors that function in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS).

Molecular and cellular roles of PI31 (PSMF1) protein in regulation of proteasome function

We investigated molecular features and cellular roles of PI31 (PSMF1) on regulation of proteasome function. PI31 has a C-terminal HbYX (where Hb is a hydrophobic amino acid, Y is tyrosine, and X is any amino acid) motif characteristic of several proteasome activators. Peptides corresponding to the PI31 C terminus also bind to and activate the 20 S proteasome in an HbYX-dependent manner, but intact PI31protein inhibits in vitro 20 S activity. Binding to and inhibition of the proteasome by PI31 are conferred by the HbYX-containing proline-rich C-terminal domain but do not require HbYX residues. Thus, multiple regions of PI31 bind independently to the proteasome and collectively determine effects on activity. PI31 blocks the ATP-dependent in vitro assembly of 26 S proteasome from 20 S proteasome and PA700 subcomplexes but has no effect on in vitro activity of the intact 26 S proteasome. To determine the physiologic significance of these in vitro effects, we assessed multiple aspects of cellular proteasome content and function after altering PI31 levels. We detected no change in overall cellular proteasome content or function when PI31 levels were either increased by moderate ectopic overexpression or decreased by RNA interference (RNAi). We also failed to identify a role of PI31 ADP-ribosylation as a mechanism for regulation of overall 26 S proteasome content and function, as recently proposed. Thus, despite its in vitro effects on various proteasome activities and its structural relationship to established proteasome regulators, cellular roles and mechanisms of PI31 in regulation of proteasome function remain unclear and require future definition.

Architecture and assembly of the archaeal Cdc48*20S proteasome

ATP-dependent proteases maintain protein quality control and regulate diverse intracellular functions. Proteasomes are primarily responsible for these tasks in the archaeal and eukaryotic domains of life. Even the simplest of these proteases function as large complexes, consisting of the 20S peptidase, a barrel-like structure composed of four heptameric rings, and one or two AAA+ (ATPase associated with a variety of cellular activities) ring hexamers, which use cycles of ATP binding and hydrolysis to unfold and translocate substrates into the 20S proteolytic chamber. Understanding how the AAA+ and 20S components of these enzymes interact and collaborate to execute protein degradation is important, but the highly dynamic nature of prokaryotic proteasomes has hampered structural characterization. Here, we use electron microscopy to determine the architecture of an archaeal Cdc48 ⋅ 20S proteasome, which we stabilized by site-specific cross-linking. This complex displays coaxial alignment of Cdc48 and 20S and is enzymatically active, demonstrating that AAA+ unfoldase wobbling with respect to 20S is not required for function. In the complex, the N-terminal domain of Cdc48, which regulates ATP hydrolysis and degradation, packs against the D1 ring of Cdc48 in a coplanar fashion, constraining mechanisms by which the N-terminal domain alters 20S affinity and degradation activity.

Structural and biochemical properties of an extreme 'salt-loving' proteasome activating nucleotidase from the archaeon Haloferax volcanii

In eukaryotes, the 26S proteasome degrades ubiquitinylated proteins in an ATP-dependent manner. Archaea mediate a form of post-translational modification of proteins termed sampylation that resembles ubiquitinylation. Sampylation was identified in Haloferax volcanii, a moderate halophilic archaeon that synthesizes homologs of 26S proteasome subunits including 20S core particles and regulatory particle triple-A ATPases (Rpt)-like proteasome-associated nucleotidases (PAN-A/1 and PAN-B/2). To determine whether sampylated proteins associate with the Rpt subunit homologs, PAN-A/1 was purified to homogeneity from Hfx. volcanii and analyzed for its subunit stoichiometry, nucleotide-hydrolyzing activity and binding to sampylated protein targets. PAN-A/1 was found to be associated as a dodecamer (630 kDa) with a configuration in TEM suggesting a complex of two stacked hexameric rings. PAN-A/1 had high affinity for ATP (K m of ~0.44 mM) and hydrolyzed this nucleotide with a specific activity of 0.33 ± 0.1 μmol Pi/h per mg protein and maximum at 42 °C. PAN-A1 was stabilized by 2 M salt with a decrease in activity at lower concentrations of salt that correlated with dissociation of the dodecamer into trimers to monomers. Binding of PAN-A/1 to a sampylated protein was demonstrated by modification of a far Western blotting technique (derived from the standard Western blot method to detect protein-protein interaction in vitro) for halophilic proteins. Overall, our results support a model in which sampylated proteins associate with the PAN-A/1 AAA+ ATPase in proteasome-mediated proteolysis and/or protein remodeling and provide a method for assay of halophilic protein-protein interactions.

Influence of electron dose rate on electron counting images recorded with the K2 camera

A recent technological breakthrough in electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) is the development of direct electron detection cameras for data acquisition. By bypassing the traditional phosphor scintillator and fiber optic coupling, these cameras have greatly enhanced sensitivity and detective quantum efficiency (DQE). Of the three currently available commercial cameras, the Gatan K2 Summit was designed specifically for counting individual electron events. Counting further enhances the DQE, allows for practical doubling of detector resolution and eliminates noise arising from the variable deposition of energy by each primary electron. While counting has many advantages, undercounting of electrons happens when more than one electron strikes the same area of the detector within the analog readout period (coincidence loss), which influences image quality. In this work, we characterized the K2 Summit in electron counting mode, and studied the relationship of dose rate and coincidence loss and its influence on the quality of counted images. We found that coincidence loss reduces low frequency amplitudes but has no significant influence on the signal-to-noise ratio of the recorded image. It also has little influence on high frequency signals. Images of frozen hydrated archaeal 20S proteasome (~700 kDa, D7 symmetry) recorded at the optimal dose rate retained both high-resolution signal and low-resolution contrast and enabled calculating a 3.6 Å three-dimensional reconstruction from only 10,000 particles.