1
|
Roopnarine O, Thomas DD. Structural Dynamics of Protein Interactions Using Site-Directed Spin Labeling of Cysteines to Measure Distances and Rotational Dynamics with EPR Spectroscopy. APPLIED MAGNETIC RESONANCE 2024; 55:79-100. [PMID: 38371230 PMCID: PMC10868710 DOI: 10.1007/s00723-023-01623-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Here we review applications of site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) with engineered cysteines in proteins, to study the structural dynamics of muscle and non-muscle proteins, using and developing the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic techniques of dipolar EPR, double electron electron resonance (DEER), saturation transfer EPR (STEPR), and orientation measured by EPR. The SDSL technology pioneered by Wayne Hubbell and collaborators has greatly expanded the use of EPR, including the measurement of distances between spin labels covalently attached to proteins and peptides. The Thomas lab and collaborators have applied these techniques to elucidate dynamic interactions in the myosin-actin complex, myosin-binding protein C, calmodulin, ryanodine receptor, phospholamban, utrophin, dystrophin, β-III-spectrin, and Aurora kinase. The ability to design and engineer cysteines in proteins for site-directed covalent labeling has enabled the use of these powerful EPR techniques to measure distances, while showing that they are complementary with optical spectroscopy measurements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Osha Roopnarine
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - David D. Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Khan RH, Ahammad T, Sahu ID, Rotich NC, Daufel A, Lorigan GA. Determining the helical tilt angle and dynamic properties of the transmembrane domains of pinholin S 2168 using mechanical alignment EPR spectroscopy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2023; 1865:184154. [PMID: 37023970 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2023.184154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
The lytic cycle of bacteriophage φ21 for the infected E. coli is initiated by pinholin S21, which determines the timing of host cell lysis through the function of pinholin (S2168) and antipinholin (S2171). The activity of pinholin or antipinholin directly depends on the function of two transmembrane domains (TMDs) within the membrane. For active pinholin, TMD1 externalizes and lies on the surface while TMD2 remains incorporated inside the membrane forming the lining of the small pinhole. In this study, spin labeled pinholin TMDs were incorporated separately into mechanically aligned POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine) lipid bilayers and investigated with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to determine the topology of both TMD1 and TMD2 with respect to the lipid bilayer; the TOAC (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-N-oxyl-4-amino-4-carboxylic acid) spin label was used here because it attaches to the backbone of a peptide and is very rigid. TMD2 was found to be nearly colinear with the bilayer normal (n) with a helical tilt angle of 16 ± 4° while TMD1 lies on or near the surface with a helical tilt angle of 84 ± 4°. The order parameters (~0.6 for both TMDs) obtained from our alignment study were reasonable, which indicates the samples incorporated inside the membrane were well aligned with respect to the magnetic field (B0). The data obtained from this study supports previous findings on pinholin: TMD1 partially externalizes from the lipid bilayer and interacts with the membrane surface, whereas TMD2 remains buried in the lipid bilayer in the active conformation of pinholin S2168. In this study, the helical tilt angle of TMD1 was measured for the first time. For TMD2 our experimental data corroborates the findings of the previously reported helical tilt angle by the Ulrich group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rasal H Khan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - Tanbir Ahammad
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - Indra D Sahu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA; Natural Science Division, Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, KY 42718, USA
| | - Nancy C Rotich
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - Andrew Daufel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - Gary A Lorigan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sarcolipin Exhibits Abundant RNA Transcription and Minimal Protein Expression in Horse Gluteal Muscle. Vet Sci 2020; 7:vetsci7040178. [PMID: 33202832 PMCID: PMC7711957 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7040178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Ca2+ regulation in equine muscle is important for horse performance, yet little is known about this species-specific regulation. We reported recently that horse encode unique gene and protein sequences for the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-transporting ATPase (SERCA) and the regulatory subunit sarcolipin (SLN). Here we quantified gene transcription and protein expression of SERCA and its inhibitory peptides in horse gluteus, as compared to commonly-studied rabbit skeletal muscle. RNA sequencing and protein immunoblotting determined that horse gluteus expresses the ATP2A1 gene (SERCA1) as the predominant SR Ca2+-ATPase isoform and the SLN gene as the most-abundant SERCA inhibitory peptide, as also found in rabbit skeletal muscle. Equine muscle expresses an insignificant level of phospholamban (PLN), another key SERCA inhibitory peptide expressed commonly in a variety of mammalian striated muscles. Surprisingly in horse, the RNA transcript ratio of SLN-to-ATP2A1 is an order of magnitude higher than in rabbit, while the corresponding protein expression ratio is an order of magnitude lower than in rabbit. Thus, SLN is not efficiently translated or maintained as a stable protein in horse muscle, suggesting a non-coding role for supra-abundant SLN mRNA. We propose that the lack of SLN and PLN inhibition of SERCA activity in equine muscle is an evolutionary adaptation that potentiates Ca2+ cycling and muscle contractility in a prey species domestically selected for speed.
Collapse
|
4
|
Aguayo-Ortiz R, Fernández-de Gortari E, Espinoza-Fonseca LM. Conserved Luminal C-Terminal Domain Dynamically Controls Interdomain Communication in Sarcolipin. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:3985-3991. [PMID: 32668157 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sarcolipin (SLN) mediates Ca2+ transport and metabolism in muscle by regulating the activity of the Ca2+ pump SERCA. SLN has a conserved luminal C-terminal domain that contributes to its functional divergence among homologous SERCA regulators, but the precise mechanistic role of this domain remains poorly understood. We used all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of SLN totaling 77.5 μs to show that the N- (NT) and C-terminal (CT) domains function in concert. Analysis of the MD simulations showed that serial deletions of the SLN C-terminus do not affect the stability of the peptide nor induce dissociation of SLN from the membrane but promote a gradual decrease in both the tilt angle of the transmembrane helix and the local thickness of the lipid bilayer. Mutual information analysis showed that the NT and CT domains communicate with each other in SLN and that interdomain communication is partially or completely abolished upon deletion of the conserved segment Tyr29-Tyr31 as well as by serial deletions beyond this domain. Phosphorylation of SLN at residue Thr5 also induces changes in the communication between the CT and NT domains, which thus provides additional evidence for interdomain communication within SLN. We found that interdomain communication is independent of the force field used and lipid composition, which thus demonstrates that communication between the NT and CT domains is an intrinsic functional feature of SLN. We propose the novel hypothesis that the conserved C-terminus is an essential element required for dynamic control of SLN regulatory function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Aguayo-Ortiz
- Center for Arrhythmia Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Eli Fernández-de Gortari
- Center for Arrhythmia Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - L Michel Espinoza-Fonseca
- Center for Arrhythmia Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lindemann WR, Mijalis AJ, Alonso JL, Borbat PP, Freed JH, Arnaout MA, Pentelute BL, Ortony JH. Conformational Dynamics in Extended RGD-Containing Peptides. Biomacromolecules 2020; 21:2786-2794. [PMID: 32469507 PMCID: PMC7388056 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
RGD is a prolific example of a tripeptide used in biomaterials for cell adhesion, but the potency of free or surface-bound RGD tripeptide is orders-of-magnitude less than the RGD domain within natural proteins. We designed a set of peptides with varying lengths, composed of fragments of fibronectin protein whose central three residues are RGD, in order to vary their conformational behavior without changing the binding site's chemical environment. With these peptides, we measure the conformational dynamics and transient structure of the active site. Our studies reveal how flanking residues affect conformational behavior and integrin binding. We find that disorder of the binding site is important to the potency of RGD peptides and that transient hydrogen bonding near the RGD site affects both the energy landscape roughness of the peptides and peptide binding. This phenomenon is independent of longer-range folding interactions and helps explain why short binding sequences, including RGD itself, do not fully replicate the integrin-targeting properties of extracellular matrix proteins. Our studies reinforce that peptide binding is a holistic event and fragments larger than those directly involved in binding should be considered in the design of peptide epitopes for functional biomaterials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William R Lindemann
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Alexander J Mijalis
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - José L Alonso
- Leukocyte Biology and Inflammation Program, Division of Nephrology and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Peter P Borbat
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
| | - Jack H Freed
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
| | - M Amin Arnaout
- Leukocyte Biology and Inflammation Program, Division of Nephrology and Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Bradley L Pentelute
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Julia H Ortony
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lindemann WR, Evans ED, Mijalis AJ, Saouaf OM, Pentelute BL, Ortony JH. Quantifying residue-specific conformational dynamics of a highly reactive 29-mer peptide. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2597. [PMID: 32054898 PMCID: PMC7018720 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59047-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding structural transitions within macromolecules remains an important challenge in biochemistry, with important implications for drug development and medicine. Insight into molecular behavior often requires residue-specific dynamics measurement at micromolar concentrations. We studied MP01-Gen4, a library peptide selected to rapidly undergo bioconjugation, by using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to measure conformational dynamics. We mapped the dynamics of MP01-Gen4 with residue-specificity and identified the regions involved in a structural transformation related to the conjugation reaction. Upon reaction, the conformational dynamics of residues near the termini slow significantly more than central residues, indicating that the reaction induces a structural transition far from the reaction site. Arrhenius analysis demonstrates a nearly threefold decrease in the activation energy of conformational diffusion upon reaction (8.0 kBT to 3.4 kBT), which occurs across the entire peptide, independently of residue position. This novel approach to EPR spectral analysis provides insight into the positional extent of disorder and the nature of the energy landscape of a highly reactive, intrinsically disordered library peptide before and after conjugation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William R Lindemann
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States
| | - Ethan D Evans
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States
| | - Alexander J Mijalis
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Olivia M Saouaf
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, 496 Lomita Mall, Stanford, California, 94305, United States
| | - Bradley L Pentelute
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States
| | - Julia H Ortony
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Structural dynamics of calmodulin-ryanodine receptor interactions: electron paramagnetic resonance using stereospecific spin labels. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10681. [PMID: 30013092 PMCID: PMC6048129 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29064-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We have used electron paramagnetic resonance, with rigid and stereospecific spin labels, to resolve structural states in calmodulin (CaM), as affected by binding of Ca and a CaM-binding peptide (RyRp) derived from the ryanodine receptor (RyR), the Ca channel that triggers muscle contraction. CaM mutants containing a pair of cysteines in the N-lobe and/or C-lobe were engineered and labeled with a stereospecifically bound bifunctional spin label (BSL). RyRp was synthesized with and without TOAC (a stereospecifically attached spin-labeled amino acid) substituted for a single amino acid near the N-terminus. Intramolecular DEER distance measurements of doubly-labeled BSL-CaM revealed that CaM exists in dynamic equilibrium among multiple states, consistent with open, closed, and compact structural models. Addition of RyRp shifted the equilibrium partially toward the compact state in the absence of Ca, and completely toward the compact state in the presence of Ca, supporting a conformational selection model. Inter-protein distance measurements show that Ca stabilizes the compact state primarily by inducing ordered binding of the CaM N-lobe to RyRp, while only slightly affecting the C-lobe. The results provide insight into the structural mechanism of CaM-mediated RyR regulation, while demonstrating the power of using two types of rigidly and stereospecifically bound spin labels.
Collapse
|
8
|
Mayo DJ, Sahu ID, Lorigan GA. Assessing topology and surface orientation of an antimicrobial peptide magainin 2 using mechanically aligned bilayers and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Chem Phys Lipids 2018; 213:124-130. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
9
|
Her C, McCaffrey JE, Thomas DD, Karim CB. Calcium-Dependent Structural Dynamics of a Spin-Labeled RyR Peptide Bound to Calmodulin. Biophys J 2017; 111:2387-2394. [PMID: 27926840 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We have used chemical synthesis, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and circular dichroism to detect and analyze the structural dynamics of a ryanodine receptor (RyR) peptide bound to calmodulin (CaM). The skeletal muscle calcium release channel RyR1 is activated by Ca2+-free CaM and inhibited by Ca2+-bound CaM. To probe the structural mechanism for this regulation, wild-type RyRp and four spin-labeled derivatives were synthesized, each containing the nitroxide probe 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl-4-amino-4-carboxylic acid substituted for a single amino acid. In 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl-4-amino-4-carboxylic acid, the probe is rigidly and stereospecifically coupled to the α-carbon, enabling direct detection by EPR of peptide backbone structural dynamics. In the absence of CaM, circular dichroism indicates a complete lack of secondary structure, while 40% trifluoroethanol (TFE) induces >90% helicity and is unperturbed by the spin label. The EPR spectrum of each spin-labeled peptide indicates nanosecond dynamic disorder that is substantially reduced by TFE, but a significant gradient in dynamics is observed, decreasing from N- to C-terminus, both in the presence and absence of TFE. When bound to CaM, the probe nearest RyRp's N-terminus shows rapid rotational motion consistent with peptide backbone dynamics of a locally unfolded peptide, while the other three sites show substantial restriction of dynamics, consistent with helical folding. The two N-terminal sites, which bind to the C-lobe of CaM, do not show a significant Ca2+-dependence in mobility, while both C-terminal sites, which bind to the N-lobe of CaM, are significantly less mobile in the presence of bound Ca2+. These results support a model in which the interaction of RyR with CaM is nonuniform along the peptide, and the primary effect of Ca2+ is to increase the interaction of the C-terminal portion of the peptide with the N-terminal lobe of CaM. These results provide, to our knowledge, new insight into the Ca2+-dependent regulation of RyR by CaM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Her
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Jesse E McCaffrey
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - David D Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
| | - Christine B Karim
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sun Y, Borbat PP, Grigoryants VM, Myers WK, Freed JH, Scholes CP. Pulse dipolar ESR of doubly labeled mini TAR DNA and its annealing to mini TAR RNA. Biophys J 2015; 108:893-902. [PMID: 25692594 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Revised: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulse dipolar electron-spin resonance in the form of double electron electron resonance was applied to strategically placed, site-specifically attached pairs of nitroxide spin labels to monitor changes in the mini TAR DNA stem-loop structure brought on by the HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein NCp7. The biophysical structural evidence was at Ångstrom-level resolution under solution conditions not amenable to crystallography or NMR. In the absence of complementary TAR RNA, double labels located in both the upper and the lower stem of mini TAR DNA showed in the presence of NCp7 a broadened distance distribution between the points of attachment, and there was evidence for several conformers. Next, when equimolar amounts of mini TAR DNA and complementary mini TAR RNA were present, NCp7 enhanced the annealing of their stem-loop structures to form duplex DNA-RNA. When duplex TAR DNA-TAR RNA formed, double labels initially located 27.5 Å apart at the 3'- and 5'-termini of the 27-base mini TAR DNA relocated to opposite ends of a 27 bp RNA-DNA duplex with 76.5 Å between labels, a distance which was consistent with the distance between the two labels in a thermally annealed 27-bp TAR DNA-TAR RNA duplex. Different sets of double labels initially located 26-27 Å apart in the mini TAR DNA upper stem, appropriately altered their interlabel distance to ~35 Å when a 27 bp TAR DNA-TAR RNA duplex formed, where the formation was caused either through NCp7-induced annealing or by thermal annealing. In summary, clear structural evidence was obtained for the fraying and destabilization brought on by NCp7 in its biochemical function as an annealing agent and for the detailed structural change from stem-loop to duplex RNA-DNA when complementary RNA was present.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Sun
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York
| | - Peter P Borbat
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and ACERT, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Vladimir M Grigoryants
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York
| | - William K Myers
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York
| | - Jack H Freed
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and ACERT, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Charles P Scholes
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Karim CB, Espinoza-Fonseca LM, James ZM, Hanse EA, Gaynes JS, Thomas DD, Kelekar A. Structural Mechanism for Regulation of Bcl-2 protein Noxa by phosphorylation. Sci Rep 2015; 5:14557. [PMID: 26411306 PMCID: PMC4585961 DOI: 10.1038/srep14557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We showed previously that phosphorylation of Noxa, a 54-residue Bcl-2 protein, at serine 13 (Ser13) inhibited its ability to promote apoptosis through interactions with canonical binding partner, Mcl-1. Using EPR spectroscopy, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and binding assays, we offer evidence that a structural alteration caused by phosphorylation partially masks Noxa’s BH3 domain, inhibiting the Noxa-Mcl-1 interaction. EPR of unphosphorylated Noxa, with spin-labeled amino acid TOAC incorporated within the BH3 domain, revealed equilibrium between ordered and dynamically disordered states. Mcl-1 further restricted the ordered component for non-phosphorylated Noxa, but left the pSer13 Noxa profile unchanged. Microsecond MD simulations indicated that the BH3 domain of unphosphorylated Noxa is housed within a flexible loop connecting two antiparallel β-sheets, flanked by disordered N- and C-termini and Ser13 phosphorylation creates a network of salt-bridges that facilitate the interaction between the N-terminus and the BH3 domain. EPR showed that a spin label inserted near the N-terminus was weakly immobilized in unphosphorylated Noxa, consistent with a solvent-exposed helix/loop, but strongly constrained in pSer13 Noxa, indicating a more ordered peptide backbone, as predicted by MD simulations. Together these studies reveal a novel mechanism by which phosphorylation of a distal serine inhibits a pro-apoptotic BH3 domain and promotes cell survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine B Karim
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - L Michel Espinoza-Fonseca
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Zachary M James
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Eric A Hanse
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Jeffrey S Gaynes
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - David D Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Ameeta Kelekar
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bifunctional Spin Labeling of Muscle Proteins: Accurate Rotational Dynamics, Orientation, and Distance by EPR. Methods Enzymol 2015; 564:101-23. [PMID: 26477249 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2015.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
While EPR allows for the characterization of protein structure and function due to its exquisite sensitivity to spin label dynamics, orientation, and distance, these measurements are often limited in sensitivity due to the use of labels that are attached via flexible monofunctional bonds, incurring additional disorder and nanosecond dynamics. In this chapter, we present methods for using a bifunctional spin label (BSL) to measure muscle protein structure and dynamics. We demonstrate that bifunctional attachment eliminates nanosecond internal rotation of the spin label, thereby allowing the accurate measurement of protein backbone rotational dynamics, including microsecond-to-millisecond motions by saturation transfer EPR. BSL also allows for accurate determination of helix orientation and disorder in mechanically and magnetically aligned systems, due to the label's stereospecific attachment. Similarly, labeling with a pair of BSL greatly enhances the resolution and accuracy of distance measurements measured by double electron-electron resonance (DEER). Finally, when BSL is applied to a protein with high helical content in an assembly with high orientational order (e.g., muscle fiber or membrane), two-probe DEER experiments can be combined with single-probe EPR experiments on an oriented sample in a process we call BEER, which has the potential for ab initio high-resolution structure determination.
Collapse
|
13
|
High-resolution helix orientation in actin-bound myosin determined with a bifunctional spin label. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:7972-7. [PMID: 26056276 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1500625112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of a bifunctional spin label (BSL) bound stereospecifically to Dictyostelium myosin II, we determined with high resolution the orientation of individual structural elements in the catalytic domain while myosin is in complex with actin. BSL was attached to a pair of engineered cysteine side chains four residues apart on known α-helical segments, within a construct of the myosin catalytic domain that lacks other reactive cysteines. EPR spectra of BSL-myosin bound to actin in oriented muscle fibers showed sharp three-line spectra, indicating a well-defined orientation relative to the actin filament axis. Spectral analysis indicated that orientation of the spin label can be determined within <2.1° accuracy, and comparison with existing structural data in the absence of nucleotide indicates that helix orientation can also be determined with <4.2° accuracy. We used this approach to examine the crucial ADP release step in myosin's catalytic cycle and detected reversible rotations of two helices in actin-bound myosin in response to ADP binding and dissociation. One of these rotations has not been observed in myosin-only crystal structures.
Collapse
|
14
|
Sahu ID, Hustedt EJ, Ghimire H, Inbaraj JJ, McCarrick RM, Lorigan GA. CW dipolar broadening EPR spectroscopy and mechanically aligned bilayers used to measure distance and relative orientation between two TOAC spin labels on an antimicrobial peptide. JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE (SAN DIEGO, CALIF. : 1997) 2014; 249:72-79. [PMID: 25462949 PMCID: PMC4406775 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2014.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 09/22/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
An EPR membrane alignment technique was applied to measure distance and relative orientations between two spin labels on a protein oriented along the surface of the membrane. Previously we demonstrated an EPR membrane alignment technique for measuring distances and relative orientations between two spin labels using a dual TOAC-labeled integral transmembrane peptide (M2δ segment of Acetylcholine receptor) as a test system. In this study we further utilized this technique and successfully measured the distance and relative orientations between two spin labels on a membrane peripheral peptide (antimicrobial peptide magainin-2). The TOAC-labeled magainin-2 peptides were mechanically aligned using DMPC lipids on a planar quartz support, and CW-EPR spectra were recorded at specific orientations. Global analysis in combination with rigorous spectral simulation was used to simultaneously analyze data from two different sample orientations for both single- and double-labeled peptides. We measured an internitroxide distance of 15.3Å from a dual TOAC-labeled magainin-2 peptide at positions 8 and 14 that closely matches with the 13.3Å distance obtained from a model of the labeled magainin peptide. In addition, the angles determining the relative orientations of the two nitroxides have been determined, and the results compare favorably with molecular modeling. This study demonstrates the utility of the technique for proteins oriented along the surface of the membrane in addition to the previous results for proteins situated within the membrane bilayer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Indra D Sahu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, United States
| | - Eric J Hustedt
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Harishchandra Ghimire
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, United States
| | - Johnson J Inbaraj
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, United States
| | - Robert M McCarrick
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, United States
| | - Gary A Lorigan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Open and closed conformations of the isolated transmembrane domain of death receptor 5 support a new model of activation. Biophys J 2014; 106:L21-4. [PMID: 24655519 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.01.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2013] [Revised: 01/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It has long been presumed that activation of the apoptosis-initiating Death Receptor 5, as well as other structurally homologous members of the TNF-receptor superfamily, relies on ligand-stabilized trimerization of noninteracting receptor monomers. We and others have proposed an alternate model in which the TNF-receptor dimer-sitting at the vertices of a large supramolecular receptor network of ligand-bound receptor trimers-undergoes a closed-to-open transition, propagated through a scissorslike conformational change in a tightly bundled transmembrane (TM) domain dimer. Here we have combined electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and potential-of-mean force calculations on the isolated TM domain of the long isoform of DR5. The experiments and calculations both independently validate that the opening transition is intrinsic to the physical character of the TM domain dimer, with a significant energy barrier separating the open and closed states.
Collapse
|
16
|
López CJ, Fleissner MR, Brooks EK, Hubbell WL. Stationary-phase EPR for exploring protein structure, conformation, and dynamics in spin-labeled proteins. Biochemistry 2014; 53:7067-75. [PMID: 25333901 PMCID: PMC4238802 DOI: 10.1021/bi5011128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Proteins tethered to solid supports
are of increasing interest
in bioanalytical chemistry and protein science in general. However,
the extent to which tethering modifies the energy landscape and dynamics
of the protein is most often unknown because there are few biophysical
methods that can determine secondary and tertiary structures and explore
conformational equilibria and dynamics of a tethered protein with
site-specific resolution. Site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) combined
with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) offers a unique opportunity
for this purpose. Here, we employ a general strategy using unnatural
amino acids that enables efficient and site-specific tethering of
a spin-labeled protein to a Sepharose solid support. Remarkably, EPR
spectra of spin-labeled T4 lysozyme (T4L) reveal that a single site-specific
attachment suppresses rotational motion of the protein sufficiently
to allow interpretation of the spectral line shape in terms of protein
internal dynamics. Importantly, line shape analysis and distance mapping
using double electron–electron resonance reveal that internal
dynamics, the tertiary fold, conformational equilibria, and ligand
binding of the tethered proteins were similar to those in solution,
in contrast to random attachment via native lysine residues. The results
of this study set the stage for the development of an EPR-based flow
system that will house soluble and membrane proteins immobilized site-specifically,
thereby enabling facile screening of structural and dynamical effects
of binding partners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos J López
- Jules Stein Eye Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California , Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ablorh NAD, Dong X, James ZM, Xiong Q, Zhang J, Thomas DD, Karim CB. Synthetic phosphopeptides enable quantitation of the content and function of the four phosphorylation states of phospholamban in cardiac muscle. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:29397-405. [PMID: 25190804 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.556621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
We have studied the differential effects of phospholamban (PLB) phosphorylation states on the activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA). It has been shown that unphosphorylated PLB (U-PLB) inhibits SERCA and that phosphorylation of PLB at Ser-16 or Thr-17 relieves this inhibition in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. However, the levels of the four phosphorylation states of PLB (U-PLB, P16-PLB, P17-PLB, and doubly phosphorylated 2P-PLB) have not been measured quantitatively in cardiac tissue, and their functional effects on SERCA have not been determined directly. We have solved both problems through the chemical synthesis of all four PLB species. We first used the synthetic PLB as standards for a quantitative immunoblot assay, to determine the concentrations of all four PLB phosphorylation states in pig cardiac tissue, with and without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) induced by aortic banding. In both LVH and sham hearts, all phosphorylation states were significantly populated, but LVH hearts showed a significant decrease in U-PLB, with a corresponding increase in the ratio of total phosphorylated PLB to U-PLB. To determine directly the functional effects of each PLB species, we co-reconstituted each of the synthetic peptides in phospholipid membranes with SERCA and measured calcium-dependent ATPase activity. SERCA inhibition was maximally relieved by P16-PLB (the most highly populated PLB state in cardiac tissue homogenates), followed by 2P-PLB, then P17-PLB. These results show that each PLB phosphorylation state uniquely alters Ca(2+) homeostasis, with important implications for cardiac health, disease, and therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaoqiong Dong
- From the Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and
| | - Zachary M James
- From the Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and
| | - Qiang Xiong
- Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Jianyi Zhang
- Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - David D Thomas
- From the Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and
| | - Christine B Karim
- From the Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Tavenor NA, Silva KI, Saxena S, Horne WS. Origins of structural flexibility in protein-based supramolecular polymers revealed by DEER spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 2014; 118:9881-9. [PMID: 25060334 PMCID: PMC4141697 DOI: 10.1021/jp505643w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Modular assembly of bio-inspired supramolecular polymers is a powerful technique to develop new soft nanomaterials, and protein folding is a versatile basis for preparing such materials. Previous work demonstrated a significant difference in the physical properties of closely related supramolecular polymers composed of building blocks in which identical coiled-coil-forming peptides are cross-linked by one of two subtly different organic linkers (one flexible and the other rigid). Herein, we investigate the molecular basis for this observation by isolating a single subunit of the supramolecular polymer chain and probing its structure and conformational flexibility by double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy. Experimental spin-spin distance distributions for two different labeling sites coupled with molecular dynamics simulations provide insights into how the linker structure impacts chain dynamics in the coiled-coil supramolecular polymer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan A Tavenor
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of spin-labeled protein is a powerful spectroscopic technique to study protein dynamics on the rotational correlation time scale from 100 ps to 100 ns. Nitroxide spin probe, attached to cysteine residue, reports on local topology within the labeling site, dynamics of protein domains reorientation, and protein global tumbling in solution. Due to spin probe's magnetic tensors anisotropy, its mobility is directly reflected by the EPR lineshape. The multifrequency approach significantly decreases ambiguity of EPR spectra interpretation. The approach, described in this chapter, provides a practical guideline that can be followed to carry out the experiments and data analysis.
Collapse
|
20
|
Baldauf C, Schulze K, Lueders P, Bordignon E, Tampé R. In-situ spin labeling of his-tagged proteins: distance measurements under in-cell conditions. Chemistry 2013; 19:13714-9. [PMID: 24038571 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201301921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
New spin labeling strategies have immense potential in studying protein structure and dynamics under physiological conditions with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Here, a new spin-labeled chemical recognition unit for switchable and concomitantly high affinity binding to His-tagged proteins was synthesized. In combination with an orthogonal site-directed spin label, this novel spin probe, Proxyl-trisNTA (P-trisNTA) allows the extraction of structural constraints within proteins and macromolecular complexes by EPR. By using the multisubunit maltose import system of E. coli: 1) the topology of the substrate-binding protein, 2) its substrate-dependent conformational change, and 3) the formation of the membrane multiprotein complex can be extracted. Notably, the same distance information was retrieved both in vitro and in situ allowing for site-specific spin labeling in cell lysates under in-cell conditions. This approach will open new avenues towards in-cell EPR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Baldauf
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Cluster of Excellence-Macromolecular Complexes (CEF-MC), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt a.M. (Germany)
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Protein-protein interactions in calcium transport regulation probed by saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance. Biophys J 2013; 103:1370-8. [PMID: 22995510 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2012.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2012] [Revised: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 08/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We have used electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to probe the homo- and heterooligomeric interactions of reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA) and its regulator phospholamban (PLB). SERCA is responsible for restoring calcium to the sarcoplasmic reticulum to allow muscle relaxation, whereas PLB inhibits cardiac SERCA unless phosphorylated at Ser(16). To determine whether changes in protein association play essential roles in regulation, we detected the microsecond rotational diffusion of both proteins using saturation transfer EPR. Peptide synthesis was used to create a fully functional and monomeric PLB mutant with a spin label rigidly coupled to the backbone of the transmembrane helix, while SERCA was reacted with a Cys-specific spin label. Saturation transfer EPR revealed that sufficiently high lipid/protein ratios minimized self-association for both proteins. Under these dilute conditions, labeled PLB was substantially immobilized after co-reconstitution with unlabeled SERCA, reflecting their association to form the regulatory complex. Ser(16) phosphorylation slightly increased this immobilization. Complementary measurements with labeled SERCA showed no change in mobility after co-reconstitution with unlabeled PLB, regardless of its phosphorylation state. We conclude that phosphorylating monomeric PLB can relieve SERCA inhibition without changes in the oligomeric states of these proteins, indicating a structural rearrangement within the heterodimeric regulatory complex.
Collapse
|
22
|
Sun Y, Zhang Z, Grigoryants VM, Myers WK, Liu F, Earle KA, Freed JH, Scholes CP. The internal dynamics of mini c TAR DNA probed by electron paramagnetic resonance of nitroxide spin-labels at the lower stem, the loop, and the bulge. Biochemistry 2012; 51:8530-41. [PMID: 23009298 DOI: 10.1021/bi301058q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at 236.6 and 9.5 GHz probed the tumbling of nitroxide spin probes in the lower stem, in the upper loop, and near the bulge of mini c TAR DNA. High-frequency 236.6 GHz EPR, not previously applied to spin-labeled oligonucleotides, was notably sensitive to fast, anisotropic, hindered local rotational motion of the spin probe, occurring approximately about the NO nitroxide axis. Labels attached to the 2'-aminocytidine sugar in the mini c TAR DNA showed such anisotropic motion, which was faster in the lower stem, a region previously thought to be partially melted. More flexible labels attached to phosphorothioates at the end of the lower stem tumbled isotropically in mini c TAR DNA, mini TAR RNA, and ψ(3) RNA, but at 5 °C, the motion became more anisotropic for the labeled RNAs, implying more order within the RNA lower stems. As observed by 9.5 GHz EPR, the slowing of nanosecond motions of large segments of the oligonucleotide was enhanced by increasing the ratio of the nucleocapsid protein NCp7 to mini c TAR DNA from 0 to 2. The slowing was most significant at labels in the loop and near the bulge. At a 4:1 ratio of NCp7 to mini c TAR DNA, all labels reported tumbling times of >5 ns, indicating a condensation of NCp7 and TAR DNA. At the 4:1 ratio, pulse dipolar EPR spectroscopy of bilabels attached near the 3' and 5' termini showed evidence of an NCp7-induced increase in the 3'-5' end-to-end distance distribution and a partially melted stem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Sun
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Ghimire H, Hustedt EJ, Sahu ID, Inbaraj JJ, McCarrick R, Mayo DJ, Benedikt MR, Lee RT, Grosser SM, Lorigan GA. Distance measurements on a dual-labeled TOAC AChR M2δ peptide in mechanically aligned DMPC bilayers via dipolar broadening CW-EPR spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 2012; 116:3866-73. [PMID: 22379959 DOI: 10.1021/jp212272d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A membrane alignment technique has been used to measure the distance between two TOAC nitroxide spin labels on the membrane-spanning M2δ, peptide of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR), via CW-EPR spectroscopy. The TOAC-labeled M2δ peptides were mechanically aligned using DMPC lipids on a planar quartz support, and CW-EPR spectra were recorded at specific orientations. Global analysis in combination with rigorous spectral simulation was used to simultaneously analyze data from two different sample orientations for both single- and double-labeled peptides. We measured an internitroxide distance of 14.6 Å from a dual TOAC-labeled AChR M2δ peptide at positions 7 and 13 that closely matches with the 14.5 Å distance obtained from a model of the labeled AChR M2δ peptide. In addition, the angles determining the relative orientation of the two nitroxides have been determined, and the results compare favorably with molecular modeling. The global analysis of the data from the aligned samples gives much more precise estimates of the parameters defining the geometry of the two labels than can be obtained from a randomly dispersed sample.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harishchandra Ghimire
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Li J, James ZM, Dong X, Karim CB, Thomas DD. Structural and functional dynamics of an integral membrane protein complex modulated by lipid headgroup charge. J Mol Biol 2012; 418:379-89. [PMID: 22381409 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Revised: 02/01/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We have used membrane surface charge to modulate the structural dynamics of an integral membrane protein, phospholamban (PLB), and thereby its functional inhibition of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA). It was previously shown by electron paramagnetic resonance, in vesicles of neutral lipids, that the PLB cytoplasmic domain is in equilibrium between an ordered T state and a dynamically disordered R state and that phosphorylation of PLB increases the R state and relieves SERCA inhibition, suggesting that R is less inhibitory. Here, we sought to control the T/R equilibrium by an alternative means-varying the lipid headgroup charge, thus perturbing the electrostatic interaction of PLB's cationic cytoplasmic domain with the membrane surface. We resolved the T and R states not only by electron paramagnetic resonance in the absence of SERCA but also by time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer from SERCA to PLB, thus probing directly the SERCA-PLB complex. Compared to neutral lipids, anionic lipids increased both the T population and SERCA inhibition, while cationic lipids had the opposite effects. In contrast to conventional models, decreased inhibition was not accompanied by decreased binding. We conclude that PLB binds to SERCA in two distinct structural states of the cytoplasmic domain: an inhibitory T state that interacts strongly with the membrane surface and a less inhibitory R state that interacts more strongly with the anionic SERCA cytoplasmic domain. Modulating membrane surface charge provides an effective way of investigating the correlation between structural dynamics and function of integral membrane proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
The spin label amino acid TOAC and its uses in studies of peptides: chemical, physicochemical, spectroscopic, and conformational aspects. Biophys Rev 2012; 4:45-66. [PMID: 22347893 PMCID: PMC3271205 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-011-0064-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2011] [Accepted: 12/20/2011] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
We review work on the paramagnetic amino acid 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-N-oxyl-4-amino-4-carboxylic acid, TOAC, and its applications in studies of peptides and peptide synthesis. TOAC was the first spin label probe incorporated in peptides by means of a peptide bond. In view of the rigid character of this cyclic molecule and its attachment to the peptide backbone via a peptide bond, TOAC incorporation has been very useful to analyze backbone dynamics and peptide secondary structure. Many of these studies were performed making use of EPR spectroscopy, but other physical techniques, such as X-ray crystallography, CD, fluorescence, NMR, and FT-IR, have been employed. The use of double-labeled synthetic peptides has allowed the investigation of their secondary structure. A large number of studies have focused on the interaction of peptides, both synthetic and biologically active, with membranes. In the latter case, work has been reported on ligands and fragments of GPCR, host defense peptides, phospholamban, and β-amyloid. EPR studies of macroscopically aligned samples have provided information on the orientation of peptides in membranes. More recent studies have focused on peptide–protein and peptide–nucleic acid interactions. Moreover, TOAC has been shown to be a valuable probe for paramagnetic relaxation enhancement NMR studies of the interaction of labeled peptides with proteins. The growth of the number of TOAC-related publications suggests that this unnatural amino acid will find increasing applications in the future.
Collapse
|
26
|
Ghimire H, Abu-Baker S, Sahu ID, Zhou A, Mayo DJ, Lee RT, Lorigan GA. Probing the helical tilt and dynamic properties of membrane-bound phospholamban in magnetically aligned bicelles using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2011; 1818:645-50. [PMID: 22172806 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2011.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2011] [Revised: 11/18/2011] [Accepted: 11/24/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Wild-type phospholamban (WT-PLB), a Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) regulator in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane, was studied using TOAC nitroxide spin labeling, magnetically aligned bicelles, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to ascertain structural and dynamic information. Different structural domains of PLB (transmembrane segment: positions 42 and 45, loop region: position 20, and cytoplasmic domain: position 10) were probed with rigid TOAC spin labels to extract the transmembrane helical tilt and structural dynamic information, which is crucial for understanding the regulatory function of PLB in modulating Ca(2+)-ATPase activity. Aligned experiments indicate that the transmembrane domain of wild-type PLB has a helical tilt of 13°±4° in DMPC/DHPC bicelles. TOAC spin labels placed on the WT-PLB transmembrane domain showed highly restricted motion with more than 100ns rotational correlation time (τ(c)); whereas the loop, and the cytoplasmic regions each consists of two distinct motional dynamics: one fast component in the sub-nanosecond scale and the other component is slower dynamics in the nanosecond range.
Collapse
|
27
|
Huang YW, Chiang YW. Spin-label ESR with nanochannels to improve the study of backbone dynamics and structural conformations of polypeptides. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2011; 13:17521-31. [PMID: 21892486 DOI: 10.1039/c1cp20986h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nanochannels of mesoporous silica materials were previously found useful for reducing the tumbling motion of encapsulated biomolecules while leaving the biomolecular structure undisturbed. Here we show that experiments of cw-ESR distance measurement in nano-confinement can benefit immediately from the above mentioned features of sufficiently slow molecular tumbling, enabling more accurate determination of interspin distances throughout the temperature range, from 200 to 300 K. A 26-residue prion protein peptide, which can fold into either a helical or hairpin structure, as well as its variants, are studied by using ESR. By comparing the spectra obtained in vitrified bulk solutions vs. mesopores, the spectra from the latter display typical slow-motional lineshapes, thereby enabling dipolar anisotropy to be unambiguously revealed throughout the temperature range, whereas the spectra from the former are dominated by the disordering of the side chain and the rotational tumbling of the peptide. The spectral changes regarding the two secondary structures in nano-confinement are found to show a strong correlation with the dynamic properties of the backbones. The effect of viscosity agent perturbation on the motion of an R1 nitroxide side chain, a commonly employed probe, could be substantial in a bulk solution condition, though it is absolutely absent in nanochannels. Under nano-confinement, the probe is proven sufficiently sensitive to the backbone motions. Overall, the distance distributions determined from the mesopore studies not only describe the conformational structures (by average distances), but also the backbone dynamics (by distribution widths) of the spin-labeled peptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Wen Huang
- Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) form a unique protein category characterized by the absence of a well-defined structure and by remarkable conformational flexibility. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy combined with site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) is amongst the most suitable methods to unravel their structure and dynamics. This review summarizes the tremendous methodological developments in the area of SDSL EPR and its applications in protein research. Recent results on the intrinsically disordered Parkinson's disease protein α-synuclein illustrate that the method has gained increasing attention in IDP research. SDSL EPR has now reached a level where broad application in this rapidly advancing field is feasible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Malte Drescher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Rajca A, Kathirvelu V, Roy SK, Pink M, Rajca S, Sarkar S, Eaton SS, Eaton GR. A spirocyclohexyl nitroxide amino acid spin label for pulsed EPR spectroscopy distance measurements. Chemistry 2010; 16:5778-82. [PMID: 20391558 DOI: 10.1002/chem.200903102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Site-directed spin labeling and EPR spectroscopy offer accurate, sensitive tools for the characterization of structure and function of macromolecules and their assemblies. A new rigid spin label, spirocyclohexyl nitroxide alpha-amino acid and its N-(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl) derivative, have been synthesized, which exhibit slow enough spin-echo dephasing to permit accurate distance measurements by pulsed EPR spectroscopy at temperatures up to 125 K in 1:1 water/glycerol and at higher temperatures in matrices with higher glass transition temperatures. Distance measurements in the liquid nitrogen temperature range are less expensive than those that require liquid helium, which will greatly facilitate applications of pulsed EPR spectroscopy to the study of structure and conformation of peptides and proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Rajca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0304, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Vitiello G, Grimaldi M, Ramunno A, Ortona O, De Martino G, D'Ursi AM, D'Errico G. Interaction of a beta-sheet breaker peptide with lipid membranes. J Pept Sci 2010; 16:115-22. [PMID: 20063331 DOI: 10.1002/psc.1207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of beta-amyloid peptides into senile plaques has been identified as one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. An attractive therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease is the inhibition of the soluble beta-amyloid aggregation using synthetic beta-sheet breaker peptides that are capable of binding Abeta but are unable to become part of a beta-sheet structure. As the early stages of the Abeta aggregation process are supposed to occur close to the neuronal membrane, it is strategic to define the beta-sheet breaker peptide positioning with respect to lipid bilayers. In this work, we have focused on the interaction between the beta-sheet breaker peptide acetyl-LPFFD-amide, iAbeta5p, and lipid membranes, studied by ESR spectroscopy, using either peptides alternatively labeled at the C- and at the N-terminus or phospholipids spin-labeled in different positions of the acyl chain. Our results show that iAbeta5p interacts directly with membranes formed by the zwitterionic phospholipid dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine and this interaction is modulated by inclusion of cholesterol in the lipid bilayer formulation, in terms of both peptide partition coefficient and the solubilization site. In particular, cholesterol decreases the peptide partition coefficient between the membrane and the aqueous medium. Moreover, in the absence of cholesterol, iAbeta5p is located between the outer part of the hydrophobic core and the external hydrophilic layer of the membrane, while in the presence of cholesterol it penetrates more deeply into the lipid bilayer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Vitiello
- Dipartimento di Chimica "Paolo Corradini", Università di Napoli "Federico II" Complesso di Monte S. Angelo, Via Cinthia, I-80126 Napoli, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Grimaldi M, Scrima M, Esposito C, Vitiello G, Ramunno A, Limongelli V, D'Errico G, Novellino E, D'Ursi AM. Membrane charge dependent states of the beta-amyloid fragment Abeta (16-35) with differently charged micelle aggregates. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2010; 1798:660-71. [PMID: 20045392 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2009.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2009] [Revised: 12/08/2009] [Accepted: 12/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Abeta (16-35) is the hydrophobic central core of beta-amyloid peptide, the main component of plaques found in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's disease patients. Depending on the conditions present, beta-amyloid peptides undergo a conformational transition from random coil or alpha-helical monomers, to highly toxic beta-sheet oligomers and aggregate fibrils. The behavior of beta-amyloid peptide at plasma membrane level has been extensively investigated, and membrane charge has been proved to be a key factor modulating its conformational properties. In the present work we probed the conformational behavior of Abeta (16-35) in response to negative charge modifications of the micelle surface. CD and NMR conformational analyses were performed in negatively charged pure SDS micelles and in zwitterionic DPC micelles "doped" with small amounts of SDS. To analyze the tendency of Abeta (16-35) to interact with these micellar systems, we performed EPR experiments on three spin-labeled analogues of Abeta (16-35), bearing the methyl 3-(2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxypyrrolinyl) methanethiolsulfonate spin label at the N-terminus, in the middle of the sequence and at the C-terminus, respectively. Our conformational data show that, by varying the negative charge of the membrane, Abeta (16-35) undergoes a conformational transition from a soluble helical-kink-helical structure, to a U-turn shaped conformation that resembles protofibril models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Grimaldi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Salerno, I-84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Su XC, Otting G. Paramagnetic labelling of proteins and oligonucleotides for NMR. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2010; 46:101-112. [PMID: 19529883 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-009-9331-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2009] [Accepted: 05/20/2009] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Paramagnetic effects offer a rich source of long-range structural restraints. Here we review current methods for site-specific tagging of proteins and oligonucleotides with paramagnetic molecules. The paramagnetic tags include nitroxide radicals and metal chelators. Particular emphasis is placed on tags suitable for site-specific and rigid attachment of lanthanide ions to macromolecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xun-Cheng Su
- The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Structural dynamics of the actomyosin complex probed by a bifunctional spin label that cross-links SH1 and SH2. Biophys J 2008; 95:5238-46. [PMID: 18805936 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.108.138982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We have used a bifunctional spin label (BSL) to cross-link Cys(707) (SH1) and Cys(697) (SH2) in the catalytic domain of myosin subfragment 1 (S1). BSL induces the same weakened ATPase activity and actin-binding affinity that is observed when SH1 and SH2 are cross-linked with pPDM, which traps an analog of the post-hydrolysis state A.M.ADP.P. Electron paramagnetic resonance showed that BSL reports the global orientation and dynamics of S1. When bound to actin in oriented muscle fibers in the absence of ATP, BSL-S1 showed almost complete orientational disorder, as reported previously for the weakly bound A.M.ADP. In contrast, helical order is observed for the strongly bound state A.M. Saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance showed that the disorder of cross-linked S1 on actin is nearly static on the microsecond timescale, at least 30 times slower than that of A.M.ADP. We conclude that cross-linked S1 exhibits rotational disorder comparable to that of A.M.ADP, slow rotational mobility comparable to that of A.M, and intermediate actin affinity. These results support the hypothesis that the catalytic domain of myosin is orientationally disordered on actin in a post-hydrolysis state in the early stages of force generation.
Collapse
|
34
|
Xi X, Sun Y, Karim CB, Grigoryants VM, Scholes CP. HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein NCp7 and its RNA stem loop 3 partner: rotational dynamics of spin-labeled RNA stem loop 3. Biochemistry 2008; 47:10099-110. [PMID: 18729386 DOI: 10.1021/bi800602e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The tumbling dynamics of a 20-mer HIV-1 RNA stem loop 3 spin-labeled at the 5' position were probed in the nanosecond time range. This RNA interacted with the HIV-1 nucleocapsid Zn-finger protein, 1-55 NCp7, and specialized stopped-flow EPR revealed concomitant kinetics of probe immobilization from milliseconds to seconds. RNA stem loop 3 is highly conserved in HIV, while NCp7 is critical to HIV-RNA packaging and annealing. The 5' probe did not perturb RNA melting or the NCp7/RNA interaction monitored by gel shift and fluorescence. The 5'-labeled RNA tumbled with a subnanosecond isotropic correlation time (approximately 0.60 ns at room temperature) reflecting both local viscosity-independent bond rotation of the probe and viscosity-dependent diffusion of 40-60% of the RNA. The binding of NCp7 to spin-labeled RNA stem loop 3 in a 1:1 ratio increased the spin-labeled tumbling time by about 40%. At low ionic strength with a ratio of NCp7 to RNA >or=3 (i.e., an NCp7 to nucleotide ratio <or=7, which is the threshold ratio for chaperone effects), the probe tumbling time markedly increased to several nanoseconds, signifying a NCP7/RNA complex with restricted motion even at the initially mobile 5' position. Increasing the ionic strength to shield the electrostatic attraction between polyanionic RNA and polycationic NCp7 eliminated this immobilization. Forming the immobilized >or=3:1 complex also required intact Zn fingers. Stopped-flow EPR kinetics with NCP7/RNA mixed at a 4:1 ratio showed the major phase of NCp7 interaction with RNA stem loop 3 occurred within 4 ms, a second phase occurred with a time constant of approximately 30 ms, and a slower immobilization, possibly concomitant with large complex formation, proceeded over seconds. This work points the way for spin-labeling to investigate oligonucleotide-protein complexes, notably those lacking precise stoichiometry, that are requisite for viral packaging and genome fabrication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangmei Xi
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York 12222, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Edwards TE, Sigurdsson ST. Site-specific incorporation of nitroxide spin-labels into 2'-positions of nucleic acids. Nat Protoc 2007; 2:1954-62. [PMID: 17703207 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2007.273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A protocol is described for the incorporation of nitroxide spin-labels into specific 2'-sites within nucleic acids. This labeling strategy facilitates the investigation of nucleic acid structure and dynamics using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and macromolecular complex formation using paramagnetic relaxation enhancement NMR spectroscopy. A spin-labeling reagent, 4-isocyanato TEMPO, which can be prepared in one facile step or obtained commercially, is used for postsynthetic modification of site-specifically 2'-amino-modified nucleic acids. This spin-labeling protocol has been applied primarily to RNA, but is also applicable to DNA. Subsequently, EPR spectroscopic analysis of the spin-labeled nucleic acids allows for the measurements of distances, solvent accessibilities and conformation dynamics. Using the spin-labeling strategy described here, spin-labeled samples can be prepared in 2-4 d.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Edwards
- University of Iceland, Science Institute, Dunhaga 3, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Ha KN, Traaseth NJ, Verardi R, Zamoon J, Cembran A, Karim CB, Thomas DD, Veglia G. Controlling the Inhibition of the Sarcoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase by Tuning Phospholamban Structural Dynamics. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:37205-14. [PMID: 17908690 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m704056200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac contraction and relaxation are regulated by conformational transitions of protein complexes that are responsible for calcium trafficking through cell membranes. Central to the muscle relaxation phase is a dynamic membrane protein complex formed by Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) and phospholamban (PLN), which in humans is responsible for approximately 70% of the calcium re-uptake in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Dysfunction in this regulatory mechanism causes severe pathophysiologies. In this report, we used a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance, and coupled enzyme assays to investigate how single mutations at position 21 of PLN affects its structural dynamics and, in turn, its interaction with SERCA. We found that it is possible to control the activity of SERCA by tuning PLN structural dynamics. Both increased rigidity and mobility of the PLN backbone cause a reduction of SERCA inhibition, affecting calcium transport. Although the more rigid, loss-of-function (LOF) mutants have lower binding affinities for SERCA, the more dynamic LOF mutants have binding affinities similar to that of PLN. Here, we demonstrate that it is possible to harness this knowledge to design new LOF mutants with activity similar to S16E (a mutant already used in gene therapy) for possible application in recombinant gene therapy. As proof of concept, we show a new mutant of PLN, P21G, with improved LOF characteristics in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kim N Ha
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Traaseth NJ, Verardi R, Torgersen KD, Karim CB, Thomas DD, Veglia G. Spectroscopic validation of the pentameric structure of phospholamban. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:14676-81. [PMID: 17804809 PMCID: PMC1976191 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0701016104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Phospholamban (PLN) regulates calcium translocation within cardiac myocytes by shifting sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) affinity for calcium. Although the monomeric form of PLN (6 kDa) is the principal inhibitory species, recent evidence suggests that the PLN pentamer (30 kDa) also is able to bind SERCA. To date, several membrane architectures of the pentamer have been proposed, with different topological orientations for the cytoplasmic domain: (i) extended from the bilayer normal by 50-60 degrees; (ii) continuous alpha-helix tilted 28 degrees relative to the bilayer normal; (iii) pinwheel geometry, with the cytoplasmic helix perpendicular to the bilayer normal and in contact with the surface of the bilayer; and (iv) bellflower structure, in which the cytoplasmic domain helix makes approximately 20 degrees angle with respect to the membrane bilayer normal. Using a variety of cell membrane mimicking systems (i.e., lipid vesicles, oriented lipid bilayers, and detergent micelles) and a combination of multidimensional solution/solid-state NMR and EPR spectroscopies, we tested the different structural models. We conclude that the pinwheel topology is the predominant conformation of pentameric PLN, with the cytoplasmic domain interacting with the membrane surface. We propose that the interaction with the bilayer precedes SERCA binding and may mediate the interactions with other proteins such as protein kinase A and protein phosphatase 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Raffaello Verardi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Kurt D. Torgersen
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Christine B. Karim
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - David D. Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Gianluigi Veglia
- *Department of Chemistry, and
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Nesmelov YE, Karim CB, Song L, Fajer PG, Thomas DD. Rotational dynamics of phospholamban determined by multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance. Biophys J 2007; 93:2805-12. [PMID: 17573437 PMCID: PMC1989693 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.107.108910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We have used multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance to define the multistate structural dynamics of an integral membrane protein, phospholamban (PLB), in a lipid bilayer. PLB is a key regulator of cardiac calcium transport, and its function requires transitions between distinct states of intramolecular dynamics. Monomeric PLB was synthesized with the TOAC spin label at positions 11 (in the cytoplasmic domain) and 46 (in the transmembrane domain) and reconstituted into lipid bilayers. Unlike other protein spin labels, TOAC reports directly the motion of the peptide backbone, so quantitative analysis of its dynamics is worthwhile. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra at 9.4 GHz (X-band) and 94 GHz (W-band) were analyzed in terms of anisotropic rotational diffusion of the two domains. Motion of the transmembrane domain is highly restricted, while the cytoplasmic domain exhibits two distinct conformations, a major one with moderately restricted nanosecond dynamics (T) and another with nearly unrestricted subnanosecond motion (R). The global analysis of spectra at two frequencies yielded values for the rotational correlation times and order parameters that were much more precisely determined than at either frequency alone. Multifrequency EPR is a powerful approach for analysis of complex rotational dynamics of proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuri E Nesmelov
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|