1
|
Remis J, Petrov PN, Zhang JT, Axelrod JJ, Cheng H, Sandhaus S, Mueller H, Glaeser RM. Cryo-EM phase-plate images reveal unexpected levels of apparent specimen damage. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.04.606536. [PMID: 39149370 PMCID: PMC11326166 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.04.606536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Apoferritin (apoF) is commonly used as a test specimen in single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM), since it consistently produces density maps that go to 3 Å resolution or higher. When we imaged apoF with a laser phase plate (LPP), however, we observed more severe particle-to-particle variation in the images than we had previously thought to exist. Similarly, we found that images of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco) also exhibited a much greater amount of heterogeneity than expected. By comparison to simulations of images, we verified that the heterogeneity is not explained by the known features of the LPP, shot noise, or differences in particle orientation. We also demonstrate that our specimens are comparable to those previously used in the literature, based on using the final-reconstruction resolution as the metric for evaluation. All of this leads us to the hypothesis that the heterogeneity is due to damage that has occurred either during purification of the specimen or during preparation of the grids. It is not, however, our goal to explain the causes of heterogeneity; rather, we report that using the LPP has made the apparent damage too obvious to be ignored. In hindsight, similar heterogeneity can be seen in images of apoF and the 20S proteasome which others had recorded with a Volta phase plate. We therefore conclude that the increased contrast of phase-plate images (at low spatial frequencies) should also make it possible to visualize, on a single-particle basis, various forms of biologically functional heterogeneity in structure that had previously gone unnoticed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Remis
- Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Petar N. Petrov
- Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jessie T, Zhang
- Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jeremy J. Axelrod
- Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Hang Cheng
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Shahar Sandhaus
- Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Holger Mueller
- Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Robert M. Glaeser
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Holvec S, Barchet C, Lechner A, Fréchin L, De Silva SNT, Hazemann I, Wolff P, von Loeffelholz O, Klaholz BP. The structure of the human 80S ribosome at 1.9 Å resolution reveals the molecular role of chemical modifications and ions in RNA. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:1251-1264. [PMID: 38844527 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01274-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
The ribosomal RNA of the human protein synthesis machinery comprises numerous chemical modifications that are introduced during ribosome biogenesis. Here we present the 1.9 Å resolution cryo electron microscopy structure of the 80S human ribosome resolving numerous new ribosomal RNA modifications and functionally important ions such as Zn2+, K+ and Mg2+, including their associated individual water molecules. The 2'-O-methylation, pseudo-uridine and base modifications were confirmed by mass spectrometry, resulting in a complete investigation of the >230 sites, many of which could not be addressed previously. They choreograph key interactions within the RNA and at the interface with proteins, including at the ribosomal subunit interfaces of the fully assembled 80S ribosome. Uridine isomerization turns out to be a key mechanism for U-A base pair stabilization in RNA in general. The structural environment of chemical modifications and ions is primordial for the RNA architecture of the mature human ribosome, hence providing a structural framework to address their role in healthy states and in human diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Holvec
- Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Charles Barchet
- Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Antony Lechner
- Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS UPR9002, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Léo Fréchin
- Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - S Nimali T De Silva
- Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Isabelle Hazemann
- Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Philippe Wolff
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS UPR9002, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ottilie von Loeffelholz
- Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Bruno P Klaholz
- Centre for Integrative Biology, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France.
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR, Illkirch, France.
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Illkirch, France.
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Denninger P. RHO OF PLANTS signalling and the activating ROP GUANINE NUCLEOTIDE EXCHANGE FACTORS: specificity in cellular signal transduction in plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:3685-3699. [PMID: 38683617 PMCID: PMC11194304 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Every cell constantly receives signals from its neighbours or the environment. In plants, most signals are perceived by RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASEs (RLKs) and then transmitted into the cell. The molecular switches RHO OF PLANTS (ROP) are critical proteins for polar signal transduction and regulate multiple cell polarity processes downstream of RLKs. Many ROP-regulating proteins and scaffold proteins of the ROP complex are known. However, the spatiotemporal ROP signalling complex composition is not yet understood. Moreover, how specificity is achieved in different ROP signalling pathways within one cell still needs to be determined. This review gives an overview of recent advances in ROP signalling and how specificity by downstream scaffold proteins can be achieved. The composition of the ROP signalling complexes is discussed, focusing on the possibility of the simultaneous presence of ROP activators and inactivators within the same complex to balance ROP activity. Furthermore, this review highlights the function of plant-specific ROP GUANINE NUCLEOTIDE EXCHANGE FACTORS polarizing ROP signalling and defining the specificity of the initiated ROP signalling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Denninger
- Plant Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Strasse 8, 85354 Freising, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jia L, Ruben EA, Suarez HJ, Olsen SK, Wasmuth EV. Single particle cryo-electron microscopy with an enhanced 200 kV cryo-TEM configuration achieves near-atomic resolution. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.07.593029. [PMID: 38766263 PMCID: PMC11100677 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.07.593029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Single particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) as a structural biology methodology has become increasingly attractive and accessible to investigators in both academia and industry as this ever-advancing technology enables successful structural determination of a wide range of protein and nucleic acid targets. Although data for many high resolution cryo-EM structures are still obtained using a 300 kV cryogenic transmission electron microscope (cryo-TEM), a modern 200 kV cryo-TEM equipped with an advanced direct electron detector and energy filter is a cost-effective choice for most single particle applications, routinely achieving sub 3 angstrom (Å) resolution. Here, we systematically evaluate performance of one such high-end configuration - a 200 kV Glacios microscope coupled with a Falcon 4 direct electron detector and Selectris energy filter (Glacios-F4-S). First, we evaluated data quality on the standard benchmarking sample, rabbit muscle aldolase, using three of the most frequently used cryo-EM data collection software: SerialEM, Leginon and EPU, and found that - despite sample heterogeneity - all final reconstructions yield same overall resolutions of 2.6 Å and map quality when using either of the three software. Furthermore, comparison between Glacios-F4-S and a 300 kV cryo-TEM (Titan Krios with Falcon 4) revealed nominal resolution differences in overall reconstructions of a reconstituted human nucleosome core particle, achieving 2.8 and 2.5 Å, respectively. Finally, we performed comparative data analysis on the human RAD51 paralog complex, BCDX2, a four-protein complex of approximately 150 kilodaltons, and found that a small dataset (≤1,000 micrographs) was sufficient to generate a 3.3 Å reconstruction, with sufficient detail to resolve co-bound ligands, AMP-PNP and Mg +2 . In summary, this study provides evidence that the Glacios-F4-S operates equally well with all standard data collection software, and is sufficient to obtain high resolution structural information of novel macromolecular complexes, readily acquiring single particle data rivaling that of 300 kV cryo-TEMs.
Collapse
|
5
|
Hoelzgen F, Nguyen TTP, Klukin E, Boumaiza M, Srivastava AK, Kim EY, Zalk R, Shahar A, Cohen-Schwartz S, Meyron-Holtz EG, Bou-Abdallah F, Mancias JD, Frank GA. Structural basis for the intracellular regulation of ferritin degradation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3802. [PMID: 38714719 PMCID: PMC11076521 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48151-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The interaction between nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) and the iron storage protein ferritin is a crucial component of cellular iron homeostasis. The binding of NCOA4 to the FTH1 subunits of ferritin initiates ferritinophagy-a ferritin-specific autophagic pathway leading to the release of the iron stored inside ferritin. The dysregulation of NCOA4 is associated with several diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer, highlighting the NCOA4-ferritin interface as a prime target for drug development. Here, we present the cryo-EM structure of the NCOA4-FTH1 interface, resolving 16 amino acids of NCOA4 that are crucial for the interaction. The characterization of mutants, designed to modulate the NCOA4-FTH1 interaction, is used to validate the significance of the different features of the binding site. Our results explain the role of the large solvent-exposed hydrophobic patch found on the surface of FTH1 and pave the way for the rational development of ferritinophagy modulators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Hoelzgen
- The Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Department of Life Sciences, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Thuy T P Nguyen
- Division of Radiation and Genome Stability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elina Klukin
- Department of Life Sciences, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Mohamed Boumaiza
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Potsdam (SUNY Potsdam), Potsdam, NY, USA
| | - Ayush K Srivastava
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Potsdam (SUNY Potsdam), Potsdam, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth Y Kim
- Division of Radiation and Genome Stability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ran Zalk
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Anat Shahar
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Sagit Cohen-Schwartz
- The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev - NIBN, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Fadi Bou-Abdallah
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Potsdam (SUNY Potsdam), Potsdam, NY, USA
| | - Joseph D Mancias
- Division of Radiation and Genome Stability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Gabriel A Frank
- Department of Life Sciences, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
- The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev - NIBN, Marcus Family Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ravichandran A, Araque JC, Lawson JW. Predicting the functional state of protein kinases using interpretable graph neural networks from sequence and structural data. Proteins 2024; 92:623-636. [PMID: 38083830 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Protein kinases are central to cellular activities and are actively pursued as drug targets for several conditions including cancer and autoimmune diseases. Despite the availability of a large structural database for kinases, methodologies to elucidate the structure-function relationship of these proteins (without manual intervention) are lacking. Such techniques are essential in structural biology and to accelerate drug discovery efforts. Here, we implement an interpretable graph neural network (GNN) framework for classifying the functionally active and inactive states of a large set of protein kinases by only using their tertiary structure and amino acid sequence. We show that the GNN models can classify kinase structures with high accuracy (>97%). We implement the Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping for graphs (Graph Grad-CAM) to automatically identify structurally important residues and residue-residue contacts of the kinases without any a priori input. We show that the motifs identified through the Graph Grad-CAM methodology are functionally critical, consistent with the existing kinase literature. Notably, the highly conserved DFG and HRD motifs of the well-known hydrophobic spine are identified by the interpretable framework in addition to some of the lesser known motifs. Further, using Grad-CAM maps as the vector embedding of the protein structures, we identify the subtle differences in the crystal structures among different sub-classes of kinases in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). Frameworks such as the one implemented here, for high-throughput identification of protein structure-function relationships are essential in designing targeted small molecules therapies as well as in engineering new proteins for novel applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin Ravichandran
- KBR Inc., Intelligent Systems Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Juan C Araque
- KBR Inc., Intelligent Systems Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - John W Lawson
- Intelligent Systems Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Premageetha GT, Vinothkumar KR, Bose S. Exploring advances in single particle CryoEM with apoferritin: From blobs to true atomic resolution. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2024; 169:106536. [PMID: 38307321 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2024.106536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Deciphering the three-dimensional structures of macromolecules is of paramount importance for gaining insights into their functions and roles in human health and disease. Single particle cryoEM has emerged as a powerful technique that enables direct visualization of macromolecules and their complexes, and through subsequent averaging, achieve near atomic-level resolution. A major breakthrough was recently achieved with the determination of the apoferritin structure at true atomic resolution. In this review, we discuss the latest technological innovations across the entire single-particle workflow, which have been instrumental in driving the resolution revolution and in transforming cryoEM as a mainstream technique in structural biology. We illustrate these advancements using apoferritin as an example that has served as an excellent benchmark sample for assessing emerging technologies. We further explore whether the existing technology can routinely generate atomic structures of dynamic macromolecules that more accurately represent real-world samples, the limitations in the workflow, and the current approaches employed to overcome them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gowtham ThambraRajan Premageetha
- Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, GKVK Post, Bangalore 560065, India; Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Tiger Circle Road, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India.
| | - Kutti R Vinothkumar
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Post, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Sucharita Bose
- Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, GKVK Post, Bangalore 560065, India.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Cushing VI, Koh AF, Feng J, Jurgaityte K, Bondke A, Kroll SHB, Barbazanges M, Scheiper B, Bahl AK, Barrett AGM, Ali S, Kotecha A, Greber BJ. High-resolution cryo-EM of the human CDK-activating kinase for structure-based drug design. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2265. [PMID: 38480681 PMCID: PMC10937634 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46375-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Rational design of next-generation therapeutics can be facilitated by high-resolution structures of drug targets bound to small-molecule inhibitors. However, application of structure-based methods to macromolecules refractory to crystallization has been hampered by the often-limiting resolution and throughput of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Here, we use high-resolution cryo-EM to determine structures of the CDK-activating kinase, a master regulator of cell growth and division, in its free and nucleotide-bound states and in complex with 15 inhibitors at up to 1.8 Å resolution. Our structures provide detailed insight into inhibitor interactions and networks of water molecules in the active site of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 and provide insights into the mechanisms contributing to inhibitor selectivity, thereby providing the basis for rational design of next-generation therapeutics. These results establish a methodological framework for the use of high-resolution cryo-EM in structure-based drug design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria I Cushing
- The Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Adrian F Koh
- Materials and Structural Analysis Division, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Junjie Feng
- The Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Kaste Jurgaityte
- Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | | | | | - Marion Barbazanges
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252, Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Bodo Scheiper
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ash K Bahl
- Carrick Therapeutics, Nova UCD, Bellfield Innovation Park, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | | | - Simak Ali
- Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK.
| | - Abhay Kotecha
- Materials and Structural Analysis Division, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| | - Basil J Greber
- The Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Marie Haynes R, Myers J, López CS, Evans J, Davulcu O, Yoshioka C. A strategic approach for efficient cryo-EM grid optimization using design of experiments. J Struct Biol 2024:108068. [PMID: 38364988 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2024.108068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has become a practical and effective method of determining structures at previously unattainable resolutions due to advances in detection, automation, and data processing. However, sample preparation remains a major bottleneck in the cryo-EM workflow. Even after the arduous process of biochemical sample optimization, it often takes several iterations of grid vitrification and screening to determine the optimal grid freezing parameters that yield suitable ice thickness and particle distribution for data collection. Since a high-quality sample is imperative for high-resolution structure determination, grid optimization is a vital step. For researchers who rely on cryo-EM facilities for grid screening, each iteration of this optimization process may delay research progress by a matter of months. Therefore, a more strategic and efficient approach should be taken to ensure that the grid optimization process can be completed in as few iterations as possible. Here, we present an implementation of Design of Experiments (DOE) to expedite and strategize the grid optimization process. A Fractional Factorial Design (FFD) guides the determination of a limited set of experimental conditions which can model the full parameter space of interest. Grids are frozen with these conditions and screened for particle distribution and ice thickness. Quantitative scores are assigned to each of these grid characteristics based on a qualitative rubric. Input conditions and response scores are used to generate a least-squares regression model of the parameter space in JMP, which is used to determine the conditions which should, in theory, yield optimal grids. Upon testing this approach on apoferritin and L-glutamate dehydrogenase on both the Vitrobot Mark IV and the Leica GP2 plunge freezers, the resulting grid conditions reliably yielded grids with high-quality ice and particle distribution that were suitable for collecting large overnight datasets on a Krios. We conclude that a DOE-based approach is a cost-effective and time-saving tool for cryo-EM grid preparation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rose Marie Haynes
- Pacific Northwest Center for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA.
| | - Janette Myers
- Pacific Northwest Center for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Claudia S López
- Pacific Northwest Center for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - James Evans
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Omar Davulcu
- Pacific Northwest Center for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Craig Yoshioka
- Pacific Northwest Center for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lee J, Ryu B, Kim T, Kim KK. Cryo-EM structure of a 16.5-kDa small heat-shock protein from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 258:128763. [PMID: 38103675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The small heat-shock protein (sHSP) from the archaea Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, MjsHSP16.5, functions as a broad substrate ATP-independent holding chaperone protecting misfolded proteins from aggregation under stress conditions. This protein is the first sHSP characterized by X-ray crystallography, thereby contributing significantly to our understanding of sHSPs. However, despite numerous studies assessing its functions and structures, the precise arrangement of the N-terminal domains (NTDs) within this sHSP cage remains elusive. Here we present the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of MjsHSP16.5 at 2.49-Å resolution. The subunits of MjsHSP16.5 in the cryo-EM structure exhibit lesser compaction compared to their counterparts in the crystal structure. This structural feature holds particular significance in relation to the biophysical properties of MjsHSP16.5, suggesting a close resemblance to this sHSP native state. Additionally, our cryo-EM structure unveils the density of residues 24-33 within the NTD of MjsHSP16.5, a feature that typically remains invisible in the majority of its crystal structures. Notably, these residues show a propensity to adopt a β-strand conformation and engage in antiparallel interactions with strand β1, both intra- and inter-subunit modes. These structural insights are corroborated by structural predictions, disulfide bond cross-linking studies of Cys-substitution mutants, and protein disaggregation assays. A comprehensive understanding of the structural features of MjsHSP16.5 expectedly holds the potential to inspire a wide range of interdisciplinary applications, owing to the renowned versatility of this sHSP as a nanoscale protein platform.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joohyun Lee
- Department of Precision Medicine, Graduate School of Basic Medical Science (GSBMS), Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Bumhan Ryu
- Research Solution Center, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
| | - Truc Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Graduate School of Basic Medical Science (GSBMS), Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kyeong Kyu Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Graduate School of Basic Medical Science (GSBMS), Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Aiyer S, Baldwin PR, Tan SM, Shan Z, Oh J, Mehrani A, Bowman ME, Louie G, Passos DO, Đorđević-Marquardt S, Mietzsch M, Hull JA, Hoshika S, Barad BA, Grotjahn DA, McKenna R, Agbandje-McKenna M, Benner SA, Noel JAP, Wang D, Tan YZ, Lyumkis D. Overcoming resolution attenuation during tilted cryo-EM data collection. Nat Commun 2024; 15:389. [PMID: 38195598 PMCID: PMC10776679 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44555-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Structural biology efforts using cryogenic electron microscopy are frequently stifled by specimens adopting "preferred orientations" on grids, leading to anisotropic map resolution and impeding structure determination. Tilting the specimen stage during data collection is a generalizable solution but has historically led to substantial resolution attenuation. Here, we develop updated data collection and image processing workflows and demonstrate, using multiple specimens, that resolution attenuation is negligible or significantly reduced across tilt angles. Reconstructions with and without the stage tilted as high as 60° are virtually indistinguishable. These strategies allowed the reconstruction to 3 Å resolution of a bacterial RNA polymerase with preferred orientation, containing an unnatural nucleotide for studying novel base pair recognition. Furthermore, we present a quantitative framework that allows cryo-EM practitioners to define an optimal tilt angle during data acquisition. These results reinforce the utility of employing stage tilt for data collection and provide quantitative metrics to obtain isotropic maps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Aiyer
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Philip R Baldwin
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Shi Min Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
| | - Zelin Shan
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Juntaek Oh
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02247, Republic of Korea
| | - Atousa Mehrani
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Marianne E Bowman
- Jack H. Skirball Center for Chemical Biology and Proteomics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Gordon Louie
- Jack H. Skirball Center for Chemical Biology and Proteomics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Dario Oliveira Passos
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | | | - Mario Mietzsch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Joshua A Hull
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Shuichi Hoshika
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, 13709 Progress Blvd Box 7, Alachua, FL, 32615, USA
| | - Benjamin A Barad
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Danielle A Grotjahn
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Robert McKenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Mavis Agbandje-McKenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Steven A Benner
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, 13709 Progress Blvd Box 7, Alachua, FL, 32615, USA
| | - Joseph A P Noel
- Jack H. Skirball Center for Chemical Biology and Proteomics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Dong Wang
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yong Zi Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore.
- Disease Intervention Technology Laboratory (DITL), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Singapore, 138648, Singapore.
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Dmitry Lyumkis
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
- Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Section of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ignatiou A, Macé K, Redzej A, Costa TRD, Waksman G, Orlova EV. Structural Analysis of Protein Complexes by Cryo-Electron Microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2715:431-470. [PMID: 37930544 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3445-5_27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Structural studies of bio-complexes using single particle cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM) is nowadays a well-established technique in structural biology and has become competitive with X-ray crystallography. Development of digital registration systems for electron microscopy images and algorithms for the fast and efficient processing of the recorded images and their following analysis has facilitated the determination of structures at near-atomic resolution. The latest advances in EM have enabled the determination of protein complex structures at 1.4-3 Å resolution for an extremely broad range of sizes (from ~100 kDa up to hundreds of MDa (Bartesaghi et al., Science 348(6239):1147-1151, 2015; Herzik et al., Nat Commun 10:1032, 2019; Wu et al., J Struct Biol X 4:100020, 2020; Zhang et al., Nat Commun 10:5511, 2019; Zhang et al., Cell Res 30(12):1136-1139, 2020; Yip et al., Nature 587(7832):157-161, 2020; https://www.ebi.ac.uk/emdb/statistics/emdb_resolution_year )). In 2022, nearly 1200 structures deposited to the EMDB database were at a resolution of better than 3 Å ( https://www.ebi.ac.uk/emdb/statistics/emdb_resolution_year ).To date, the highest resolutions have been achieved for apoferritin, which comprises a homo-oligomer of high point group symmetry (O432) and has rigid organization together with high stability (Zhang et al., Cell Res 30(12):1136-1139, 2020; Yip et al., Nature 587(7832):157-161, 2020). It has been used as a test object for the assessments of modern cryo-microscopes and processing methods during the last 5 years. In contrast to apoferritin bacterial secretion systems are typical examples of multi protein complexes exhibiting high flexibility owing to their functions relating to the transportation of small molecules, proteins, and DNA into the extracellular space or target cells. This makes their structural characterization extremely challenging (Barlow, Methods Mol Biol 532:397-411, 2009; Costa et al., Nat Rev Microbiol 13:343-359, 2015). The most feasible approach to reveal their spatial organization and functional modification is cryo-electron microscopy (EM). During the last decade, structural cryo-EM has become broadly used for the analysis of the bio-complexes that comprise multiple components and are not amenable to crystallization (Lyumkis, J Biol Chem 294:5181-5197, 2019; Orlova and Saibil, Methods Enzymol 482:321-341, 2010; Orlova and Saibil, Chem Rev 111(12):7710-7748, 2011).In this review, we will describe the basics of sample preparation for cryo-EM, the principles of digital data collection, and the logistics of image analysis focusing on the common steps required for reconstructions of both small and large biological complexes together with refinement of their structures to nearly atomic resolution. The workflow of processing will be illustrated by examples of EM analysis of Type IV Secretion System.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios Ignatiou
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, London, UK
| | - Kévin Macé
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, London, UK
| | - Adam Redzej
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, London, UK
| | - Tiago R D Costa
- Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Gabriel Waksman
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, London, UK
| | - Elena V Orlova
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Chen M, Schmid MF, Chiu W. Improving resolution and resolvability of single-particle cryoEM structures using Gaussian mixture models. Nat Methods 2024; 21:37-40. [PMID: 37973972 PMCID: PMC10860619 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02082-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy is widely used in structural biology, but its resolution is often limited by the dynamics of the macromolecule. Here we developed a refinement protocol based on Gaussian mixture models that integrates particle orientation and conformation estimation and improves the alignment for flexible domains of protein structures. We demonstrated this protocol on multiple datasets, resulting in improved resolution and resolvability, locally and globally, by visual and quantitative measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muyuan Chen
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, USA.
| | - Michael F Schmid
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Wah Chiu
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, and of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kaczor AA, Zięba A, Matosiuk D. The application of WaterMap-guided structure-based virtual screening in novel drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:73-83. [PMID: 37807912 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2267015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nowadays, it is widely accepted that water molecules play a key role in binding a ligand to a molecular target. Neglecting water molecules in the process of molecular recognition was the result of several failures of the structure-based drug discovery campaigns. The application of WaterMap, in particular WaterMap-guided molecular docking, enables the reasonably accurate and quick description of the location and energetics of water molecules at the ligand-protein interface. AREAS COVERED In this review, the authors shortly discuss the importance of water in drug design and discovery and provide a brief overview of the computational approaches used to predict the solvent-related effects for the purposes of presenting WaterMap in the context of other available techniques and tools. A concise description of WaterMap concept is followed by the presentation of WaterMap-assisted virtual screening literature published between 2013 and 2023. EXPERT OPINION In recent years, WaterMap software has been extensively used to support structure-based drug design, in particular structure-based virtual screening. Indeed, it is a useful tool to rescore docking results considering water molecules in the binding pocket. Although WaterMap allows for the consideration of the dynamic behavior of water molecules in the binding site, for best accuracy, its application in conjunction with other techniques such as molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area of FEP (Free Energy Perturbation) is recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka A Kaczor
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lublin, Poland
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Agata Zięba
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lublin, Poland
| | - Dariusz Matosiuk
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances with Computer Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lublin, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Vergara S, Zhou X, Santiago U, Conway JF, Sluis-Cremer N, Calero G. Structures of kinetic intermediate states of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase DNA synthesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.18.572243. [PMID: 38187617 PMCID: PMC10769260 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.18.572243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Reverse transcription of the retroviral single-stranded RNA into double-stranded DNA is an integral step during HIV-1 replication, and reverse transcriptase (RT) is a primary target for antiviral therapy. Despite a wealth of structural information on RT, we lack critical insight into the intermediate kinetic states of DNA synthesis. Using catalytically active substrates, and a novel blot/diffusion cryo-electron microscopy approach, we captured 11 structures that define the substrate binding, reactant, transition and product states of dATP addition by RT at 1.9 to 2.4 Å resolution in the active site. Initial dATP binding to RT-template/primer complex involves a single Mg 2+ (site B), and promotes partial closure of the active site pocket by a large conformational change in the β3-β4 loop in the Fingers domain, and formation of a negatively charged pocket where a second "drifting" Mg 2+ can bind (site A). During the transition state, the α-phosphate oxygen from a previously unobserved dATP conformer aligns with the site A Mg 2+ and the primer 3'-OH for nucleophilic attack. In the product state, we captured two substrate conformations in the active site: 1) dATP that had yet to be incorporated into the nascent DNA, and 2) an incorporated dAMP with the pyrophosphate leaving group coordinated by metal B and stabilized through H- bonds in the active site of RT. This study provides insights into a fundamental chemical reaction that impacts polymerase fidelity, nucleoside inhibitor drug design, and mechanisms of drug resistance.
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhu J, Zhang Q, Zhang H, Shi Z, Hu M, Bao C. A minority of final stacks yields superior amplitude in single-particle cryo-EM. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7822. [PMID: 38072910 PMCID: PMC10711021 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43555-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is widely used to determine near-atomic resolution structures of biological macromolecules. Due to the low signal-to-noise ratio, cryo-EM relies on averaging many images. However, a crucial question in the field of cryo-EM remains unanswered: how close can we get to the minimum number of particles required to reach a specific resolution in practice? The absence of an answer to this question has impeded progress in understanding sample behavior and the performance of sample preparation methods. To address this issue, we develop an iterative particle sorting and/or sieving method called CryoSieve. Extensive experiments demonstrate that CryoSieve outperforms other cryo-EM particle sorting algorithms, revealing that most particles are unnecessary in final stacks. The minority of particles remaining in the final stacks yield superior high-resolution amplitude in reconstructed density maps. For some datasets, the size of the finest subset approaches the theoretical limit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianying Zhu
- Yau Mathematical Sciences Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences (Tsinghua University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- School of Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Qiuzhen College, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zuoqiang Shi
- Yau Mathematical Sciences Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Yanqi Lake Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications, Beijing, China.
| | - Mingxu Hu
- Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences (Tsinghua University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
- School of Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Beijing, China.
- Shenzhen Academy of Research and Translation, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Chenglong Bao
- Yau Mathematical Sciences Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Yanqi Lake Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications, Beijing, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Langeberg CJ, Kieft JS. A generalizable scaffold-based approach for structure determination of RNAs by cryo-EM. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e100. [PMID: 37791881 PMCID: PMC10639074 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) can reveal the structures of large and often dynamic molecules, but smaller biomolecules (≤50 kDa) remain challenging targets due to their intrinsic low signal to noise ratio. Methods to help resolve small proteins have been applied but development of similar approaches to aid in structural determination of small, structured RNA elements have lagged. Here, we present a scaffold-based approach that we used to recover maps of sub-25 kDa RNA domains to 4.5-5.0 Å. While lacking the detail of true high-resolution maps, these maps are suitable for model building and preliminary structure determination. We demonstrate this method helped faithfully recover the structure of several RNA elements of known structure, and that it promises to be generalized to other RNAs without disturbing their native fold. This approach may streamline the sample preparation process and reduce the optimization required for data collection. This first-generation scaffold approach provides a robust system to aid in RNA structure determination by cryo-EM and lays the groundwork for further scaffold optimization to achieve higher resolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Conner J Langeberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Kieft
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- RNA BioScience Initiative, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Basanta B, Chen W, Pride DE, Lander GC. Fabrication of Monolayer Graphene-Coated Grids for Cryoelectron Microscopy. J Vis Exp 2023:10.3791/65702. [PMID: 37747197 PMCID: PMC11141527 DOI: 10.3791/65702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM) has emerged as a powerful technique for probing the atomic structure of macromolecular complexes. Sample preparation for cryoEM requires preserving specimens in a thin layer of vitreous ice, typically suspended within the holes of a fenestrated support film. However, all commonly used sample preparation approaches for cryoEM studies expose the specimen to the air-water interface, introducing a strong hydrophobic effect on the specimen that often results in denaturation, aggregation, and complex dissociation. Further, preferred hydrophobic interactions between regions of the specimen and the air-water interface impact the orientations adopted by the macromolecules, resulting in 3D reconstructions with anisotropic directional resolution. Adsorption of cryoEM specimens to a monolayer of graphene has been shown to help mitigate interactions with the air-water interface while minimizing the introduction of background noise. Graphene supports also offer the benefit of substantially lowering the required concentration of proteins required for cryoEM imaging. Despite the advantages of these supports, graphene-coated grids are not widely used by the cryoEM community due to the prohibitive expense of commercial options and the challenges associated with large-scale in-house production. This paper describes an efficient method for preparing batches of cryoEM grids that have nearly full coverage of monolayer graphene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Basanta
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research
| | - Wenqian Chen
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research
| | - Daniel E Pride
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research
| | - Gabriel C Lander
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research;
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Aiyer S, Baldwin PR, Tan SM, Shan Z, Oh J, Mehrani A, Bowman ME, Louie G, Passos DO, Đorđević-Marquardt S, Mietzsch M, Hull JA, Hoshika S, Barad BA, Grotjahn DA, McKenna R, Agbandje-McKenna M, Benner SA, Noel JAP, Wang D, Tan YZ, Lyumkis D. Overcoming Resolution Attenuation During Tilted Cryo-EM Data Collection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.14.548955. [PMID: 37503021 PMCID: PMC10369999 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.14.548955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Structural biology efforts using cryogenic electron microscopy are frequently stifled by specimens adopting "preferred orientations" on grids, leading to anisotropic map resolution and impeding structure determination. Tilting the specimen stage during data collection is a generalizable solution but has historically led to substantial resolution attenuation. Here, we develop updated data collection and image processing workflows and demonstrate, using multiple specimens, that resolution attenuation is negligible or significantly reduced across tilt angles. Reconstructions with and without the stage tilted as high as 60° are virtually indistinguishable. These strategies allowed the reconstruction to 3 Å resolution of a bacterial RNA polymerase with preferred orientation. Furthermore, we present a quantitative framework that allows cryo-EM practitioners to define an optimal tilt angle for dataset acquisition. These data reinforce the utility of employing stage tilt for data collection and provide quantitative metrics to obtain isotropic maps.
Collapse
|
20
|
Langeberg CJ, Kieft JS. A Generalizable Scaffold-Based Approach for Structure Determination of RNAs by Cryo-EM. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.06.547879. [PMID: 37461535 PMCID: PMC10350027 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.06.547879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) can reveal the structures of large and often dynamic molecules, but smaller biomolecules remain challenging targets due to their intrinsic low signal to noise ratio. Methods to resolve small proteins have been applied but development of similar approaches for small structured RNA elements have lagged. Here, we present a scaffold-based approach that we used to recover maps of sub-25 kDa RNA domains to 4.5 - 5.0 Å. While lacking the detail of true high-resolution maps, these are suitable for model building and preliminary structure determination. We demonstrate this method faithfully recovers the structure of several RNA elements of known structure, and it promises to be generalized to other RNAs without disturbing their native fold. This approach may streamline the sample preparation process and reduce the optimization required for data collection. This first-generation scaffold approach provides a system for RNA structure determination by cryo-EM and lays the groundwork for further scaffold optimization to achieve higher resolution.
Collapse
|
21
|
Fréchin L, Holvec S, von Loeffelholz O, Hazemann I, Klaholz BP. High-resolution cryo-EM performance comparison of two latest-generation cryo electron microscopes on the human ribosome. J Struct Biol 2023; 215:107905. [PMID: 36241135 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2022.107905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Recent technological advances in cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have led to new opportunities in the structural biology field. Here we benchmark the performance of two 300 kV latest-generation cryo electron microscopes, Titan Krios G4 from Thermofisher Scientific and CRYO ARM 300 from Jeol, with regards to achieving high resolution single particle reconstructions on a real case sample. We compare potentially limiting factors such as drift rates, astigmatism & coma aberrations and performance during image processing and show that both microscopes, while comprising rather different technical setups & parameter settings and equipped with different types of energy filters & cameras, achieve a resolution of around 2 Å on the human ribosome, a non-symmetric object which constitutes a key drug target. Astigmatism correction, CTF refinement and correction of higher order aberrations through refinement in separate optics groups helped to account for astigmatism/coma caused by beam tilting during multi-spot and multi-hole acquisition in neighbouring holes without stage movement. The obtained maps resolve Mg2+ ions, water molecules, inhibitors and side-chains including chemical modifications. The fact that both instruments can resolve such detailed features will greatly facilitate understanding molecular mechanisms of various targets and helps in cryo-EM structure based drug design. The methods and analysis tools used here will be useful also to characterize existing instruments and optimize data acquisition settings and are applicable broadly to other drug targets in structural biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Léo Fréchin
- Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology), 1 rue Laurent Fries, Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Illkirch, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm) U964, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Samuel Holvec
- Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology), 1 rue Laurent Fries, Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Illkirch, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm) U964, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ottilie von Loeffelholz
- Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology), 1 rue Laurent Fries, Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Illkirch, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm) U964, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Isabelle Hazemann
- Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology), 1 rue Laurent Fries, Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Illkirch, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm) U964, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Bruno P Klaholz
- Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and of Molecular and Cellular Biology), 1 rue Laurent Fries, Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Illkirch, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm) U964, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Fromm SA, O'Connor KM, Purdy M, Bhatt PR, Loughran G, Atkins JF, Jomaa A, Mattei S. The translating bacterial ribosome at 1.55 Å resolution generated by cryo-EM imaging services. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1095. [PMID: 36841832 PMCID: PMC9968351 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36742-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of protein synthesis has been conceptualised around the structure and function of the bacterial ribosome. This complex macromolecular machine is the target of important antimicrobial drugs, an integral line of defence against infectious diseases. Here, we describe how open access to cryo-electron microscopy facilities combined with bespoke user support enabled structural determination of the translating ribosome from Escherichia coli at 1.55 Å resolution. The obtained structures allow for direct determination of the rRNA sequence to identify ribosome polymorphism sites in the E. coli strain used in this study and enable interpretation of the ribosomal active and peripheral sites at unprecedented resolution. This includes scarcely populated chimeric hybrid states of the ribosome engaged in several tRNA translocation steps resolved at ~2 Å resolution. The current map not only improves our understanding of protein synthesis but also allows for more precise structure-based drug design of antibiotics to tackle rising bacterial resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon A Fromm
- EMBL Imaging Centre, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kate M O'Connor
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, T12 XF62, Ireland
| | - Michael Purdy
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Pramod R Bhatt
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, T12 XF62, Ireland
| | - Gary Loughran
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, T12 XF62, Ireland
| | - John F Atkins
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, T12 XF62, Ireland. .,MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK.
| | - Ahmad Jomaa
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. .,Centre for Cell and Membrane Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
| | - Simone Mattei
- EMBL Imaging Centre, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Pezeshkian W, Grünewald F, Narykov O, Lu S, Arkhipova V, Solodovnikov A, Wassenaar TA, Marrink SJ, Korkin D. Molecular architecture and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 envelope by integrative modeling. Structure 2023; 31:492-503.e7. [PMID: 36870335 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite tremendous efforts, the exact structure of SARS-CoV-2 and related betacoronaviruses remains elusive. SARS-CoV-2 envelope is a key structural component of the virion that encapsulates viral RNA. It is composed of three structural proteins, spike, membrane (M), and envelope, which interact with each other and with the lipids acquired from the host membranes. Here, we developed and applied an integrative multi-scale computational approach to model the envelope structure of SARS-CoV-2 with near atomistic detail, focusing on studying the dynamic nature and molecular interactions of its most abundant, but largely understudied, M protein. The molecular dynamics simulations allowed us to test the envelope stability under different configurations and revealed that the M dimers agglomerated into large, filament-like, macromolecular assemblies with distinct molecular patterns. These results are in good agreement with current experimental data, demonstrating a generic and versatile approach to model the structure of a virus de novo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weria Pezeshkian
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, the Netherlands; Niels Bohr International Academy, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Fabian Grünewald
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Oleksandr Narykov
- Department of Computer Science, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | - Senbao Lu
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | | | | | - Tsjerk A Wassenaar
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, the Netherlands; Institute for Life Science and Technology, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9747AS Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Dmitry Korkin
- Department of Computer Science, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
CXADR: From an Essential Structural Component to a Vital Signaling Mediator in Spermatogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021288. [PMID: 36674801 PMCID: PMC9865082 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Canonical coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CXADR) is a transmembrane component of cell junctions that is crucial for cardiac and testicular functions via its homophilic and heterophilic interaction. CXADR is expressed in both Sertoli cells and germ cells and is localized mainly at the interface between Sertoli-Sertoli cells and Sertoli-germ cells. Knockout of CXADR in mouse Sertoli cells specifically impairs male reproductive functions, including a compromised blood-testis barrier, apoptosis of germ cells, and premature loss of spermatids. Apart from serving as an important component for cell junctions, recent progress has showed the potential roles of CXADR as a signaling mediator in spermatogenesis. This review summarizes current research progress related to the regulation and role of CXADR in spermatogenesis as well as in pathological conditions. We hope this review provides some future directions and a blueprint to promote the further study on the roles of CXADR.
Collapse
|
25
|
Li S, Zhang K, Chiu W. Near-Atomic Resolution Cryo-EM Image Reconstruction of RNA. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2568:179-192. [PMID: 36227569 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2687-0_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The rapid development of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) enables the structure determination of macromolecules without the need for crystallization. Protein, protein-lipid, and protein-nucleic acid complexes can now be routinely resolved by cryo-EM single-particle analysis (SPA) to near-atomic or atomic resolution. Here we describe the structure determination of pure RNAs by SPA, from cryo-specimen preparation to data collection and 3D reconstruction. This protocol is useful to yield many cryo-EM structures of RNA, here exemplified by the Tetrahymena L-21 ScaI ribozyme at 3.1-Å resolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Bioengineering, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kaiming Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Bioengineering, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Wah Chiu
- Department of Bioengineering, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- CryoEM and Bioimaging Division, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Klusch N, Dreimann M, Senkler J, Rugen N, Kühlbrandt W, Braun HP. Cryo-EM structure of the respiratory I + III 2 supercomplex from Arabidopsis thaliana at 2 Å resolution. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:142-156. [PMID: 36585502 PMCID: PMC9873573 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-022-01308-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Protein complexes of the mitochondrial respiratory chain assemble into respiratory supercomplexes. Here we present the high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy structure of the Arabidopsis respiratory supercomplex consisting of complex I and a complex III dimer, with a total of 68 protein subunits and numerous bound cofactors. A complex I-ferredoxin, subunit B14.7 and P9, a newly defined subunit of plant complex I, mediate supercomplex formation. The component complexes stabilize one another, enabling new detailed insights into their structure. We describe (1) an interrupted aqueous passage for proton translocation in the membrane arm of complex I; (2) a new coenzyme A within the carbonic anhydrase module of plant complex I defining a second catalytic centre; and (3) the water structure at the proton exit pathway of complex III2 with a co-purified ubiquinone in the QO site. We propose that the main role of the plant supercomplex is to stabilize its components in the membrane.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Klusch
- Department of Structural Biology, Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Maximilian Dreimann
- Department of Structural Biology, Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jennifer Senkler
- Institut für Pflanzengenetik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nils Rugen
- Institut für Pflanzengenetik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Werner Kühlbrandt
- Department of Structural Biology, Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Braun
- Institut für Pflanzengenetik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Peng R, Fu X, Mendez JH, Randolph PS, Bammes BE, Stagg SM. Characterizing the resolution and throughput of the Apollo direct electron detector. J Struct Biol X 2022; 7:100080. [PMID: 36578473 PMCID: PMC9791170 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjsbx.2022.100080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in electron detection have been essential to the success of high-resolution cryo-EM structure determination. A new generation of direct electron detector called the Apollo, has been developed by Direct Electron. The Apollo uses a novel event-based MAPS detector custom designed for ultra-fast electron counting. We have evaluated this new camera, finding that it delivers high detective quantum efficiency (DQE) and low coincidence loss, enabling high-quality electron counting data acquisition at up to nearly 80 input electrons per pixel per second. We further characterized the performance of Apollo for single particle cryo-EM on real biological samples. Using mouse apoferritin, Apollo yielded better than 1.9 Å resolution reconstructions at all three tested dose rates from a half-day data collection session each. With longer collection time and improved specimen preparation, mouse apoferritin was reconstructed to 1.66 Å resolution. Applied to a more challenging small protein aldolase, we obtained a 2.24 Å resolution reconstruction. The high quality of the map indicates that the Apollo has sufficiently high DQE to reconstruct smaller proteins and complexes with high-fidelity. Our results demonstrate that the Apollo camera performs well across a broad range of dose rates and is capable of capturing high quality data that produce high-resolution reconstructions for large and small single particle samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruizhi Peng
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, 91 Chieftain Way, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Xiaofeng Fu
- Department of Biological Sciences, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Joshua H. Mendez
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, 89 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Peter S. Randolph
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, 91 Chieftain Way, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Benjamin E. Bammes
- Direct Electron LP, 13240 Evening Creek Drive South, Suite 311, San Diego, CA 92128, United States
| | - Scott M. Stagg
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, 91 Chieftain Way, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States,Department of Biological Sciences, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States,Corresponding author at: Institute of Molecular Biophysics, 91 Chieftain Way, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Laube E, Meier-Credo J, Langer JD, Kühlbrandt W. Conformational changes in mitochondrial complex I of the thermophilic eukaryote Chaetomium thermophilum. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadc9952. [PMID: 36427319 PMCID: PMC9699679 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adc9952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial complex I is a redox-driven proton pump that generates proton-motive force across the inner mitochondrial membrane, powering oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis in eukaryotes. We report the structure of complex I from the thermophilic fungus Chaetomium thermophilum, determined by cryoEM up to 2.4-Å resolution. We show that the complex undergoes a transition between two conformations, which we refer to as state 1 and state 2. The conformational switch is manifest in a twisting movement of the peripheral arm relative to the membrane arm, but most notably in substantial rearrangements of the Q-binding cavity and the E-channel, resulting in a continuous aqueous passage from the E-channel to subunit ND5 at the far end of the membrane arm. The conformational changes in the complex interior resemble those reported for mammalian complex I, suggesting a highly conserved, universal mechanism of coupling electron transport to proton pumping.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eike Laube
- Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Jakob Meier-Credo
- Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Julian D. Langer
- Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Beton JG, Cragnolini T, Kaleel M, Mulvaney T, Sweeney A, Topf M. Integrating model simulation tools and
cryo‐electron
microscopy. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph George Beton
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) Leibniz‐Institut für Virologie (LIV) Hamburg Germany
| | - Tristan Cragnolini
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck and University College London London UK
| | - Manaz Kaleel
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) Leibniz‐Institut für Virologie (LIV) Hamburg Germany
| | - Thomas Mulvaney
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) Leibniz‐Institut für Virologie (LIV) Hamburg Germany
| | - Aaron Sweeney
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) Leibniz‐Institut für Virologie (LIV) Hamburg Germany
| | - Maya Topf
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) Leibniz‐Institut für Virologie (LIV) Hamburg Germany
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Edich M, Briggs DC, Kippes O, Gao Y, Thorn A. The impact of AlphaFold2 on experimental structure solution. Faraday Discuss 2022; 240:184-195. [PMID: 35943157 DOI: 10.1039/d2fd00072e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
AlphaFold2 is a machine-learning based program that predicts a protein structure based on the amino acid sequence. In this article, we report on the current usages of this new tool and give examples from our work in the Coronavirus Structural Task Force. With its unprecedented accuracy, it can be utilized for the design of expression constructs, de novo protein design and the interpretation of Cryo-EM data with an atomic model. However, these methods are limited by their training data and are of limited use to predict conformational variability and fold flexibility; they also lack co-factors, post-translational modifications and multimeric complexes with oligonucleotides. They also are not always perfect in terms of chemical geometry. Nevertheless, machine learning-based fold prediction is a game changer for structural bioinformatics and experimentalists alike, with exciting developments ahead.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Edich
- Institute for Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - David C Briggs
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Oliver Kippes
- Institute for Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Yunyun Gao
- Institute for Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Andrea Thorn
- Institute for Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sheng Y, Harrison PJ, Vogirala V, Yang Z, Strain-Damerell C, Frosio T, Himes BA, Siebert CA, Zhang P, Clare DK. Application of super-resolution and correlative double sampling in cryo-electron microscopy. Faraday Discuss 2022; 240:261-276. [PMID: 35938521 PMCID: PMC9642007 DOI: 10.1039/d2fd00049k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Developments in cryo-EM have allowed atomic or near-atomic resolution structure determination to become routine in single particle analysis (SPA). However, near-atomic resolution structures determined using cryo-electron tomography and sub-tomogram averaging (cryo-ET STA) are much less routine. In this paper, we show that collecting cryo-ET STA data using the same conditions as SPA, with both correlated double sampling (CDS) and the super-resolution mode, allowed apoferritin to be reconstructed out to the physical Nyquist frequency of the images. Even with just two tilt series, STA yields an apoferritin map at 2.9 Å resolution. These results highlight the exciting potential of cryo-ET STA in the future of protein structure determination. While processing SPA data recorded in super-resolution mode may yield structures surpassing the physical Nyquist limit, processing cryo-ET STA data in the super-resolution mode gave no additional resolution benefit. We further show that collecting SPA data in the super-resolution mode, with CDS activated, reduces the estimated B-factor, leading to a reduction in the number of particles required to reach a target resolution without compromising the data size on disk and the area imaged in SerialEM. However, collecting SPA data in CDS does reduce throughput, given that a similar resolution structure, with a slightly larger B-factor, is achievable with optimised parameters for speed in EPU (without CDS).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuewen Sheng
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Peter J Harrison
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Vinod Vogirala
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Zhengyi Yang
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Claire Strain-Damerell
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
- RCaH, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Thomas Frosio
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Benjamin A Himes
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - C Alistair Siebert
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
- RCaH, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Daniel K Clare
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Saibil HR. Spiers Memorial Lecture: Challenges in cryo electron microscopy. Faraday Discuss 2022; 240:10-17. [PMID: 36218050 DOI: 10.1039/d2fd90044k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This article provides an introductory background and overview of the discussion meeting. It begins with an account of a few key milestones in the development of the cryo EM field, followed by an overview of the presentations that will form the basis of the discussion.
Collapse
|
33
|
Seki S, Nakaniwa T, Castro-Hartmann P, Sader K, Kawamoto A, Tanaka H, Qian P, Kurisu G, Fujii R. Structural insights into blue-green light utilization by marine green algal light harvesting complex II at 2.78 Å. BBA ADVANCES 2022; 2:100064. [PMID: 37082593 PMCID: PMC10074980 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadva.2022.100064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) present in plants and green algae absorbs solar energy to promote photochemical reactions. A marine green macroalga, Codium fragile, exhibits the unique characteristic of absorbing blue-green light from the sun during photochemical reactions while being underwater owing to the presence of pigment-altered LHCII called siphonaxanthin-chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (SCP). In this study, we determined the structure of SCP at a resolution of 2.78 Å using cryogenic electron microscopy. SCP has a trimeric structure, wherein each monomer containing two lutein and two chlorophyll a molecules in the plant-type LHCII are replaced by siphonaxanthin and its ester and two chlorophyll b molecules, respectively. Siphonaxanthin occupies the binding site in SCP having a polarity in the trimeric inner core, and exhibits a distorted conjugated chain comprising a carbonyl group hydrogen bonded to a cysteine residue of apoprotein. These features suggest that the siphonaxanthin molecule is responsible for the characteristic green absorption of SCP. The replaced chlorophyll b molecules extend the region of the stromal side chlorophyll b cluster, spanning two adjacent monomers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soichiro Seki
- Division of Molecular Materials Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558–8585, Japan
| | - Tetsuko Nakaniwa
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565–0871, Japan
| | - Pablo Castro-Hartmann
- Materials and Structural Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 GG Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Kasim Sader
- Materials and Structural Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 GG Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Akihiro Kawamoto
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565–0871, Japan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565–9871, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tanaka
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565–0871, Japan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565–9871, Japan
| | - Pu Qian
- Materials and Structural Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 GG Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Genji Kurisu
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565–0871, Japan
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565–9871, Japan
| | - Ritsuko Fujii
- Division of Molecular Materials Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558–8585, Japan
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, 3-3-138, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558–8585, Japan
- Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (ReCAP), Osaka Metropolitan University, 3-3-138, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558–8585, Japan
- Corresponding author.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Hrebík D, Gondová M, Valentová L, Füzik T, Přidal A, Nováček J, Plevka P. Polyelectrolyte coating of cryo-EM grids improves lateral distribution and prevents aggregation of macromolecules. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:1337-1346. [PMID: 36322417 PMCID: PMC9629489 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322009299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is one of the primary methods used to determine the structures of macromolecules and their complexes. With the increased availability of cryo-electron microscopes, the preparation of high-quality samples has become a bottleneck in the cryo-EM structure-determination pipeline. Macromolecules can be damaged during the purification or preparation of vitrified samples for cryo-EM, making them prone to binding to the grid support, to aggregation or to the adoption of preferential orientations at the air-water interface. Here, it is shown that coating cryo-EM grids with a negatively charged polyelectrolyte, such as single-stranded DNA, before applying the sample reduces the aggregation of macromolecules and improves their distribution. The single-stranded DNA-coated grids enabled the determination of high-resolution structures from samples that aggregated on conventional grids. The polyelectrolyte coating reduces the diffusion of macromolecules and thus may limit the negative effects of the contact of macromolecules with the grid support and blotting paper, as well as of the shear forces on macromolecules during grid blotting. Coating grids with polyelectrolytes can readily be employed in any laboratory dealing with cryo-EM sample preparation, since it is fast, simple, inexpensive and does not require specialized equipment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Hrebík
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mária Gondová
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Valentová
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tibor Füzik
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Antonín Přidal
- Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Nováček
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Plevka
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Chen C, Wei X, Parsons MF, Guo J, Banal JL, Zhao Y, Scott MN, Schlau-Cohen GS, Hernandez R, Bathe M. Nanoscale 3D spatial addressing and valence control of quantum dots using wireframe DNA origami. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4935. [PMID: 35999227 PMCID: PMC9399249 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32662-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Control over the copy number and nanoscale positioning of quantum dots (QDs) is critical to their application to functional nanomaterials design. However, the multiple non-specific binding sites intrinsic to the surface of QDs have prevented their fabrication into multi-QD assemblies with programmed spatial positions. To overcome this challenge, we developed a general synthetic framework to selectively attach spatially addressable QDs on 3D wireframe DNA origami scaffolds using interfacial control of the QD surface. Using optical spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation, we investigated the fabrication of monovalent QDs of different sizes using chimeric single-stranded DNA to control QD surface chemistry. By understanding the relationship between chimeric single-stranded DNA length and QD size, we integrated single QDs into wireframe DNA origami objects and visualized the resulting QD-DNA assemblies using electron microscopy. Using these advances, we demonstrated the ability to program arbitrary 3D spatial relationships between QDs and dyes on DNA origami objects by fabricating energy-transfer circuits and colloidal molecules. Our design and fabrication approach enables the geometric control and spatial addressing of QDs together with the integration of other materials including dyes to fabricate hybrid materials for functional nanoscale photonic devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chi Chen
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Xingfei Wei
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Molly F. Parsons
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Jiajia Guo
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ,grid.458489.c0000 0001 0483 7922Present Address: Bionic Sensing and Intelligence Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - James L. Banal
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ,Present Address: Cache DNA, Inc., 200 Lincoln Centre Drive, Foster City, CA 94404 USA
| | - Yinong Zhao
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Madelyn N. Scott
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Gabriela S. Schlau-Cohen
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Rigoberto Hernandez
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA ,grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA ,grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Mark Bathe
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Hryc CF, Baker ML. AlphaFold2 and CryoEM: Revisiting CryoEM modeling in near-atomic resolution density maps. iScience 2022; 25:104496. [PMID: 35733789 PMCID: PMC9207676 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advent of new artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, predictive modeling can, in some cases, produce structures on par with experimental methods. The combination of predictive modeling and experimental structure determination by electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) offers a tantalizing approach for producing robust atomic models of macromolecular assemblies. Here, we apply AlphaFold2 to a set of community standard data sets and compare the results with the corresponding reference maps and models. Moreover, we present three unique case studies from previously determined cryoEM density maps of viruses. Our results show that AlphaFold2 can not only produce reasonably accurate models for analysis and additional hypotheses testing, but can also potentially yield incorrect structures if not properly validated with experimental data. Whereas we outline numerous shortcomings and potential pitfalls of predictive modeling, the obvious synergy between predictive modeling and cryoEM will undoubtedly result in new computational modeling tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Corey F. Hryc
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Structural Biology Imaging Center, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Matthew L. Baker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Structural Biology Imaging Center, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Xu Y, Dang S. Recent Technical Advances in Sample Preparation for Single-Particle Cryo-EM. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:892459. [PMID: 35813814 PMCID: PMC9263182 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.892459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryo-sample preparation is a vital step in the process of obtaining high-resolution structures of macromolecules by using the single-particle cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) method; however, cryo-sample preparation is commonly hampered by high uncertainty and low reproducibility. Specifically, the existence of air-water interfaces during the sample vitrification process could cause protein denaturation and aggregation, complex disassembly, adoption of preferred orientations, and other serious problems affecting the protein particles, thereby making it challenging to pursue high-resolution 3D reconstruction. Therefore, sample preparation has emerged as a critical research topic, and several new methods for application at various preparation stages have been proposed to overcome the aforementioned hurdles. Here, we summarize the methods developed for enhancing the quality of cryo-samples at distinct stages of sample preparation, and we offer insights for developing future strategies based on diverse viewpoints. We anticipate that cryo-sample preparation will no longer be a limiting step in the single-particle cryo-EM field as increasing numbers of methods are developed in the near future, which will ultimately benefit the entire research community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Xu
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shangyu Dang
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
- Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Shangyu Dang,
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Chua EYD, Mendez JH, Rapp M, Ilca SL, Tan YZ, Maruthi K, Kuang H, Zimanyi CM, Cheng A, Eng ET, Noble AJ, Potter CS, Carragher B. Better, Faster, Cheaper: Recent Advances in Cryo-Electron Microscopy. Annu Rev Biochem 2022; 91:1-32. [PMID: 35320683 PMCID: PMC10393189 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-032620-110705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) continues its remarkable growth as a method for visualizing biological objects, which has been driven by advances across the entire pipeline. Developments in both single-particle analysis and in situ tomography have enabled more structures to be imaged and determined to better resolutions, at faster speeds, and with more scientists having improved access. This review highlights recent advances at each stageof the cryo-EM pipeline and provides examples of how these techniques have been used to investigate real-world problems, including antibody development against the SARS-CoV-2 spike during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Y D Chua
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for CryoEM Access and Training, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua H Mendez
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for CryoEM Access and Training, New York, NY, USA
| | - Micah Rapp
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Serban L Ilca
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yong Zi Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore;
- Disease Intervention Technology Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Kashyap Maruthi
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, New York, NY, USA
| | - Huihui Kuang
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christina M Zimanyi
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for CryoEM Access and Training, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anchi Cheng
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, New York, NY, USA
| | - Edward T Eng
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for CryoEM Access and Training, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alex J Noble
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for In-Situ Tomographic Ultramicroscopy, New York, NY, USA
- Simons Machine Learning Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Clinton S Potter
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for CryoEM Access and Training, New York, NY, USA
- National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for In-Situ Tomographic Ultramicroscopy, New York, NY, USA
- Simons Machine Learning Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bridget Carragher
- New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA; , , , , , , , , , , ,
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for CryoEM Access and Training, New York, NY, USA
- National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, New York, NY, USA
- National Center for In-Situ Tomographic Ultramicroscopy, New York, NY, USA
- Simons Machine Learning Center, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Hryc CF, Baker ML. Beyond the Backbone: The Next Generation of Pathwalking Utilities for Model Building in CryoEM Density Maps. Biomolecules 2022; 12:773. [PMID: 35740898 PMCID: PMC9220806 DOI: 10.3390/biom12060773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) has become an indispensable tool for studying structure and function in macromolecular assemblies. As an integral part of the cryoEM structure determination process, computational tools have been developed to build atomic models directly from a density map without structural templates. Nearly a decade ago, we created Pathwalking, a tool for de novo modeling of protein structure in near-atomic resolution cryoEM density maps. Here, we present the latest developments in Pathwalking, including the addition of probabilistic models, as well as a companion tool for modeling waters and ligands. This software was evaluated on the 2021 CryoEM Ligand Challenge density maps, in addition to identifying ligands in three IP3R1 density maps at ~3 Å to 4.1 Å resolution. The results clearly demonstrate that the Pathwalking de novo modeling pipeline can construct accurate protein structures and reliably localize and identify ligand density directly from a near-atomic resolution map.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew L. Baker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Structural Biology Imaging Center, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Vanslembrouck B, Chen JH, Larabell C, van Hengel J. Microscopic Visualization of Cell-Cell Adhesion Complexes at Micro and Nanoscale. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:819534. [PMID: 35517500 PMCID: PMC9065677 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.819534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable progress has been made in our knowledge of the morphological and functional varieties of anchoring junctions. Cell-cell adhesion contacts consist of discrete junctional structures responsible for the mechanical coupling of cytoskeletons and allow the transmission of mechanical signals across the cell collective. The three main adhesion complexes are adherens junctions, tight junctions, and desmosomes. Microscopy has played a fundamental role in understanding these adhesion complexes on different levels in both physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we discuss the main light and electron microscopy techniques used to unravel the structure and composition of the three cell-cell contacts in epithelial and endothelial cells. It functions as a guide to pick the appropriate imaging technique(s) for the adhesion complexes of interest. We also point out the latest techniques that have emerged. At the end, we discuss the problems investigators encounter during their cell-cell adhesion research using microscopic techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bieke Vanslembrouck
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Anatomy, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Bieke Vanslembrouck, ; Jolanda van Hengel,
| | - Jian-hua Chen
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Anatomy, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Carolyn Larabell
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Anatomy, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jolanda van Hengel
- Medical Cell Biology Research Group, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Bieke Vanslembrouck, ; Jolanda van Hengel,
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Rabuck-Gibbons JN, Lyumkis D, Williamson JR. Quantitative mining of compositional heterogeneity in cryo-EM datasets of ribosome assembly intermediates. Structure 2022; 30:498-509.e4. [PMID: 34990602 PMCID: PMC9891661 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Single-particle cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) offers a unique opportunity to characterize macromolecular structural heterogeneity by virtue of its ability to place distinct particle populations into different groups through computational classification. However, there is a dearth of tools for surveying the heterogeneity landscape, quantitatively analyzing heterogeneous particle populations after classification, deciding how many unique classes are represented by the data, and accurately cross-comparing reconstructions. Here, we develop a workflow that contains discovery and analysis modules to quantitatively mine cryo-EM data for sets of structures with maximal diversity. This workflow was applied to a dataset of E. coli 50S ribosome assembly intermediates, which are characterized by significant structural heterogeneity. We identified more detailed branchpoints in the assembly process and characterized the interactions of an assembly factor with immature intermediates. While the tools described here were developed for ribosome assembly, they should be broadly applicable to the analysis of other heterogeneous cryo-EM datasets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica N Rabuck-Gibbons
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Department of Chemistry, and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Dmitry Lyumkis
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Department of Chemistry, and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Laboratory of Genetics and Helmsley Center for Genomic Medicine, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - James R Williamson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Department of Chemistry, and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Obr M, JH Hagen W, Dick RA, Yu L, Kotecha A, KM Schur F. Exploring high-resolution cryo-ET and subtomogram averaging capabilities of contemporary DEDs. J Struct Biol 2022; 214:107852. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2022.107852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
|
43
|
Zhang K, Horikoshi N, Li S, Powers AS, Hameedi MA, Pintilie GD, Chae HD, Khan YA, Suomivuori CM, Dror RO, Sakamoto KM, Chiu W, Wakatsuki S. Cryo-EM, Protein Engineering, and Simulation Enable the Development of Peptide Therapeutics against Acute Myeloid Leukemia. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:214-222. [PMID: 35233453 PMCID: PMC8875425 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c01090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has emerged as a viable structural tool for molecular therapeutics development against human diseases. However, it remains a challenge to determine structures of proteins that are flexible and smaller than 30 kDa. The 11 kDa KIX domain of CREB-binding protein (CBP), a potential therapeutic target for acute myeloid leukemia and other cancers, is a protein which has defied structure-based inhibitor design. Here, we develop an experimental approach to overcome the size limitation by engineering a protein double-shell to sandwich the KIX domain between apoferritin as the inner shell and maltose-binding protein as the outer shell. To assist homogeneous orientations of the target, disulfide bonds are introduced at the target-apoferritin interface, resulting in a cryo-EM structure at 2.6 Å resolution. We used molecular dynamics simulations to design peptides that block the interaction of the KIX domain of CBP with the intrinsically disordered pKID domain of CREB. The double-shell design allows for fluorescence polarization assays confirming the binding between the KIX domain in the double-shell and these interacting peptides. Further cryo-EM analysis reveals a helix-helix interaction between a single KIX helix and the best peptide, providing a possible strategy for developments of next-generation inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaiming Zhang
- MOE
Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Division of Life Sciences
and Medicine, University of Science and
Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Naoki Horikoshi
- Life
Science Center for Survival Dynamics, University
of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
- Department
of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Shanshan Li
- MOE
Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Division of Life Sciences
and Medicine, University of Science and
Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Alexander S. Powers
- Department
of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department
of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Mikhail A. Hameedi
- Department
of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Biosciences
Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo
Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Grigore D. Pintilie
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Hee-Don Chae
- Department
of Pediatrics, Stanford University School
of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yousuf A. Khan
- Department
of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department
of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford
University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Carl-Mikael Suomivuori
- Department
of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Ron O. Dror
- Department
of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Kathleen M. Sakamoto
- Department
of Pediatrics, Stanford University School
of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Wah Chiu
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- CryoEM
and Bioimaging Division, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource,
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford
University, Menlo
Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Soichi Wakatsuki
- Department
of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Biosciences
Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo
Park, California 94025, United States
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Ma H, Jia X, Zhang K, Su Z. Cryo-EM advances in RNA structure determination. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:58. [PMID: 35197441 PMCID: PMC8864457 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00916-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has emerged as an unprecedented tool to resolve protein structures at atomic resolution. Structural insights of biological samples not accessible by conventional X-ray crystallography and NMR can be explored with cryo-EM because measurements are carried out under near-native crystal-free conditions, and large protein complexes with conformational and compositional heterogeneity are readily resolved. RNA has remained underexplored in cryo-EM, despite its essential role in various biological processes. This review highlights current challenges and recent progress in using cryo-EM single-particle analysis to determine protein-free RNA structures, enabled by improvement in sample preparation and integration of multiple structural and biochemical methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haiyun Ma
- The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Department of Geriatrics and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610044, China
| | - Xinyu Jia
- The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Department of Geriatrics and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610044, China
| | - Kaiming Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Zhaoming Su
- The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Department of Geriatrics and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610044, China.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Saibil HR. Cryo-EM in molecular and cellular biology. Mol Cell 2022; 82:274-284. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
46
|
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has revolutionized the field of structural biology, particularly in solving the structures of large protein complexes or cellular machineries that play important biological functions. This review focuses on the contribution and future potential of cryo-EM in related emerging applications-enzymatic mechanisms and dynamic processes. Work on these subjects can benefit greatly from the capability of cryo-EM to solve the structures of specific protein complexes in multiple conditions, including variations in the buffer condition, ligands, and temperature, and to capture multiple conformational states, conformational change intermediates, and reaction intermediates. These studies can expand the structural landscape of specific proteins or protein complexes in multiple dimensions and drive new advances in the fields of enzymology and dynamic processes. The advantages and complementarity of cryo-EM relative to X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance with regard to these applications are also addressed. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 51 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Daw Tsai
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; .,Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Jin Wu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan;
| | - Meng-Chiao Ho
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; .,Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Wigge C, Stefanovic A, Radjainia M. The rapidly evolving role of cryo-EM in drug design. DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY. TECHNOLOGIES 2021; 38:91-102. [PMID: 34895645 DOI: 10.1016/j.ddtec.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Since the early 2010s, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has evolved to a mainstream structural biology method in what has been dubbed the "resolution revolution". Pharma companies also began to use cryo-EM in drug discovery, evidenced by a growing number of industry publications. Hitherto limited in resolution, throughput and attainable molecular weight, cryo-EM is rapidly overcoming its main limitations for more widespread use through a new wave of technological advances. This review discusses how cryo-EM has already impacted drug discovery, and how the state-of-the-art is poised to further revolutionize its application to previously intractable proteins as well as new use cases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Wigge
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 GG Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | | | - Mazdak Radjainia
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 GG Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Chang WH, Huang SH, Lin HH, Chung SC, Tu IP. Cryo-EM Analyses Permit Visualization of Structural Polymorphism of Biological Macromolecules. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2021; 1:788308. [PMID: 36303748 PMCID: PMC9580929 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2021.788308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The functions of biological macromolecules are often associated with conformational malleability of the structures. This phenomenon of chemically identical molecules with different structures is coined structural polymorphism. Conventionally, structural polymorphism is observed directly by structural determination at the density map level from X-ray crystal diffraction. Although crystallography approach can report the conformation of a macromolecule with the position of each atom accurately defined in it, the exploration of structural polymorphism and interpreting biological function in terms of crystal structures is largely constrained by the crystal packing. An alternative approach to studying the macromolecule of interest in solution is thus desirable. With the advancement of instrumentation and computational methods for image analysis and reconstruction, cryo-electron microscope (cryo-EM) has been transformed to be able to produce “in solution” structures of macromolecules routinely with resolutions comparable to crystallography but without the need of crystals. Since the sample preparation of single-particle cryo-EM allows for all forms co-existing in solution to be simultaneously frozen, the image data contain rich information as to structural polymorphism. The ensemble of structure information can be subsequently disentangled through three-dimensional (3D) classification analyses. In this review, we highlight important examples of protein structural polymorphism in relation to allostery, subunit cooperativity and function plasticity recently revealed by cryo-EM analyses, and review recent developments in 3D classification algorithms including neural network/deep learning approaches that would enable cryo-EM analyese in this regard. Finally, we brief the frontier of cryo-EM structure determination of RNA molecules where resolving the structural polymorphism is at dawn.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Hau Chang
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Wei-Hau Chang,
| | | | - Hsin-Hung Lin
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Szu-Chi Chung
- Department of Applied Mathematics, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - I-Ping Tu
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Sarkans U, Chiu W, Collinson L, Darrow MC, Ellenberg J, Grunwald D, Hériché JK, Iudin A, Martins GG, Meehan T, Narayan K, Patwardhan A, Russell MRG, Saibil HR, Strambio-De-Castillia C, Swedlow JR, Tischer C, Uhlmann V, Verkade P, Barlow M, Bayraktar O, Birney E, Catavitello C, Cawthorne C, Wagner-Conrad S, Duke E, Paul-Gilloteaux P, Gustin E, Harkiolaki M, Kankaanpää P, Lemberger T, McEntyre J, Moore J, Nicholls AW, Onami S, Parkinson H, Parsons M, Romanchikova M, Sofroniew N, Swoger J, Utz N, Voortman LM, Wong F, Zhang P, Kleywegt GJ, Brazma A. REMBI: Recommended Metadata for Biological Images-enabling reuse of microscopy data in biology. Nat Methods 2021; 18:1418-1422. [PMID: 34021280 PMCID: PMC8606015 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-021-01166-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Bioimaging data have significant potential for reuse, but unlocking this potential requires systematic archiving of data and metadata in public databases. We propose draft metadata guidelines to begin addressing the needs of diverse communities within light and electron microscopy. We hope this publication and the proposed Recommended Metadata for Biological Images (REMBI) will stimulate discussions about their implementation and future extension.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ugis Sarkans
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK.
| | - Wah Chiu
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Jan Ellenberg
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Grunwald
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jean-Karim Hériché
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrii Iudin
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | | | - Terry Meehan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
- Kymab Ltd., Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kedar Narayan
- Center for Molecular Microscopy, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Ardan Patwardhan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | | | - Helen R Saibil
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Jason R Swedlow
- Division of Computational Biology and Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Christian Tischer
- Centre for Bioimage Analysis, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Virginie Uhlmann
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Paul Verkade
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Mary Barlow
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | | | - Ewan Birney
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Cesare Catavitello
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
- Ebury UK, London, UK
| | - Christopher Cawthorne
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Elizabeth Duke
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Harwell, UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Perrine Paul-Gilloteaux
- Université de Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, l'institut du thorax, Nantes, France
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CNRS, SFR Santé, Inserm UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, Nantes, France
| | - Emmanuel Gustin
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Maria Harkiolaki
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Harwell, UK
| | - Pasi Kankaanpää
- Turku BioImaging, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- Euro-BioImaging ERIC, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Jo McEntyre
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Josh Moore
- Division of Computational Biology and Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | | | - Shuichi Onami
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Helen Parkinson
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Maddy Parsons
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Jim Swoger
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nadine Utz
- German BioImaging e.V., University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Lenard M Voortman
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Frances Wong
- Division of Computational Biology and Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Harwell, UK
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gerard J Kleywegt
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK.
| | - Alvis Brazma
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Zhou W, Bammes B, Mitchell PG, Betz K, Chiu W. Electron crystallography of chiral and non-chiral small molecules. Ultramicroscopy 2021; 232:113417. [PMID: 34695647 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2021.113417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Electron crystallography has recently gained attentions in multiple fields of research, as it has been demonstrated to determine atomic structures for inorganic, organic, and macromolecular materials from nano-sized crystals that were not amenable to conventional X-ray crystallography. Here, we demonstrate continuous-rotation microcrystal electron diffraction (microED) in a 200 kV transmission electron microscope using a DE-64 camera-a low-noise direct electron detector that can accommodate a linear response up to ∼1200 electrons per pixel per second at 20 fps with 2x-hardware-binning, making it ideal for acquisition of high-quality diffraction patterns. We have used this method and camera to determine a 0.75 Å structure of an organic molecule, biotin, with an exceptional goodness-of-fit, as well as a 0.88 Å structure of a chiral molecule, L-serine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weijiang Zhou
- Biophysics Program, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Patrick G Mitchell
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Kerry Betz
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Wah Chiu
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| |
Collapse
|