1
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Yao J, Hong H. Steric trapping strategy for studying the folding of helical membrane proteins. Methods 2024; 225:1-12. [PMID: 38428472 PMCID: PMC11107808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.02.007] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the folding energy landscape of membrane proteins is essential to the understanding of the proteins' stabilizing forces, folding mechanisms, biogenesis, and quality control. This is not a trivial task because the reversible control of folding is inherently difficult in a lipid bilayer environment. Recently, novel methods have been developed, each of which has a unique strength in investigating specific aspects of membrane protein folding. Among such methods, steric trapping is a versatile strategy allowing a reversible control of membrane protein folding with minimal perturbation of native protein-water and protein-lipid interactions. In a nutshell, steric trapping exploits the coupling of spontaneous denaturation of a doubly biotinylated protein to the simultaneous binding of bulky monovalent streptavidin molecules. This strategy has been evolved to investigate key elements of membrane protein folding such as thermodynamic stability, spontaneous denaturation rates, conformational features of the denatured states, and cooperativity of stabilizing interactions. In this review, we describe the critical methodological advancement, limitation, and outlook of the steric trapping strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Yao
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Heedeok Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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2
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Zhao H, Wang L, Zhang M, Wang H, Zhang S, Wu J, Tang Y. Identification and characterization of novel genetic variants in the first Chinese family of mucopolysaccharidosis IIIC (Sanfilippo C syndrome). J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18307. [PMID: 38613342 PMCID: PMC11015392 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18307] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIC (MPS IIIC) is one of inherited lysosomal storage disorders, caused by deficiencies in lysosomal hydrolases degrading acidic mucopolysaccharides. The gene responsible for MPS IIIC is HGSNAT, which encodes an enzyme that catalyses the acetylation of the terminal glucosamine residues of heparan sulfate. So far, few studies have focused on the genetic landscape of MPS IIIC in China, where IIIA and IIIB were the major subtypes. In this study, we utilized whole-exome sequencing (WES) to identify novel compound heterozygous variants in the HGSNAT gene from a Chinese patient with typical MPS IIIC symptoms: c.743G>A; p.Gly248Glu and c.1030C>T; p.Arg344Cys. We performed in silico analysis and experimental validation, which confirmed the deleterious pathogenic nature of both variants, as evidenced by the loss of HGSNAT activity and failure of lysosomal localization. To the best of our knowledge, the MPS IIIC is first confirmed by clinical, biochemical and molecular genetic findings in China. Our study thus expands the spectrum of MPS IIIC pathogenic variants, which is of importance to dissect the pathogenesis and to carry out clinical diagnosis of MPS IIIC. Moreover, this study helps to depict the natural history of Chinese MPS IIIC populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjun Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- Provincial Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Lijing Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- Department of Geriatrics, Aging Research Center, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Mengfei Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- Department of Geriatrics, Aging Research Center, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Huakun Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- Department of Geriatrics, Aging Research Center, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Sizhe Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanChina
| | - Junjiao Wu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- Provincial Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Yu Tang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- Department of Geriatrics, Aging Research Center, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunanChina
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3
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Min D. Folding speeds of helical membrane proteins. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:491-501. [PMID: 38385525 PMCID: PMC10903471 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231315] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Membrane proteins play key roles in human health, contributing to cellular signaling, ATP synthesis, immunity, and metabolite transport. Protein folding is the pivotal early step for their proper functioning. Understanding how this class of proteins adopts their native folds could potentially aid in drug design and therapeutic interventions for misfolding diseases. It is an essential piece in the whole puzzle to untangle their kinetic complexities, such as how rapid membrane proteins fold, how their folding speeds are influenced by changing conditions, and what mechanisms are at play. This review explores the folding speed aspect of multipass α-helical membrane proteins, encompassing plausible folding scenarios based on the timing and stability of helix packing interactions, methods for characterizing the folding time scales, relevant folding steps and caveats for interpretation, and potential implications. The review also highlights the recent estimation of the so-called folding speed limit of helical membrane proteins and discusses its consequent impact on the current picture of folding energy landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duyoung Min
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Center for Wave Energy Materials, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
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4
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Hickman SJ, Miller HL, Bukys A, Kapanidis AN, Berks BC. Aberrant Topologies of Bacterial Membrane Proteins Revealed by High Sensitivity Fluorescence Labelling. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168368. [PMID: 37977298 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168368] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The cytoplasmic membrane compartmentalises the bacterial cell into cytoplasm and periplasm. Proteins located in this membrane have a defined topology that is established during their biogenesis. However, the accuracy of this fundamental biosynthetic process is unknown. We developed compartment-specific fluorescence labelling methods with up to single-molecule sensitivity. Application of these methods to the single and multi-spanning membrane proteins of the Tat protein transport system revealed rare topogenesis errors. This methodology also detected low level soluble protein mislocalization from the cytoplasm to the periplasm. This study shows that it is possible to uncover rare errors in protein localization by leveraging the high sensitivity of fluorescence methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Hickman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.
| | - Helen L Miller
- Biological Physics Research Group, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom.
| | - Alfredas Bukys
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.
| | - Achillefs N Kapanidis
- Biological Physics Research Group, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom; Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Sherrington Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.
| | - Ben C Berks
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.
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5
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Bogdanov M. Exploring Uniform, Dual, and Dynamic Topologies of Membrane Proteins by Substituted Cysteine Accessibility Method (SCAM™). Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2715:121-157. [PMID: 37930526 PMCID: PMC10755806 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3445-5_9] [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
A described simple and advanced protocol for Substituted Cysteine Accessibility Method as applied to transmembrane (TM) orientation (SCAM™) permits a topology analysis of proteins in their native state and can be universally adapted to any membrane system to either systematically map an uniform or identify and quantify the degree of mixed topology or establish transmembrane assembly dynamics from relatively static experimental data such as endpoint topologies of membrane proteins. In this approach, noncritical individual amino acids that are thought to reside in the putative extracellular or intracellular loops of a membrane protein are replaced one at the time by cysteine residue, and the orientation with respect to the membrane is evaluated by using a pair of membrane-impermeable non-detectable and detectable thiol-reactive labeling reagents. For the most water-exposed cysteine residues in proteins, the thiol pKa lies in the range of 8-9, and formation of cysteinyl thiolate ions is optimum in aqueous rather in a nonpolar environment. These features and the ease of specific chemical modification with thiol reagents are central to SCAM™. Membrane side-specific sulfhydryl labeling allows to discriminate "exposed, protected or dynamic" cysteines strategically "implanted" at desired positions throughout cysteine less target protein template. The strategy described is widely used to map the topology of membrane protein and establish its transmembrane dynamics in intact cells of both diderm (two-membraned) Gram-negative and monoderm (one-membraned) Gram-positive bacteria, cell-derived oriented membrane vesicles, and proteoliposomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Bogdanov
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
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6
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Wijesinghe WCB, Min D. Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy of Membrane Protein Folding. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167975. [PMID: 37330286 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.167975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule force spectroscopy is a unique method that can probe the structural changes of single proteins at a high spatiotemporal resolution while mechanically manipulating them over a wide force range. Here, we review the current understanding of membrane protein folding learned by using the force spectroscopy approach. Membrane protein folding in lipid bilayers is one of the most complex biological processes in which diverse lipid molecules and chaperone proteins are intricately involved. The approach of single protein forced unfolding in lipid bilayers has produced important findings and insights into membrane protein folding. This review provides an overview of the forced unfolding approach, including recent achievements and technical advances. Progress in the methods can reveal more interesting cases of membrane protein folding and clarify general mechanisms and principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- W C Bhashini Wijesinghe
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Duyoung Min
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea; Center for Wave Energy Materials, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Bulatova L, Savenkova D, Nurgalieva A, Reshetnikova D, Timonina A, Skripova V, Bogdanov M, Kiyamova R. Toward a Topology-Based Therapeutic Design of Membrane Proteins: Validation of NaPi2b Topology in Live Ovarian Cancer Cells. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:895911. [PMID: 35911971 PMCID: PMC9335355 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.895911] [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: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
NaPi2b is a sodium-dependent phosphate transporter that belongs to the SLC34 family of transporters which is mainly responsible for phosphate homeostasis in humans. Although NaPi2b is widely expressed in normal tissues, its overexpression has been demonstrated in ovarian, lung, and other cancers. A valuable set of antibodies, including L2 (20/3) and MX35, and its humanized versions react strongly with an antigen on the surface of ovarian and other carcinoma cells. Although the topology of NaPi2b was predicted in silico, no direct experimental data are available for the orientation of NaPi2b extracellular domains in cancer cells. The presented results of antibody mapping of untagged NaPi2b in live ovarian carcinoma cells OVCAR-4 provide a platform for current and future epitope-based cancer therapies and serological diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leisan Bulatova
- Research Laboratory “Biomarker”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Daria Savenkova
- Research Laboratory “Biomarker”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Alsina Nurgalieva
- Research Laboratory “Biomarker”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Daria Reshetnikova
- Research Laboratory “Biomarker”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Arina Timonina
- Research Laboratory “Biomarker”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Vera Skripova
- Research Laboratory “Biomarker”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Mikhail Bogdanov
- Research Laboratory “Biomarker”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School, the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Ramziya Kiyamova, ; Mikhail Bogdanov,
| | - Ramziya Kiyamova
- Research Laboratory “Biomarker”, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
- *Correspondence: Ramziya Kiyamova, ; Mikhail Bogdanov,
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8
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Corin K, Bowie JU. How physical forces drive the process of helical membrane protein folding. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e53025. [PMID: 35133709 PMCID: PMC8892262 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein folding is a fundamental process of life with important implications throughout biology. Indeed, tens of thousands of mutations have been associated with diseases, and most of these mutations are believed to affect protein folding rather than function. Correct folding is also a key element of design. These factors have motivated decades of research on protein folding. Unfortunately, knowledge of membrane protein folding lags that of soluble proteins. This gap is partly caused by the greater technical challenges associated with membrane protein studies, but also because of additional complexities. While soluble proteins fold in a homogenous water environment, membrane proteins fold in a setting that ranges from bulk water to highly charged to apolar. Thus, the forces that drive folding vary in different regions of the protein, and this complexity needs to be incorporated into our understanding of the folding process. Here, we review our understanding of membrane protein folding biophysics. Despite the greater challenge, better model systems and new experimental techniques are starting to unravel the forces and pathways in membrane protein folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Corin
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryMolecular Biology InstituteUCLA‐DOE InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - James U Bowie
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryMolecular Biology InstituteUCLA‐DOE InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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9
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Abstract
Is it possible to learn and create a first Hidden Markov Model (HMM) without programming skills or understanding the algorithms in detail? In this concise tutorial, we present the HMM through the 2 general questions it was initially developed to answer and describe its elements. The HMM elements include variables, hidden and observed parameters, the vector of initial probabilities, and the transition and emission probability matrices. Then, we suggest a set of ordered steps, for modeling the variables and illustrate them with a simple exercise of modeling and predicting transmembrane segments in a protein sequence. Finally, we show how to interpret the results of the algorithms for this particular problem. To guide the process of information input and explicit solution of the basic HMM algorithms that answer the HMM questions posed, we developed an educational webserver called HMMTeacher. Additional solved HMM modeling exercises can be found in the user’s manual and answers to frequently asked questions. HMMTeacher is available at https://hmmteacher.mobilomics.org, mirrored at https://hmmteacher1.mobilomics.org. A repository with the code of the tool and the webpage is available at https://gitlab.com/kmilo.f/hmmteacher.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Fuentes-Beals
- PhD Program in Sciences Mention Modeling of Chemical and Biological Systems, School of Bioinformatics Engineering, Center for Bioinformatics, Simulation and Modeling, CBSM, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Alejandro Valdés-Jiménez
- Center for Bioinformatics, Simulation and Modeling, CBSM, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Riadi
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative Program Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channels-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Center for Bioinformatics, Simulation and Modeling, CBSM, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Talca, Talca, Chile
- * E-mail:
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10
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Lipid bilayer induces contraction of the denatured state ensemble of a helical-bundle membrane protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2109169119. [PMID: 34969836 PMCID: PMC8740594 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109169119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Defining the denatured state ensemble (DSE) and disordered proteins is essential to understanding folding, chaperone action, degradation, and translocation. As compared with water-soluble proteins, the DSE of membrane proteins is much less characterized. Here, we measure the DSE of the helical membrane protein GlpG of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in native-like lipid bilayers. The DSE was obtained using our steric trapping method, which couples denaturation of doubly biotinylated GlpG to binding of two streptavidin molecules. The helices and loops are probed using limited proteolysis and mass spectrometry, while the dimensions are determined using our paramagnetic biotin derivative and double electron-electron resonance spectroscopy. These data, along with our Upside simulations, identify the DSE as being highly dynamic, involving the topology changes and unfolding of some of the transmembrane (TM) helices. The DSE is expanded relative to the native state but only to 15 to 75% of the fully expanded condition. The degree of expansion depends on the local protein packing and the lipid composition. E. coli's lipid bilayer promotes the association of TM helices in the DSE and, probably in general, facilitates interhelical interactions. This tendency may be the outcome of a general lipophobic effect of proteins within the cell membranes.
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11
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Hong H, Choi HK, Yoon TY. Untangling the complexity of membrane protein folding. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 72:237-247. [PMID: 34995926 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2021.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Delineating the folding steps of helical-bundle membrane proteins has been a challenging task. Many questions remain unanswered, including the conformation and stability of the states populated during folding, the shape of the energy barriers between the states, and the role of lipids as a solvent in mediating the folding. Recently, theoretical frames have matured to a point that permits detailed dissection of the folding steps, and advances in experimental techniques at both single-molecule and ensemble levels enable selective modulation of specific steps for quantitative determination of the folding energy landscapes. We also discuss how lipid molecules would play an active role in shaping the folding energy landscape of membrane proteins, and how folding of multi-domain membrane proteins can be understood based on our current knowledge. We conclude this review by offering an outlook for emerging questions in the study of membrane protein folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heedeok Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - Hyun-Kyu Choi
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Tae-Young Yoon
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.
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12
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Whitley P, Grau B, Gumbart JC, Martínez-Gil L, Mingarro I. Folding and Insertion of Transmembrane Helices at the ER. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312778. [PMID: 34884581 PMCID: PMC8657811 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the entry point for newly synthesized proteins that are subsequently distributed to organelles of the endomembrane system. Some of these proteins are completely translocated into the lumen of the ER while others integrate stretches of amino acids into the greasy 30 Å wide interior of the ER membrane bilayer. It is generally accepted that to exist in this non-aqueous environment the majority of membrane integrated amino acids are primarily non-polar/hydrophobic and adopt an α-helical conformation. These stretches are typically around 20 amino acids long and are known as transmembrane (TM) helices. In this review, we will consider how transmembrane helices achieve membrane integration. We will address questions such as: Where do the stretches of amino acids fold into a helical conformation? What is/are the route/routes that these stretches take from synthesis at the ribosome to integration through the ER translocon? How do these stretches ‘know’ to integrate and in which orientation? How do marginally hydrophobic stretches of amino acids integrate and survive as transmembrane helices?
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Whitley
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK;
| | - Brayan Grau
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain; (B.G.); (L.M.-G.)
| | - James C. Gumbart
- School of Physics, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA;
| | - Luis Martínez-Gil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain; (B.G.); (L.M.-G.)
| | - Ismael Mingarro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain; (B.G.); (L.M.-G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-963543796
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13
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McKee AG, Kuntz CP, Ortega JT, Woods H, Most V, Roushar FJ, Meiler J, Jastrzebska B, Schlebach JP. Systematic Profiling of Temperature- and Retinal-Sensitive Rhodopsin Variants by Deep Mutational Scanning. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101359. [PMID: 34756884 PMCID: PMC8649220 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane protein variants with diminished conformational stability often exhibit enhanced cellular expression at reduced growth temperatures. The expression of “temperature-sensitive” variants is also typically sensitive to corrector molecules that bind and stabilize the native conformation. There are many examples of temperature-sensitive rhodopsin variants, the misfolding of which is associated with the molecular basis of retinitis pigmentosa. In this work, we employ deep mutational scanning to compare the effects of reduced growth temperature and 9-cis-retinal, an investigational corrector, on the plasma membrane expression of 700 rhodopsin variants in HEK293T cells. We find that the change in expression at reduced growth temperatures correlates with the response to 9-cis-retinal among variants bearing mutations within a hydrophobic transmembrane domain (TM2). The most sensitive variants appear to disrupt a native helical kink within this transmembrane domain. By comparison, mutants that alter the structure of a polar transmembrane domain (TM7) exhibit weaker responses to temperature and retinal that are poorly correlated. Statistical analyses suggest that this observed insensitivity cannot be attributed to a single variable, but likely arises from the composite effects of mutations on the energetics of membrane integration, the stability of the native conformation, and the integrity of the retinal-binding pocket. Finally, we show that the characteristics of purified temperature- and retinal-sensitive variants suggest that the proteostatic effects of retinal may be manifested during translation and cotranslational folding. Together, our findings highlight several biophysical constraints that appear to influence the sensitivity of genetic variants to temperature and small-molecule correctors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G McKee
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Charles P Kuntz
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Joseph T Ortega
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Hope Woods
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chemical and Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Victoria Most
- Institute for Drug Development, Leipzig University, Leipzig, SAC, Germany
| | - Francis J Roushar
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Jens Meiler
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Institute for Drug Development, Leipzig University, Leipzig, SAC, Germany
| | - Beata Jastrzebska
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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14
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Folding and misfolding of potassium channel monomers during assembly and tetramerization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2103674118. [PMID: 34413192 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2103674118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamics and folding of potassium channel pore domain monomers are connected to the kinetics of tetramer assembly. In all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of Kv1.2 and KcsA channels, monomers adopt multiple nonnative conformations while the three helices remain folded. Consistent with this picture, NMR studies also find the monomers to be dynamic and structurally heterogeneous. However, a KcsA construct with a disulfide bridge engineered between the two transmembrane helices has an NMR spectrum with well-dispersed peaks, suggesting that the monomer can be locked into a native-like conformation that is similar to that observed in the folded tetramer. During tetramerization, fluoresence resonance energy transfer (FRET) data indicate that monomers rapidly oligomerize upon insertion into liposomes, likely forming a protein-dense region. Folding within this region occurs along separate fast and slow routes, with τfold ∼40 and 1,500 s, respectively. In contrast, constructs bearing the disulfide bond mainly fold via the faster pathway, suggesting that maintaining the transmembrane helices in their native orientation reduces misfolding. Interestingly, folding is concentration independent despite the tetrameric nature of the channel, indicating that the rate-limiting step is unimolecular and occurs after monomer association in the protein-dense region. We propose that the rapid formation of protein-dense regions may help with the assembly of multimeric membrane proteins by bringing together the nascent components prior to assembly. Finally, despite its name, the addition of KcsA's C-terminal "tetramerization" domain does not hasten the kinetics of tetramerization.
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15
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Ernst M, Robertson JL. The Role of the Membrane in Transporter Folding and Activity. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167103. [PMID: 34139219 PMCID: PMC8756397 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis, folding, and function of membrane transport proteins are critical factors for defining cellular physiology. Since the stability of these proteins evolved amidst the lipid bilayer, it is no surprise that we are finding that many of these membrane proteins demonstrate coupling of their structure or activity in some way to the membrane. More and more transporter structures are being determined with some information about the surrounding membrane, and computational modeling is providing further molecular details about these solvation structures. Thus, the field is moving towards identifying which molecular mechanisms - lipid interactions, membrane perturbations, differential solvation, and bulk membrane effects - are involved in linking membrane energetics to transporter stability and function. In this review, we present an overview of these mechanisms and the growing evidence that the lipid bilayer is a major determinant of the fold, form, and function of membrane transport proteins in membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Ernst
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Janice L Robertson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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16
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Nicolaus F, Metola A, Mermans D, Liljenström A, Krč A, Abdullahi SM, Zimmer M, Miller Iii TF, von Heijne G. Residue-by-residue analysis of cotranslational membrane protein integration in vivo. eLife 2021; 10:64302. [PMID: 33554862 PMCID: PMC7886326 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We follow the cotranslational biosynthesis of three multispanning Escherichia coli inner membrane proteins in vivo using high-resolution force profile analysis. The force profiles show that the nascent chain is subjected to rapidly varying pulling forces during translation and reveal unexpected complexities in the membrane integration process. We find that an N-terminal cytoplasmic domain can fold in the ribosome exit tunnel before membrane integration starts, that charged residues and membrane-interacting segments such as re-entrant loops and surface helices flanking a transmembrane helix (TMH) can advance or delay membrane integration, and that point mutations in an upstream TMH can affect the pulling forces generated by downstream TMHs in a highly position-dependent manner, suggestive of residue-specific interactions between TMHs during the integration process. Our results support the 'sliding' model of translocon-mediated membrane protein integration, in which hydrophobic segments are continually exposed to the lipid bilayer during their passage through the SecYEG translocon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Nicolaus
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ane Metola
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daphne Mermans
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amanda Liljenström
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ajda Krč
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Matthew Zimmer
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pasadena, United States
| | - Thomas F Miller Iii
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pasadena, United States
| | - Gunnar von Heijne
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Science for Life Laboratory Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
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17
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Choi HK, Min D, Kang H, Shon MJ, Rah SH, Kim HC, Jeong H, Choi HJ, Bowie JU, Yoon TY. Watching helical membrane proteins fold reveals a common N-to-C-terminal folding pathway. Science 2020; 366:1150-1156. [PMID: 31780561 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw8208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
To understand membrane protein biogenesis, we need to explore folding within a bilayer context. Here, we describe a single-molecule force microscopy technique that monitors the folding of helical membrane proteins in vesicle and bicelle environments. After completely unfolding the protein at high force, we lower the force to initiate folding while transmembrane helices are aligned in a zigzag manner within the bilayer, thereby imposing minimal constraints on folding. We used the approach to characterize the folding pathways of the Escherichia coli rhomboid protease GlpG and the human β2-adrenergic receptor. Despite their evolutionary distance, both proteins fold in a strict N-to-C-terminal fashion, accruing structures in units of helical hairpins. These common features suggest that integral helical membrane proteins have evolved to maximize their fitness with cotranslational folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Kyu Choi
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.,Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Duyoung Min
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Hyunook Kang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Min Ju Shon
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.,Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Sang-Hyun Rah
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.,Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Hak Chan Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Hawoong Jeong
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Hee-Jung Choi
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
| | - James U Bowie
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Tae-Young Yoon
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea. .,Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
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