1
|
Kieliszek M, Sapazhenkava K. The Promising Role of Selenium and Yeast in the Fight Against Protein Amyloidosis. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-024-04245-x. [PMID: 38829477 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04245-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to research on diseases related to the deposition of misfolded proteins (amyloids) in various organs. Moreover, modern scientists emphasise the importance of selenium as a bioelement necessary for the proper functioning of living organisms. The inorganic form of selenium-sodium selenite (redox-active)-can prevent the formation of an insoluble polymer in proteins. It is very important to undertake tasks aimed at understanding the mechanisms of action of this element in inhibiting the formation of various types of amyloid. Furthermore, yeast cells play an important role in this matter as a eukaryotic model organism, which is intensively used in molecular research on protein amyloidosis. Due to the lack of appropriate treatment in the general population, the problem of amyloidosis remains unsolved. This extracellular accumulation of amyloid is one of the main factors responsible for the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease. The review presented here contains scientific information discussing a brief description of the possibility of amyloid formation in cells and the use of selenium as a factor preventing the formation of these protein aggregates. Recent studies have shown that the yeast model can be successfully used as a eukaryotic organism in biotechnological research aimed at understanding the essence of the entire amyloidosis process. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate the reaction of yeast to selenium and the phenomenon of amyloidosis is important in the aetiology and pathogenesis of various disease states. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct further research and analysis aimed at explaining and confirming the role of selenium in the processes of protein misfolding disorders. The rest of the article discusses the characteristics of food protein amyloidosis and their use in the food industry. During such tests, their toxicity is checked because not all food proteins can produce amyloid that is toxic to cells. It should also be noted that a moderate diet is beneficial for the corresponding disease relief caused by amyloidosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marek Kieliszek
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159 C, Warsaw, 02-776, Poland.
| | - Katsiaryna Sapazhenkava
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159 C, Warsaw, 02-776, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li C, Wu Y, Zhu Y, Yan J, Liu S, Xu J, Fa S, Yan T, Zhu D, Yan Y, Liu J. Molecular Motor-Driven Light-Controlled Logic-Gated K + Channel for Cancer Cell Apoptosis. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2312352. [PMID: 38301140 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312352] [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: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Developing artificial ion transport systems, which process complicated information and step-wise regulate properties, is essential for deeply comprehending the subtle dynamic behaviors of natural channel proteins (NCPs). Here a photo-controlled logic-gated K+ channel based on single-chain random heteropolymers containing molecular motors, exhibiting multi-core processor-like properties to step-wise control ion transport is reported. Designed with oxygen, deoxygenation, and different wavelengths of light as input signals, complicated logical circuits comprising "YES", "AND", "OR" and "NOT" gate components are established. Implementing these logical circuits with K+ transport efficiencies as output signals, multiple state transitions including "ON", "Partially OFF" and "Totally OFF" in liposomes and cancer cells are realized, further causing step-wise anticancer treatments. Dramatic K+ efflux in the "ON" state (decrease by 50% within 7 min) significantly induces cancer cell apoptosis. This integrated logic-gated strategy will be expanded toward understanding the delicate mechanism underlying NCPs and treating cancer or other diseases is expected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cong Li
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Special Functional and Smart Polymer Materials of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China
| | - Yaqi Wu
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Special Functional and Smart Polymer Materials of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China
| | - Yihang Zhu
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Jing Yan
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Special Functional and Smart Polymer Materials of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China
| | - Shengda Liu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Jiayun Xu
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Shixin Fa
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Special Functional and Smart Polymer Materials of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China
| | - Tengfei Yan
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Dingcheng Zhu
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Yi Yan
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Special Functional and Smart Polymer Materials of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China
| | - Junqiu Liu
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Special Functional and Smart Polymer Materials of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Powell WC, Nahum M, Pankratz K, Herlory M, Greenwood J, Poliyenko D, Holland P, Jing R, Biggerstaff L, Stowell MHB, Walczak MA. Post-Translational Modifications Control Phase Transitions of Tau. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.583040. [PMID: 38559065 PMCID: PMC10979912 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.583040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The self-assembly of Tau(297-391) into filaments, which mirror the structures observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains, raises questions about the role of AD-specific post-translational modifications (PTMs) in the formation of paired helical filaments (PHFs). To investigate this, we developed a synthetic approach to produce Tau(291-391) featuring N-acetyllysine, phosphoserine, phosphotyrosine, and N-glycosylation at positions commonly modified in post-mortem AD brains, thus facilitating the study of their roles in Tau pathology. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and a range of optical microscopy techniques, we discovered that these modifications generally hinder the in vitro assembly of Tau into PHFs. Interestingly, while acetylation's effect on Tau assembly displayed variability, either promoting or inhibiting phase transitions in the context of cofactor free aggregation, heparin-induced aggregation, and RNA-mediated liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), phosphorylation uniformly mitigated these processes. Our observations suggest that PTMs, particularly those situated outside the fibril's rigid core are pivotal in the nucleation of PHFs. Moreover, in scenarios involving heparin-induced aggregation leading to the formation of heterogeneous aggregates, most AD-specific PTMs, except for K311, appeared to decelerate the aggregation process. The impact of acetylation on RNA-induced LLPS was notably site-dependent, exhibiting both facilitative and inhibitory effects, whereas phosphorylation consistently reduced LLPS across all proteoforms examined. These insights underscore the complex interplay between site-specific PTMs and environmental factors in modulating Tau aggregation kinetics, enhancing our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of Tau pathology in AD and highlighting the critical role of PTMs located outside the ordered filament core in driving the self-assembly of Tau into PHF structures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wyatt C. Powell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - McKinley Nahum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Karl Pankratz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Morgane Herlory
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - James Greenwood
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Darya Poliyenko
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Patrick Holland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Ruiheng Jing
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Luke Biggerstaff
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Michael H. B. Stowell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Maciej A. Walczak
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Andreotti G, Baur J, Ugrina M, Pfeiffer PB, Hartmann M, Wiese S, Miyahara H, Higuchi K, Schwierz N, Schmidt M, Fändrich M. Insights into the Structural Basis of Amyloid Resistance Provided by Cryo-EM Structures of AApoAII Amyloid Fibrils. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168441. [PMID: 38199491 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168441] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid resistance is the inability or the reduced susceptibility of an organism to develop amyloidosis. In this study we have analysed the molecular basis of the resistance to systemic AApoAII amyloidosis, which arises from the formation of amyloid fibrils from apolipoprotein A-II (ApoA-II). The disease affects humans and animals, including SAMR1C mice that express the C allele of ApoA-II protein, whereas other mouse strains are resistant to development of amyloidosis due to the expression of other ApoA-II alleles, such as ApoA-IIF. Using cryo-electron microscopy, molecular dynamics simulations and other methods, we have determined the structures of pathogenic AApoAII amyloid fibrils from SAMR1C mice and analysed the structural effects of ApoA-IIF-specific mutational changes. Our data show that these changes render ApoA-IIF incompatible with the specific fibril morphologies, with which ApoA-II protein can become pathogenic in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giada Andreotti
- Institute of Protein Biochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Julian Baur
- Institute of Protein Biochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Marijana Ugrina
- Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany
| | | | - Max Hartmann
- Institute of Protein Biochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wiese
- Core Unit Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Hiroki Miyahara
- Institute for Biomedical Science, Shinshu University, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
| | - Keiichi Higuchi
- Institute for Biomedical Science, Shinshu University, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan; Faculty of Human Health Sciences, Meio University, Nago 905-8585, Japan
| | - Nadine Schwierz
- Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Schmidt
- Institute of Protein Biochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Marcus Fändrich
- Institute of Protein Biochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ratan Y, Rajput A, Pareek A, Pareek A, Jain V, Sonia S, Farooqui Z, Kaur R, Singh G. Advancements in Genetic and Biochemical Insights: Unraveling the Etiopathogenesis of Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's Disease. Biomolecules 2024; 14:73. [PMID: 38254673 PMCID: PMC10813470 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010073] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative movement disorder worldwide, which is primarily characterized by motor impairments. Even though multiple hypotheses have been proposed over the decades that explain the pathogenesis of PD, presently, there are no cures or promising preventive therapies for PD. This could be attributed to the intricate pathophysiology of PD and the poorly understood molecular mechanism. To address these challenges comprehensively, a thorough disease model is imperative for a nuanced understanding of PD's underlying pathogenic mechanisms. This review offers a detailed analysis of the current state of knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of PD, with a particular emphasis on the roles played by gene-based factors in the disease's development and progression. This study includes an extensive discussion of the proteins and mutations of primary genes that are linked to PD, including α-synuclein, GBA1, LRRK2, VPS35, PINK1, DJ-1, and Parkin. Further, this review explores plausible mechanisms for DAergic neural loss, non-motor and non-dopaminergic pathologies, and the risk factors associated with PD. The present study will encourage the related research fields to understand better and analyze the current status of the biochemical mechanisms of PD, which might contribute to the design and development of efficacious and safe treatment strategies for PD in future endeavors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yashumati Ratan
- Department of Pharmacy, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India; (A.R.); (A.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Aishwarya Rajput
- Department of Pharmacy, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India; (A.R.); (A.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Ashutosh Pareek
- Department of Pharmacy, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India; (A.R.); (A.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Aaushi Pareek
- Department of Pharmacy, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India; (A.R.); (A.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Vivek Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur 313001, Rajasthan, India;
| | - Sonia Sonia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India;
| | - Zeba Farooqui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA;
| | - Ranjeet Kaur
- Adesh Institute of Dental Sciences and Research, Bathinda 151101, Punjab, India;
| | - Gurjit Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ohno S, Manabe N, Yamaguchi Y. Prediction of protein structure and AI. J Hum Genet 2024:10.1038/s10038-023-01215-4. [PMID: 38177398 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-023-01215-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
AlphaFold, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool for predicting the 3D structure of proteins, is now widely recognized for its high accuracy and versatility in the folding of human proteins. AlphaFold is useful for understanding structure-function relationships from protein 3D structure models and can serve as a template or a reference for experimental structural analysis including X-ray crystallography, NMR and cryo-EM analysis. Its use is expanding among researchers, not only in structural biology but also in other research fields. Researchers are currently exploring the full potential of AlphaFold-generated protein models. Predicting disease severity caused by missense mutations is one such application. This article provides an overview of the 3D structural modeling of AlphaFold based on deep learning techniques and highlights the challenges in predicting the pathogenicity of missense mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shiho Ohno
- Division of Structural Glycobiology, Institute of Molecular Biomembrane and Glycobiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8558, Japan
| | - Noriyoshi Manabe
- Division of Structural Glycobiology, Institute of Molecular Biomembrane and Glycobiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8558, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Yamaguchi
- Division of Structural Glycobiology, Institute of Molecular Biomembrane and Glycobiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8558, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bai Y, Zhang S, Dong H, Liu Y, Liu C, Zhang X. Advanced Techniques for Detecting Protein Misfolding and Aggregation in Cellular Environments. Chem Rev 2023; 123:12254-12311. [PMID: 37874548 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation, a key contributor to the progression of numerous neurodegenerative diseases, results in functional deficiencies and the creation of harmful intermediates. Detailed visualization of this misfolding process is of paramount importance for improving our understanding of disease mechanisms and for the development of potential therapeutic strategies. While in vitro studies using purified proteins have been instrumental in delivering significant insights into protein misfolding, the behavior of these proteins in the complex milieu of living cells often diverges significantly from such simplified environments. Biomedical imaging performed in cell provides cellular-level information with high physiological and pathological relevance, often surpassing the depth of information attainable through in vitro methods. This review highlights a variety of methodologies used to scrutinize protein misfolding within biological systems. This includes optical-based methods, strategies leaning on mass spectrometry, in-cell nuclear magnetic resonance, and cryo-electron microscopy. Recent advancements in these techniques have notably deepened our understanding of protein misfolding processes and the features of the resulting misfolded species within living cells. The progression in these fields promises to catalyze further breakthroughs in our comprehension of neurodegenerative disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Bai
- Department of Chemistry, Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang Province, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Shengnan Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang Province, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Li D, Liu C. Molecular rules governing the structural polymorphism of amyloid fibrils in neurodegenerative diseases. Structure 2023; 31:1335-1347. [PMID: 37657437 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.08.006] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are hallmarks of various neurodegenerative diseases. The structural polymorphism of amyloid fibrils holds significant pathological importance in diseases. This review aims to provide an in-depth overview on the complexity of amyloid fibrils' structural polymorphism and its implications in disease pathogenesis. We firstly decipher the molecular rules governing the structural polymorphism of amyloid fibrils. We then discuss pivotal factors that contribute to the assortment of fibril structural polymorphs, including post-translational modifications (PTMs), disease mutations, and interacting molecules, and elucidate the structural basis of how these determinants influence amyloid fibril polymorphism. Furthermore, we underscore the need for a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between diverse fibril polymorphs and pathological activities, as well as their potential roles in therapeutic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Li D, Ma Y, Xia W, Tao Y, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Li D, Dai B, Liu C. Creating an Amyloid 'Kaleidoscope' Using Short Iodinated Peptides. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202310737. [PMID: 37650358 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202310737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils formed by peptides with different sequences exhibit diversified morphologies, material properties and activities, making them valuable for developing functional bionanomaterials. However, the molecular understanding underlying the structural diversity of peptide fibrillar assembly at atomic level is still lacking. In this study, by using cryogenic electron microscopy, we first revealed the structural basis underlying the highly reversible assembly of 1 GFGGNDNFG9 (referred to as hnRAC1) peptide fibril. Furthermore, by installing iodine at different sites of hnRAC1, we generated a collection of peptide fibrils with distinct thermostability. By determining the atomic structures of the iodinated fibrils, we discovered that iodination at different sites of the peptide facilitates the formation of diverse halogen bonds and triggers the assembly of entirely different structures of iodinated fibrils. Finally, based on this structural knowledge, we designed an iodinated peptide that assembles into new atomic structures of fibrils, exhibiting superior thermostability, that aligned with our design. Our work provides an in-depth understanding of the atomic-level processes underlying the formation of diverse peptide fibril structures, and paves the way for creating an amyloid "kaleidoscope" by employing various modifications and peptide sequences to fine-tune the atomic structure and properties of fibrillar nanostructures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danni Li
- School of Sensing Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yeyang Ma
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wencheng Xia
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Youqi Tao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Yiling Zhang
- School of Sensing Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- School of Sensing Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Bin Dai
- School of Sensing Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Chakraborty P, Rivière G, Hebestreit A, de Opakua AI, Vorberg IM, Andreas LB, Zweckstetter M. Acetylation discriminates disease-specific tau deposition. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5919. [PMID: 37739953 PMCID: PMC10517010 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41672-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic aggregation of the protein tau is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and several other tauopathies. Tauopathies are characterized by the deposition of specific tau isoforms as disease-related tau filament structures. The molecular processes that determine isoform-specific deposition of tau are however enigmatic. Here we show that acetylation of tau discriminates its isoform-specific aggregation. We reveal that acetylation strongly attenuates aggregation of four-repeat tau protein, but promotes amyloid formation of three-repeat tau. We further identify acetylation of lysine 298 as a hot spot for isoform-specific tau aggregation. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy demonstrates that amyloid fibrils formed by unmodified and acetylated three-repeat tau differ in structure indicating that site-specific acetylation modulates tau structure. The results implicate acetylation as a critical regulator that guides the selective aggregation of three-repeat tau and the development of tau isoform-specific neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pijush Chakraborty
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gwladys Rivière
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alina Hebestreit
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Alain Ibáñez de Opakua
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ina M Vorberg
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany
| | - Loren B Andreas
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Guo X, Bai H, Chen L. Imidazole-octyl mixed-mode stationary phase based on macroporous silica for the purification of ovomucoid and ovotransferrin. Mikrochim Acta 2023; 190:404. [PMID: 37728672 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-023-05986-7] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
A process-simplified hard template approach was established to synthesize the monodisperse macroporous silica microspheres with homogeneous structures by twice alkali-thermal treatment and calcination routes. Porous vinyl-functionalized polysesquioxane microspheres (V-PMSQ) were synthesized through a hydrolyzation-polycondensation method and used as templates. The template particles with large aperture and high pore volume were obtained by adjusting the pH value and reaction time of the twice alkali-thermal reaction. After calcination, monodisperse silica microspheres with an average pore size of 30 nm, homogeneous pore structures, and narrow particle size distribution were fabricated, which can be directly used as chromatographic matrices without classification. After that, a new reversed-phase/strong anion-exchange (RP/SAX) mixed-mode stationary phase Sil-S-VOIM was prepared by bonding the 1-vinyl-3-octyl-imidazole ligands to the above silica microspheres through a "thiol-ene" click reaction. The performance of the Sil-S-VOIM column was evaluated by one acidic protein (transferrin) and two basic proteins (lysozyme, α-chymotrypsin) and compared to a single imidazole-modified Sil-S-VIM column and an octyl-modified Sil-C8 column, respectively. Due to the synergistic effect of electrostatic repulsion and hydrophobic interactions, baseline separations of the above proteins were observed only on the Sil-S-VOIM column, with resolutions of 2.55 and 2.01 between lysozyme and transferrin, and between transferrin and α-chymotrypsin, respectively, indicating good selectivity and separation ability compared with single-mode stationary phases. It was applied to the isolation of egg white samples with peaks identified by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF-MS. The results showed that the selective retention and isolation of ovomucoid and ovotransferrin were successfully achieved, with yields of 78.8% and 67.2%, respectively. The protocol described in this work is simpler, faster, and has higher protein recovery. Overall, this new mixed-mode stationary phase provided a promising potential for the separation and determination of intact proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xu Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Hui Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Lei Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Tao Y, Li D. Acetylation encodes Tau aggregation. Structure 2023; 31:1005-1007. [PMID: 37683614 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.08.002] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications profoundly influence amyloid assembly. In this issue of Structure, Li et al. unravel the underlying mechanism by which specific lysine acetylation patterns facilitate fibril formation of Tau segments. Their cryo-electron microscopy structure further elucidates how acetyl groups act as stabilizers within the architecture of Tau fibrils.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youqi Tao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Xia Q, Wang Z, Wan W, Feng H, Sun R, Jing B, Ge Y, Liu Y. Fluorene-based tau fibrillation sensor and inhibitor with fluorogenic and photo-crosslinking properties. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:10008-10011. [PMID: 37522834 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc02581k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Tau protein aggregation into neurofibrillary tangles often causes tauopathies. Herein, we report fluorene based sensors with fluorogenicity upon binding to tau proteins. Intriguingly, these sensors possess triplet state properties to inhibit tau fibrillation upon photo-induced crosslinking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxuan Xia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
- The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Wang Wan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Huan Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Rui Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Biao Jing
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
- The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Yusong Ge
- The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 467 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Yu Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Meng F, Kim JY, Gopich IV, Chung HS. Single-molecule FRET and molecular diffusion analysis characterize stable oligomers of amyloid-β 42 of extremely low population. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad253. [PMID: 37564361 PMCID: PMC10411938 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Soluble oligomers produced during protein aggregation have been thought to be toxic species causing various diseases. Characterization of these oligomers is difficult because oligomers are a heterogeneous mixture, which is not readily separable, and may appear transiently during aggregation. Single-molecule spectroscopy can provide valuable information by detecting individual oligomers, but there have been various problems in determining the size and concentration of oligomers. In this work, we develop and use a method that analyzes single-molecule fluorescence burst data of freely diffusing molecules in solution based on molecular diffusion theory and maximum likelihood method. We demonstrate that the photon count rate, diffusion time, population, and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency can be accurately determined from simulated data and the experimental data of a known oligomerization system, the tetramerization domain of p53. We used this method to characterize the oligomers of the 42-residue amyloid-β (Aβ42) peptide. Combining peptide incubation in a plate reader and single-molecule free-diffusion experiments allows for the detection of stable oligomers appearing at various stages of aggregation. We find that the average size of these oligomers is 70-mer and their overall population is very low, less than 1 nM, in the early and middle stages of aggregation of 1 µM Aβ42 peptide. Based on their average size and long diffusion time, we predict the oligomers have a highly elongated rod-like shape.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fanjie Meng
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| | - Jae-Yeol Kim
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| | - Irina V Gopich
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| | - Hoi Sung Chung
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hurtle BT, Xie L, Donnelly CJ. Disrupting pathologic phase transitions in neurodegeneration. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e168549. [PMID: 37395272 DOI: 10.1172/jci168549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Solid-like protein deposits found in aged and diseased human brains have revealed a relationship between insoluble protein accumulations and the resulting deficits in neurologic function. Clinically diverse neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, exhibit unique and disease-specific biochemical protein signatures and abnormal protein depositions that often correlate with disease pathogenesis. Recent evidence indicates that many pathologic proteins assemble into liquid-like protein phases through the highly coordinated process of liquid-liquid phase separation. Over the last decade, biomolecular phase transitions have emerged as a fundamental mechanism of cellular organization. Liquid-like condensates organize functionally related biomolecules within the cell, and many neuropathology-associated proteins reside within these dynamic structures. Thus, examining biomolecular phase transitions enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms mediating toxicity across diverse neurodegenerative diseases. This Review explores the known mechanisms contributing to aberrant protein phase transitions in neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on tau and TDP-43 proteinopathies and outlining potential therapeutic strategies to regulate these pathologic events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan T Hurtle
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate Program
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh; and
- LiveLikeLou Center for ALS Research at the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Longxin Xie
- LiveLikeLou Center for ALS Research at the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Christopher J Donnelly
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate Program
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh; and
- LiveLikeLou Center for ALS Research at the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhang S, Dong H, Bian J, Li D, Liu C. Targeting amyloid proteins for clinical diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 3:505-519. [PMID: 38933553 PMCID: PMC11197785 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal aggregation and accumulation of pathological amyloid proteins such as amyloid-β, Tau, and α-synuclein play key pathological roles and serve as histological hallmarks in different neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). In addition, various post-translational modifications (PTMs) have been identified on pathological amyloid proteins and are subjected to change during disease progression. Given the central role of amyloid proteins in NDs, tremendous efforts have been made to develop amyloid-targeting strategies for clinical diagnosis and molecular classification of NDs. In this review, we summarize two major strategies for targeting amyloid aggregates, with a focus on the trials in AD diagnosis. The first strategy is a positron emission tomography (PET) scan of protein aggregation in the brain. We mainly focus on introducing the development of small-molecule PET tracers for specifically recognizing pathological amyloid fibrils. The second strategy is the detection of PTM biomarkers on amyloid proteins in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma. We discuss the pathological roles of different PTMs in diseases and how we can use the PTM profile of amyloid proteins for clinical diagnosis. Finally, we point out the potential technical challenges of these two strategies, and outline other potential strategies, as well as a combination of multiple strategies, for molecular diagnosis of NDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shenqing Zhang
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiang Bian
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
- Bio-X-Renji Hospital Research Center, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Organic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Zhao J, Jiang L, Matlock A, Xu Y, Zhu J, Zhu H, Tian L, Wolozin B, Cheng JX. Mid-infrared chemical imaging of intracellular tau fibrils using fluorescence-guided computational photothermal microscopy. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2023; 12:147. [PMID: 37322011 PMCID: PMC10272128 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-023-01191-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid proteins are associated with a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases. However, it remains a grand challenge to extract molecular structure information from intracellular amyloid proteins in their native cellular environment. To address this challenge, we developed a computational chemical microscope integrating 3D mid-infrared photothermal imaging with fluorescence imaging, termed Fluorescence-guided Bond-Selective Intensity Diffraction Tomography (FBS-IDT). Based on a low-cost and simple optical design, FBS-IDT enables chemical-specific volumetric imaging and 3D site-specific mid-IR fingerprint spectroscopic analysis of tau fibrils, an important type of amyloid protein aggregates, in their intracellular environment. Label-free volumetric chemical imaging of human cells with/without seeded tau fibrils is demonstrated to show the potential correlation between lipid accumulation and tau aggregate formation. Depth-resolved mid-infrared fingerprint spectroscopy is performed to reveal the protein secondary structure of the intracellular tau fibrils. 3D visualization of the β-sheet for tau fibril structure is achieved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
| | - Lulu Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Alex Matlock
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Yihong Xu
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jiabei Zhu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Hongbo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130033, Changchun, China
| | - Lei Tian
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Benjamin Wolozin
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Ji-Xin Cheng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Sun R, Zhang S, Liu Y, Li D. Chemical probes for investigating protein liquid-liquid phase separation and aggregation. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 74:102291. [PMID: 37004350 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Protein liquid-liquid phase separation drives the dynamic assembly of membraneless organelles for fulfilling different physiological functions. Under diseased condition, protein may undergo liquid-to-solid condensation to form pathological amyloid aggregates closely associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Chemical probe serves as an important chemical tool not only for exploring the basic principle of the dynamic assembly of different protein condensates in vitro and in cell but also for clinical diagnosis and therapeutics of the related diseases. In this review, we first introduce chemical probes to image and regulate protein condensates. Then, we summarized three different categories of chemical probes including general amyloid dye, selective positron emission tomography tracer, and disaggregating binder, which feature distinct interaction pattern and activity upon binding to different pathological amyloid fibrillar aggregates. Next, we discuss the development of chemical probes for tracking protein amorphous aggregates in cells. Finally, we point out future direction in expanding the probes' chemical space and applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Shenqing Zhang
- Bio-X-Renji Hospital Research Center, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China; Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yu Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China.
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X-Renji Hospital Research Center, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China; Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; WLA Laboratories, World Laureates Association, Shanghai 201203, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Li X, Du Y, Chen X, Liu C. Emerging roles of O-glycosylation in regulating protein aggregation, phase separation, and functions. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 75:102314. [PMID: 37156204 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Protein O-glycosylation is widely identified in various proteins involved in diverse biological processes. Recent studies have demonstrated that O-glycosylation plays crucial and multifaceted roles in modulating protein amyloid aggregation and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) under physiological conditions. Dysregulation of these processes is closely associated with human diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and cancers. In this review, we first summarize the distinct roles of O-glycosylation in regulating pathological aggregation of different amyloid proteins related to NDs and elaborate the underlying mechanisms of how O-glycosylation modulates protein aggregation kinetics, induces new aggregated structures, and mediates the pathogenesis of amyloid aggregates under diseased conditions. Furthermore, we introduce recent discoveries on O-GlcNAc-mediated regulation of synaptic LLPS and phase separation potency of low-complexity domain-enriched proteins. Finally, we identify challenges in future research and highlight the potential for developing new therapeutic strategies of NDs by targeting protein O-glycosylation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifei Du
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China; Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Chen
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China; Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Peking University, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Moore K, Sengupta U, Puangmalai N, Bhatt N, Kayed R. Polymorphic Alpha-Synuclein Oligomers: Characterization and Differential Detection with Novel Corresponding Antibodies. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:2691-2705. [PMID: 36707462 PMCID: PMC9883140 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03211-3] [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: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The pathological hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases is the accumulation of characteristic proteinaceous aggregates. Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies can be characterized as synucleinopathies due to the abnormal accumulation of the protein alpha-synuclein (α-Syn). Studies have shown amyloidogenic proteins such as α-Syn and tau can exist as polymorphic aggregates, a theory widely studied mostly in their fibrillar morphology. It is now well understood that an intermediate state of aggregates, oligomers, are the most toxic species. We have shown α-Syn, when modified by different physiological inducers, result in distinct oligomeric conformations of α-Syn. Polymorphic α-Syn oligomers exhibit distinct properties such as aggregate size, conformation, and differentially interact with tau. In this study, we confirm α-Syn oligomeric polymorphs furthermore using in-house novel α-Syn toxic conformation monoclonal antibodies (SynTCs). It is unclear the biological relevance of α-Syn oligomeric polymorphisms. Utilizing a combination of biochemical, biophysical, and cell-based assays, we characterize α-Syn oligomeric polymorphs. We found α-Syn oligomeric polymorphs exhibit distinct immunoreactivity and SynTCs exhibit differential selectivity and binding affinity for α-Syn species. Isothermal titration calorimetry experiments suggest distinct α-Syn:SynTC binding enthalpies in a species-specific manner. Additionally, we found SynTCs differentially reduce α-Syn oligomeric polymorph-mediated neurotoxicity and propagation in primary cortical neurons in a polymorph-specific manner. These studies demonstrate the biological significance of polymorphic α-Syn oligomers along with the importance of polymorph-specific antibodies that target toxic α-Syn aggregates. Monoclonal antibodies that can target the conformational heterogeneity of α-Syn oligomeric species and reduce their mediated toxicity have promising immunotherapeutic potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenya Moore
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Medical Research Building Room 10.138C, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555-1045, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Medical Research Building Room 10.138C, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555-1045, USA
| | - Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Medical Research Building Room 10.138C, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555-1045, USA
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Medical Research Building Room 10.138C, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555-1045, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Medical Research Building Room 10.138C, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555-1045, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhao N, Zhang Q, Yu F, Yao X, Liu H. The α-Synuclein Monomer May Have Different Misfolding Mechanisms in the Induction of α-Synuclein Fibrils with Different Polymorphs. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13040682. [PMID: 37189428 DOI: 10.3390/biom13040682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) is closely related to the occurrence of some neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. The misfolding of α-Syn monomer plays a key role in the formation of aggregates and extension of fibril. However, the misfolding mechanism of α-Syn remains elusive. Here, three different α-Syn fibrils (isolated from a diseased human brain, generated by in vitro cofactor-tau induction, and obtained by in vitro cofactor-free induction) were selected for the study. The misfolding mechanisms of α-Syn were uncovered by studying the dissociation of the boundary chains based on the conventional molecular dynamics (MD) and Steered MD simulations. The results showed that the dissociation paths of the boundary chains in the three systems were different. According to the reverse process of dissociation, we concluded that in the human brain system, the binding of the monomer and template starts from the C-terminal and gradually misfolds toward the N-terminal. In the cofactor-tau system, the monomer binding starts from residues 58-66 (contain β3), followed by the C-terminal coil (residues 67-79). Then, the N-terminal coil (residues 36-41) and residues 50-57 (contain β2) bind to the template, followed by residues 42-49 (contain β1). In the cofactor-free system, two misfolding paths were found. One is that the monomer binds to the N/C-terminal (β1/β6) and then binds to the remaining residues. The other one is that the monomer binds sequentially from the C- to N-terminal, similar to the human brain system. Furthermore, in the human brain and cofactor-tau systems, electrostatic interactions (especially from residues 58-66) are the main driving force during the misfolding process, whereas in the cofactor-free system, the contributions of electrostatic and van der Waals interactions are comparable. These results may provide a deeper understanding for the misfolding and aggregation mechanism of α-Syn.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao SAR, China
| | - Fansen Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Huanxiang Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao SAR, China
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Montgomery K, Carroll EC, Thwin AC, Quddus AY, Hodges P, Southworth DR, Gestwicki JE. Chemical Features of Polyanions Modulate Tau Aggregation and Conformational States. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:3926-3936. [PMID: 36753572 PMCID: PMC9951223 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c08004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of tau into insoluble fibrils is a defining feature of neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, tau has a positive overall charge and is highly soluble; so, polyanions, such as heparin, are typically required to promote its aggregation in vitro. There are dozens of polyanions in living systems, and it is not clear which ones might promote this process. Here, we systematically measure the ability of 37 diverse, anionic biomolecules to initiate tau aggregation using either wild-type (WT) tau or the disease-associated P301S mutant. We find that polyanions from many different structural classes can promote fibril formation and that P301S tau is sensitive to a greater number of polyanions (28/37) than WT tau (21/37). We also find that some polyanions preferentially reduce the lag time of the aggregation reactions, while others enhance the elongation rate, suggesting that they act on partially distinct steps. From the resulting structure-activity relationships, the valency of the polyanion seems to be an important chemical feature such that anions with low valency tend to be weaker aggregation inducers, even at the same overall charge. Finally, the identity of the polyanion influences fibril morphology based on electron microscopy and limited proteolysis. These results provide insights into the crucial role of polyanion-tau interactions in modulating tau conformational dynamics with implications for understanding the tau aggregation landscape in a complex cellular environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly
M. Montgomery
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- The
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Emma C. Carroll
- The
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Aye C. Thwin
- The
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Athena Y. Quddus
- The
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Paige Hodges
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- The
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Daniel R. Southworth
- The
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University
of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Jason E. Gestwicki
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- The
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Zhao Q, Tao Y, Zhao K, Ma Y, Xu Q, Liu C, Zhang S, Li D. Structural Insights of Fe 3+ Induced α-synuclein Fibrillation in Parkinson's Disease. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167680. [PMID: 35690099 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) in Lewy bodies (LBs) is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). Iron, especially Fe3+, is accumulated in substantia nigra of PD patients and co-deposited with α-syn in LBs. However, how Fe3+ modulates α-syn fibrillation at molecular level remains unclear. In this study, we found that Fe3+ can promote α-syn fibrillation at low concentration while inhibit its fibrillation at high concentration. NMR titration study shows poor interaction between α-syn monomer and Fe3+. Instead, we found that Fe3+ binds to α-syn fibrils. By using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we further determined the atomic structure of α-syn fibril in complex with Fe3+ at the resolution of 2.7 Å. Strikingly, two extra electron densities adjacent to His50 and Glu57 were observed as putative binding sites of Fe3+ and water molecules, suggesting that Fe3+ binds to the negative cleft of the fibril and stabilizes the fibril structure for promoting α-syn aggregation. Further mutagenesis study shows mutation of His50 abolishes the Fe3+-facilitated fibrillation of α-syn. Our work illuminates the structural basis of the interaction of Fe3+ and α-syn in both monomeric and fibrillar forms, and sheds light on understanding the pathological role of Fe3+ in α-syn aggregation in PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qinyue Zhao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China; School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Youqi Tao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China; School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Kun Zhao
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yeyang Ma
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qianhui Xu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shengnan Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China; Bio-X-Renji Hospital Research Center, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Ge WY, Deng X, Shi WP, Lin WJ, Chen LL, Liang H, Wang XT, Zhang TD, Zhao FZ, Guo WH, Yin DC. Amyloid Protein Cross-Seeding Provides a New Perspective on Multiple Diseases In Vivo. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1-18. [PMID: 36507729 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid protein cross-seeding is a peculiar phenomenon of cross-spreading among different diseases. Unlike traditional infectious ones, diseases caused by amyloid protein cross-seeding are spread by misfolded proteins instead of pathogens. As a consequence of the interactions among misfolded heterologous proteins or polypeptides, amyloid protein cross-seeding is considered to be the crucial cause of overlapping pathological transmission between various protein misfolding disorders (PMDs) in multiple tissues and cells. Here, we briefly review the phenomenon of cross-seeding among amyloid proteins. As an interesting example worth mentioning, the potential links between the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) and some neurodegenerative diseases might be related to the amyloid protein cross-seeding, thus may cause an undesirable trend in the incidence of PMDs around the world. We then summarize the theoretical models as well as the experimental techniques for studying amyloid protein cross-seeding. Finally, we conclude with an outlook on the challenges and opportunities for basic research in this field. Cross-seeding of amyloid opens up a new perspective in our understanding of the process of amyloidogenesis, which is crucial for the development of new treatments for diseases. It is therefore valuable but still challenging to explore the cross-seeding system of amyloid protein as well as to reveal the structural basis and the intricate processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Yi Ge
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Xudong Deng
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Wen-Pu Shi
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Wen-Juan Lin
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Liang-Liang Chen
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Huan Liang
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Xue-Ting Wang
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Tuo-Di Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.,Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Feng-Zhu Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.,Non-commissioned Officer School, Army Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050081, China
| | - Wei-Hong Guo
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Da-Chuan Yin
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Conformational change of α-synuclein fibrils in cerebrospinal fluid from different clinical phases of Parkinson's disease. Structure 2023; 31:78-87.e5. [PMID: 36513068 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.11.013] [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: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-syn) has been shown to form various conformational fibrils associated with different synucleinopathies. But whether the conformation of α-syn fibrils changes during disease progression is unclear. Here, we amplified α-syn aggregates from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) staged in preclinical PD (pre-PD), middle- to late-stage PD (mid-PD), and late-stage PD (late-PD). Our results show that α-syn fibrils derived from the late-PD patient are most potent in inducing endogenous α-syn aggregation in primary neurons, followed by the mid-PD and pre-PD fibrils. By using cryo-electron microscopy, we further determined the high-resolution structures of the CSF-amplified fibrils. The structures exhibit remarkable differences in a minor but significant population of conformational species in different staged samples. Our work demonstrates structural and pathological differences between α-syn fibrils derived from PD patients at a spectrum of clinical stages, which suggests potential conformational transition of α-syn fibrils during the progression of PD.
Collapse
|
26
|
Wu K, Sun W, Li D, Diao J, Xiu P. Inhibition of Amyloid Nucleation by Steric Hindrance. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:10045-10054. [PMID: 36417323 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c06330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Despite recent experiments and simulations suggesting that small-molecule inhibitors and some post-translational modifications (e.g., glycosylation and ubiquitination) can suppress the pathogenic aggregation of proteins due to steric hindrance, the effect of steric hindrance on amyloid formation has not been systematically studied. Based on Monte Carlo simulations using a coarse-grained model for amyloidogenic proteins and a hard sphere acting as steric hindrance, we investigated how steric hindrance on proteins could affect amyloid formation, particularly two steps of primary nucleation, namely, oligomerization and conformational conversion into a β-sheet-enriched nucleus. We found that steric spheres played an inhibitory role in oligomerization with the effect proportional to the sphere radius RS, which we attributed to the decline in the nonspecific attractions between proteins. During the second step, small steric spheres facilitated the conformational conversion of proteins while large ones suppressed the conversion. The overall steric effect on amyloid nucleation was inhibitory regardless of RS. As RS increased, oligomeric assemblies changed from amorphous into sheet-like, structurally ordered species, reminiscent of the structure of amyloid fibrils. The oligomers with large RS were off-pathway with their ordered structures induced by the competition between steric hindrance and nonspecific attractions of soluble proteins. Interestingly, the equimolar mixture of proteins with and without steric hindrance amplified the sterically inhibitory effect by increasing the energy barrier of protein's conformational conversion. The physical mechanisms and biological implications of the above results are discussed. Our findings improve the current understanding of how nature regulates protein aggregation and amyloid formation by steric hindrance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wu
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China.,School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325001, China.,Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, United States of America
| | - Wuxuepeng Sun
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Dechang Li
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiajie Diao
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, United States of America
| | - Peng Xiu
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Tao Y, Sun Y, Lv S, Xia W, Zhao K, Xu Q, Zhao Q, He L, Le W, Wang Y, Liu C, Li D. Heparin induces α-synuclein to form new fibril polymorphs with attenuated neuropathology. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4226. [PMID: 35869048 PMCID: PMC9307803 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31790-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstractα-Synuclein (α-syn), as a primary pathogenic protein in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies, exhibits a high potential to form polymorphic fibrils. Chemical ligands have been found to involve in the assembly of α-syn fibrils in patients’ brains. However, how ligands influence the fibril polymorphism remains vague. Here, we report the near-atomic structures of α-syn fibrils in complex with heparin, a representative glycosaminoglycan (GAG), determined by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The structures demonstrate that the presence of heparin completely alters the fibril assembly via rearranging the charge interactions of α-syn both at the intramolecular and the inter-protofilamental levels, which leads to the generation of four fibril polymorphs. Remarkably, in one of the fibril polymorphs, α-syn folds into a distinctive conformation that has not been observed previously. Moreover, the heparin-α-syn complex fibrils exhibit diminished neuropathology in primary neurons. Our work provides the structural mechanism for how heparin determines the assembly of α-syn fibrils, and emphasizes the important role of biological polymers in the conformational selection and neuropathology regulation of amyloid fibrils.
Collapse
|
28
|
Li X, Zhang S, Liu Z, Tao Y, Xia W, Sun Y, Liu C, Le W, Sun B, Li D. Subtle change of fibrillation condition leads to substantial alteration of recombinant Tau fibril structure. iScience 2022; 25:105645. [PMID: 36505939 PMCID: PMC9732399 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro assembly of amyloid fibrils that recapitulate those in human brains is very useful for fundamental and applied research on the amyloid formation, pathology, and clinical detection. Recent success in the assembly of Tau fibrils in vitro enables the recapitulation of the paired helical filament (PHF) of Tau extracted from brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, following the protocol, we observed that Tau constructs including 297-391 and a mixture of 266-391 (3R)/297-391, which are expected to predominantly form PHF-like fibrils, form highly heterogeneous fibrils instead. Moreover, the seemingly PHF-like fibril formed by Tau 297-391 exhibits a distinctive atomic structure with a spindle-like fold, that is neither PHF-like or similar to any known Tau fibril structures revealed by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Our work highlights the high sensitivity of amyloid fibril formation to subtle conditional changes and suggests high-resolution structural characterization to in vitro assembled fibrils prior to further laboratory use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Shenqing Zhang
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Zhengtao Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Youqi Tao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Wencheng Xia
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yunpeng Sun
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China,State Key Laboratory of Bio-Organic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Weidong Le
- Institute of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences-Sichuan Provincial Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Bo Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China,Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China,WLA Laboratories, World Laureates Association, Shanghai 201203, China,Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Ibáñez de Opakua A, Geraets JA, Frieg B, Dienemann C, Savastano A, Rankovic M, Cima-Omori MS, Schröder GF, Zweckstetter M. Molecular interactions of FG nucleoporin repeats at high resolution. Nat Chem 2022; 14:1278-1285. [PMID: 36138110 PMCID: PMC9630130 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-01035-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Proteins that contain repeat phenylalanine-glycine (FG) residues phase separate into oncogenic transcription factor condensates in malignant leukaemias, form the permeability barrier of the nuclear pore complex and mislocalize in neurodegenerative diseases. Insights into the molecular interactions of FG-repeat nucleoporins have, however, remained largely elusive. Using a combination of NMR spectroscopy and cryoelectron microscopy, we have identified uniformly spaced segments of transient β-structure and a stable preformed α-helix recognized by messenger RNA export factors in the FG-repeat domain of human nucleoporin 98 (Nup98). In addition, we have determined at high resolution the molecular organization of reversible FG–FG interactions in amyloid fibrils formed by a highly aggregation-prone segment in Nup98. We have further demonstrated that amyloid-like aggregates of the FG-repeat domain of Nup98 have low stability and are reversible. Our results provide critical insights into the molecular interactions underlying the self-association and phase separation of FG-repeat nucleoporins in physiological and pathological cell activities. ![]()
Proteins rich in phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeats can phase separate through FG–FG interactions. The molecular interactions of an important FG-repeat protein, nucleoporin 98, have now been studied in liquid-like transient and amyloid-like cohesive states. These interactions underlie the behaviour of FG-repeat proteins and their function in physiological and pathological cell activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - James A Geraets
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Benedikt Frieg
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Christian Dienemann
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Marija Rankovic
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Gunnar F Schröder
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany. .,Physics Department, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany. .,Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Quiñones-Ruiz T, Rosario-Alomar MF, Shanmugasundaram M, Ali MM, Lednev IK. Spontaneous Refolding of Amyloid Fibrils from One Polymorph to Another Caused by Changes in Environmental Hydrophobicity. Biochemistry 2022; 61:1456-1464. [PMID: 35786852 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Here, we report a new phenomenon in which lysozyme fibrils formed in a solution of acetic acid spontaneously refold to a different polymorph through a disassembled intermediate upon the removal of acetic acid. The structural changes were revealed and characterized by deep-UV resonance Raman spectroscopy, nonresonance Raman spectroscopy, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. A PPII-like structure with highly solvent-exposed tryptophan residues predominates the intermediate aggregates before refolding to polymorph II fibrils. Furthermore, the disulfide (SS) bonds undergo significant rearrangements upon the removal of acetic acid from the lysozyme fibril environment. The main SS bond conformation changes from gauche-gauche-trans in polymorph I to gauche-gauche-gauche in polymorph II. Changing the hydrophobicity of the fibril environment was concluded to be the decisive factor causing the spontaneous refolding of lysozyme fibrils from one polymorph to another upon the removal of acetic acid. Potential biological implications of the discovered phenomenon are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Quiñones-Ruiz
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | | | | | - Muhammad M Ali
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Igor K Lednev
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Schaefer A, Naser D, Siebeneichler B, Tarasca MV, Meiering EM. Methodological advances and strategies for high resolution structure determination of cellular protein aggregates. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102197. [PMID: 35760099 PMCID: PMC9396402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of proteins is at the nexus of molecular processes crucial to aging, disease, and employing proteins for biotechnology and medical applications. There has been much recent progress in determining the structural features of protein aggregates that form in cells; yet, owing to prevalent heterogeneity in aggregation, many aspects remain obscure and often experimentally intractable to define. Here we review recent results of structural studies for cell-derived aggregates of normally globular proteins, with a focus on high resolution methods for their analysis and prediction. Complementary results obtained by solid-state NMR spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and microspectroscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, and amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange measured by NMR and mass spectrometry (MS), applied to bacterial inclusion bodies and disease inclusions, are uncovering novel information on in-cell aggregation patterns as well as great diversity in the structural features of useful and aberrant protein aggregates. Using these advances as a guide, this review aims to advise the reader on which combination of approaches may be the most appropriate to apply to their unique system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Schaefer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo Waterloo ON Canada
| | - Dalia Naser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo Waterloo ON Canada
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Akbey Ü, Andreasen M. Functional amyloids from bacterial biofilms - structural properties and interaction partners. Chem Sci 2022; 13:6457-6477. [PMID: 35756505 PMCID: PMC9172111 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00645f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation and amyloid formation have historically been linked with various diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, but recently functional amyloids have gained a great deal of interest in not causing a disease and having a distinct function in vivo. Functional bacterial amyloids form the structural scaffold in bacterial biofilms and provide a survival strategy for the bacteria along with antibiotic resistance. The formation of functional amyloids happens extracellularly which differs from most disease related amyloids. Studies of functional amyloids have revealed several distinctions compared to disease related amyloids including primary structures designed to optimize amyloid formation while still retaining a controlled assembly of the individual subunits into classical cross-β-sheet structures, along with a unique cross-α-sheet amyloid fold. Studies have revealed that functional amyloids interact with components found in the extracellular matrix space such as lipids from membranes and polymers from the biofilm. Intriguingly, a level of complexity is added as functional amyloids also interact with several disease related amyloids and a causative link has even been established between functional amyloids and neurodegenerative diseases. It is hence becoming increasingly clear that functional amyloids are not inert protein structures found in bacterial biofilms but interact with many different components including human proteins related to pathology. Gaining a clear understanding of the factors governing the interactions will lead to improved strategies to combat biofilm associated infections and the correlated antibiotic resistance. In the current review we summarize the current state of the art knowledge on this exciting and fast growing research field of biofilm forming bacterial functional amyloids, their structural features and interaction partners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ümit Akbey
- Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
| | - Maria Andreasen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University Wilhelm Meyers Allé 3 8000 Aarhus Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Carvacrol protects against carbonyl osmolyte-induced structural modifications and aggregation to serum albumin: Insights from physicochemical and molecular interaction studies. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 213:663-674. [PMID: 35660040 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.05.198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The robust use of osmolytes (i.e., polyols and sugars) in the key therapeutic regimens/formulations has questioned their impact beyond the stability of therapeutic proteins as these osmolytes trigger structural alterations into proteins including misfolding and subsequent aggregation into amyloid fibrils. Therefore, the current study is the first to delineate the inhibitory effect of carvacrol (CRV) on the carbonyl osmolyte-induced aggregation as well as structural alterations to the bovine serum albumin (BSA) via a set of physicochemical as well as artificial intelligence (AI)-based molecular docking studies. Our initial findings from physicochemical investigations revealed that CRV exhibits substantial protection to BSA under carbonyl osmolyte stress as evident by the compromised hyperchromicity, Schiff's bases, carbonyl and hydroxymethyl furfural content, reduced fluorescent signals, low Rayleigh scattering and prevention of covalent modifications at Lys and Arg residues. The protection against aggregate formation by CRV was further confirmed through the reduced amyloid-specific congo red absorbance as well as fluorescent signals recorded after adding the fibril-specific extrinsic fluorophore probes (i.e., ThT and ANS). The AI-based molecular docking analysis further revealed that CRV (ΔG: -4.96 kcal/mol) competes with d-fructose (ΔG: -4.40 kcal/mol) to mask the Lys and Arg residues to restrict the osmolyte-mediated protein modifications. In conclusion, CRV exhibits substantial protective impact against carbonyl osmolyte-induced structural alterations and protein misfolding and aggregation.
Collapse
|
34
|
The Association of Lipids with Amyloid Fibrils. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102108. [PMID: 35688209 PMCID: PMC9293637 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid formation continues to be a widely studied area because of its association with numerous diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Despite a large body of work on protein aggregation and fibril formation, there are still significant gaps in our understanding of the factors that differentiate toxic amyloid formation in vivo from alternative misfolding pathways. In addition to proteins, amyloid fibrils are often associated in their cellular context with several types of molecule, including carbohydrates, polyanions, and lipids. This review focuses in particular on evidence for the presence of lipids in amyloid fibrils and the routes by which those lipids may become incorporated. Chemical analyses of fibril composition, combined with studies to probe the lipid distribution around fibrils, provide evidence that in some cases, lipids have a strong association with fibrils. In addition, amyloid fibrils formed in the presence of lipids have distinct morphologies and material properties. It is argued that lipids are an integral part of many amyloid deposits in vivo, where their presence has the potential to influence the nucleation, morphology, and mechanical properties of fibrils. The role of lipids in these structures is therefore worthy of further study.
Collapse
|
35
|
Li D, Liu C. Conformational strains of pathogenic amyloid proteins in neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:523-534. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00603-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
36
|
Landrieu I, Dupré E, Sinnaeve D, El Hajjar L, Smet-Nocca C. Deciphering the Structure and Formation of Amyloids in Neurodegenerative Diseases With Chemical Biology Tools. Front Chem 2022; 10:886382. [PMID: 35646824 PMCID: PMC9133342 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.886382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation into highly ordered, regularly repeated cross-β sheet structures called amyloid fibrils is closely associated to human disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, or systemic diseases like type II diabetes. Yet, in some cases, such as the HET-s prion, amyloids have biological functions. High-resolution structures of amyloids fibrils from cryo-electron microscopy have very recently highlighted their ultrastructural organization and polymorphisms. However, the molecular mechanisms and the role of co-factors (posttranslational modifications, non-proteinaceous components and other proteins) acting on the fibril formation are still poorly understood. Whether amyloid fibrils play a toxic or protective role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, such aberrant protein-protein interactions challenge the search of small-molecule drugs or immunotherapy approaches targeting amyloid formation. In this review, we describe how chemical biology tools contribute to new insights on the mode of action of amyloidogenic proteins and peptides, defining their structural signature and aggregation pathways by capturing their molecular details and conformational heterogeneity. Challenging the imagination of scientists, this constantly expanding field provides crucial tools to unravel mechanistic detail of amyloid formation such as semisynthetic proteins and small-molecule sensors of conformational changes and/or aggregation. Protein engineering methods and bioorthogonal chemistry for the introduction of protein chemical modifications are additional fruitful strategies to tackle the challenge of understanding amyloid formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Landrieu
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| | - Elian Dupré
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| | - Davy Sinnaeve
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| | - Léa El Hajjar
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| | - Caroline Smet-Nocca
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Kumar H, Udgaonkar JB. Elongation of Fibrils Formed by a Tau Fragment is Inhibited by a Transient Dimeric Intermediate. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:3385-3397. [PMID: 35503811 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c10752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The formation and propagation of aggregates of the tau protein in the brain are associated with the tauopathy group of neurodegenerative diseases. Different tauopathies have been shown to be associated with structurally distinct aggregates of tau. However, the mechanism by which different structural folds arise remains poorly understood. In this study of fibril formation by the fragment tau-K18 of tau, it is shown that the Lys 280 → Glu mutation in the variant tau-K18 K280E forms fibrils that are morphologically distinct from those formed by wild-type (wt) tau-K18. The mutant fibrils appear to have two protofilaments twisted around each other, whereas the wt fibrils are straight and appear to have a single protofilament. Modeling the kinetics of seeded aggregation, using a simple Michaelis-Menten-like mechanism, reveals that the two morphologically distinct fibrils are elongated with different catalytic efficiencies. Surprisingly, when the elongation of monomeric tau-K18 is seeded with tau-K18 K280E fibrils, it is seen to be inhibited at high monomer concentrations. Such inhibition is not seen when elongation is seeded with tau-K18 fibrils. The mechanism of inhibition is shown to be describable as uncompetitive inhibition, in which a transient dimeric form of tau-K18 acts as an uncompetitive inhibitor. Importantly, a dimeric form of tau-K18 is seen to be populated to a detectable extent early during aggregation. A covalently linked tau dimer, with an inter-molecular disulphide linkage, is shown to be capable of acting as an inhibitor. In summary, a quantitative kinetic approach has provided an understanding of how the formation of distinct structural folds of tau fibrils can be modulated by mutation and how the elongation of one fibril type, but not the other, is inhibited by a transiently formed dimer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harish Kumar
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065, India
| | - Jayant B Udgaonkar
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065, India.,Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Cryo-EM structure of RNA-induced tau fibrils reveals a small C-terminal core that may nucleate fibril formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2119952119. [PMID: 35377792 PMCID: PMC9169762 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2119952119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, proteins that bind RNA are found in aggregated forms in autopsied brains. Evidence suggests that RNA aids nucleation of these pathological aggregates; however, the mechanism has not been investigated at the level of atomic structure. Here, we present the 3.4-Å resolution structure of fibrils of full-length recombinant tau protein in the presence of RNA, determined by electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM). The structure reveals the familiar in-register cross-β amyloid scaffold but with a small fibril core spanning residues Glu391 to Ala426, a region disordered in the fuzzy coat in all previously studied tau polymorphs. RNA is bound on the fibril surface to the positively charged residues Arg406 and His407 and runs parallel to the fibril axis. The fibrils dissolve when RNase is added, showing that RNA is necessary for fibril integrity. While this structure cannot exist simultaneously with the tau fibril structures extracted from patients’ brains, it could conceivably account for the nucleating effects of RNA cofactors followed by remodeling as fibrils mature.
Collapse
|
39
|
Madhav H, Jameel E, Rehan M, Hoda N. Recent advancements in chromone as a privileged scaffold towards the development of small molecules for neurodegenerative therapeutics. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:258-279. [PMID: 35434628 PMCID: PMC8942243 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00394a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders, i.e., Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, involve progressive degeneration of the central nervous system, resulting in memory loss and cognitive impairment. The intensification of neurodegenerative research in recent years put some molecules into clinical trials, but still there is an urgent need to develop effective therapeutic molecules to combat these diseases. Chromone is a well-identified privileged structure for the design of well-diversified therapeutic molecules of potential pharmacological interest, particularly in the field of neurodegeneration. In this short review, we focused on the recent advancements and developments of chromones for neurodegenerative therapeutics. Different small molecules were reviewed as multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) with potential inhibition of AChE, BuChE, MAO-A, MAO-B, Aβ plaque formation and aggregation. Recently developed MTDLs emphasized that the chromone scaffold has the potential to develop new molecules for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hari Madhav
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia IslamiaNew Delhi110025India
| | - Ehtesham Jameel
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhouPR China
| | - Mohammad Rehan
- Max-Planck-Institute für Molekulare Physiologie, Abteilung Chemische BiologieOtto-Hahn-Straße 1144227 DortmundGermany
| | - Nasimul Hoda
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia IslamiaNew Delhi110025India
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Single-molecule fluorescence imaging and deep learning reveal highly heterogeneous aggregation of amyloid-β 42. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2116736119. [PMID: 35290118 PMCID: PMC8944908 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2116736119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
There are various diseases caused by protein aggregation such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases. From the diversity in the fibril structure, aggregation is expected to occur via heterogeneous pathways. However, characterization of this heterogeneity is extremely difficult because it requires following individual fibril formation in a mixture from early oligomerization stages. In this work, we investigated aggregation of the 42-residue isoform of amyloid β (Aβ42) using single-molecule fluorescence imaging and deep learning. We could track the growth of individual fibrils, which allows for a quantitative description of heterogeneous fibril formation and discovery of a new fibril nucleation mechanism. Further characterization of heterogeneity involving Aβ42 will be important for better understanding the disease mechanism. Polymorphism in the structure of amyloid fibrils suggests the existence of many different assembly pathways. Characterization of this heterogeneity is the key to understanding the aggregation mechanism and toxicity, but in practice it is extremely difficult to probe individual aggregation pathways in a mixture. Here, we present development of a method combining single-molecule fluorescence lifetime imaging and deep learning for monitoring individual fibril formation in real time and their high-throughput analysis. A deep neural network (FNet) separates an image of highly overlapping fibrils into single fibril images, which allows for tracking the growth and changes in characteristics of individual fibrils. Using this method, we investigated aggregation of the 42-residue amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42). We demonstrate that highly heterogeneous fibril formation can be quantitatively characterized in terms of the number of cross-β subunits, elongation speed, growth polarity, and conformation of fibrils. Tracking individual fibril formation and growth also leads to the discovery of a general nucleation mechanism (termed heterogeneous secondary nucleation), where a fibril is formed on the surface of an oligomer with a different structure. Our development will be broadly applicable to characterization of heterogeneous aggregation processes of other proteins.
Collapse
|
41
|
Louros N, van der Kant R, Schymkowitz J, Rousseau F. StAmP-DB: A platform for structures of polymorphic amyloid fibril cores. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:2636-2638. [PMID: 35199146 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Amyloid polymorphism is emerging as a key property that is differentially linked to various conformational diseases, including major neurodegenerative disorders, but also as a feature that potentially relates to complex structural mechanisms mediating transmissibility barriers and selective vulnerability of amyloids. In response to the rapidly expanding number of amyloid fibril structures formed by full-length proteins, we here have developed StAmP-DB, a public database that supports the curation and cross-comparison of experimentally determined three-dimensional amyloid polymorph structures. AVAILABILITY StAmP-DB is freely accessible for queries and downloads at https://stamp.switchlab.org.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven, box 802, 3000, Belgium
| | - Rob van der Kant
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven, box 802, 3000, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven, box 802, 3000, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven, box 802, 3000, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Sun Y, Zhang S, Hu J, Tao Y, Xia W, Gu J, Li Y, Cao Q, Li D, Liu C. Molecular structure of an amyloid fibril formed by FUS low-complexity domain. iScience 2022; 25:103701. [PMID: 35036880 PMCID: PMC8749265 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
FUS is a multifunctional nuclear protein which undergoes liquid–liquid phase separation in response to stress and DNA damage. Dysregulation of FUS dynamic phase separation leads to formation of pathological fibril closely associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. In this study, we determined the cryo-EM structure of a cytotoxic fibril formed by the low-complexity (LC) domain of FUS at 2.9 Å resolution. The fibril structure exhibits a new and extensive serpentine fold consisting of three motifs incorporating together via a Tyr triad. FUS LC employs 91 residues to form an enlarged and stable fibril core via hydrophilic interaction and hydrogen bonds, which is distinct from most of previously determined fibrils commonly stabilized by hydrophobic interaction. Our work reveals the structural basis underlying formation of a cytotoxic and thermostable fibril of FUS LC and sheds light on understanding the liquid-to-solid phase transition of FUS in disease. Cryo-EM structure of an amyloid fibril formed by FUS low-complexity (LC) domain FUS LC forms a novel enlarged and thermostable fibril core (FC) involving 91 residues Hydrophilic interaction and hydrogen bonds are essential in FC formation of FUS LC
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Sun
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shenqing Zhang
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.,Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiaojiao Hu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Youqi Tao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.,Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Wencheng Xia
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinge Gu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yichen Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.,Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qin Cao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.,Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Bio-X-Renji Hospital Research Center, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Obstarczyk P, Lipok M, Żak A, Cwynar P, Olesiak-Banska J. Amyloid fibrils in superstructures – local ordering revealed by polarization analysis of two-photon excited autofluorescence. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:1554-1561. [DOI: 10.1039/d1bm01768c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Protein misfolding products – amyloids – tend to form distinct fibrillar structures of characteristic fold for a given neurodegenerative disease or pathology. Moreover, amyloids (also in intermediate or distorted state)...
Collapse
|
44
|
Chen L, Zhou Z, Zhang Y, Pan J, Wang K, Wang HX. Near-infrared Irradiation Controlled Thermo-Switchable Polymeric Photosensitizer against β-Amyloid Fibrillation. J Mater Chem B 2022; 10:4832-4839. [DOI: 10.1039/d2tb00372d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Photothermal therapy (PTT) as an emerging paradigm toward degradation of amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregations has become an effective way of treating Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A promising PTT therapeutic option requires control...
Collapse
|
45
|
Banerjee S, Ghosh A. Structurally Distinct Polymorphs of Tau Aggregates Revealed by Nanoscale Infrared Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:11035-11041. [PMID: 34747175 PMCID: PMC8967399 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c02660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of the tau protein plays a central role in several neurodegenerative diseases collectively known as tauopathies, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Tau misfolds into fibrillar β sheet structures that constitute the paired helical filaments found in neurofibrillary tangles. It is known that there can be significant structural heterogeneities in tau aggregates associated with different diseases. However, while structures of mature fibrils have been studied, the structural distributions in early-stage tau aggregates is not well-understood. In the present study, we use atomic force microscopy-IR to investigate nanoscale spectra of individual tau fibrils at different stages of aggregation and demonstrate the presence of multiple fibrillar polymorphs that exhibit different secondary structures. We further show that mature fibrils contain significant amounts of antiparallel β sheets. Our results are the very first application of nanoscale infrared spectroscopy to tau aggregates and underscore the promise of spatially resolved infrared spectroscopy for investigating protein aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ayanjeet Ghosh
- Corresponding Author Ayanjeet Ghosh - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Alabama, 1007E Shelby Hall, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Sun Y, Long H, Xia W, Wang K, Zhang X, Sun B, Cao Q, Zhang Y, Dai B, Li D, Liu C. The hereditary mutation G51D unlocks a distinct fibril strain transmissible to wild-type α-synuclein. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6252. [PMID: 34716315 PMCID: PMC8556266 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26433-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) can form different fibril strains with distinct polymorphs and neuropathologies, which is associated with the clinicopathological variability in synucleinopathies. How different α-syn fibril strains are produced and selected under disease conditions remains poorly understood. In this study, we show that the hereditary mutation G51D induces α-syn to form a distinct fibril strain in vitro. The cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the G51D fibril strain was determined at 2.96 Å resolution. The G51D fibril displays a relatively small and extended serpentine fold distinct from other α-syn fibril structures. Moreover, we show by cryo-EM that wild-type (WT) α-syn can assembly into the G51D fibril strain via cross-seeding with G51D fibrils. Our study reveals a distinct structure of G51D fibril strain triggered by G51D mutation but feasibly adopted by both WT and G51D α-syn, which suggests the cross-seeding and strain selection of WT and mutant α-syn in familial Parkinson's disease (fPD).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Sun
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201210, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Houfang Long
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201210, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Wencheng Xia
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201210, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201210, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Xia Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Qin Cao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaoyang Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201210, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Dai
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200210, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201210, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Makwana KM, Sarnowski MP, Miao J, Lin YS, Del Valle JR. N-Amination Converts Amyloidogenic Tau Peptides into Soluble Antagonists of Cellular Seeding. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3928-3938. [PMID: 34609825 PMCID: PMC9035343 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The spread of neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein aggregates is a hallmark of Alzheimer's and related neurodegenerative diseases. Early oligomerization of tau involves conformational reorganization into parallel β-sheet structures and supramolecular assembly into toxic fibrils. Despite the need for selective inhibitors of tau propagation, β-rich protein assemblies are inherently difficult to target with small molecules. Here, we describe a minimalist approach to mimic the aggregation-prone modules within tau. We carried out a backbone residue scan and show that amide N-amination completely abolishes the tendency of these peptides to self-aggregate, rendering them soluble mimics of ordered β-strands from the tau R2 and R3 domains. Several N-amino peptides (NAPs) inhibit tau fibril formation in vitro. We further demonstrate that NAPs 12 and 13 are effective at blocking the cellular seeding of endogenous tau by interacting with monomeric or fibrillar forms of extracellular tau. Peptidomimetic 12 is serum stable, non-toxic to neuronal cells, and selectivity inhibits the fibrilization of tau over Aβ42. Structural analysis of our lead NAPs shows considerable conformational constraint imposed by the N-amino groups. The described backbone N-amination approach provides a rational basis for the mimicry of other aggregation-prone peptides that drive pathogenic protein assembly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kamlesh M Makwana
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Matthew P Sarnowski
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Jiayuan Miao
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Yu-Shan Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Juan R Del Valle
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Huang Y, Bai Y, Jin W, Shen D, Lyu H, Zeng L, Wang M, Liu Y. Common Pitfalls and Recommendations for Using a Turbidity Assay to Study Protein Phase Separation. Biochemistry 2021; 60:2447-2456. [PMID: 34369156 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The turbidity assay is commonly exploited to study protein liquid-to-liquid phase separation (LLPS) or liquid-to-solid phase separation (LSPS) processes in biochemical analyses. Herein, we present common pitfalls of this assay caused by exceeding the detection linear range. We showed that aggregated proteins of high concentration and large particle size can lead to inaccurate quantification in multiple applications, including the optical density measurement, the thermal shift assay, and the dynamic light scattering experiment. Finally, we demonstrated that a simple sample dilution of insoluble aggregated protein (LSPS) samples or direct imaging of liquid droplets (LLPS) can address these issues and improve the accuracy of the turbidity assay.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Yulong Bai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenhan Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Di Shen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Haochen Lyu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Lianggang Zeng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Mengdie Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Chakraborty P, Rivière G, Liu S, de Opakua AI, Dervişoğlu R, Hebestreit A, Andreas LB, Vorberg IM, Zweckstetter M. Co-factor-free aggregation of tau into seeding-competent RNA-sequestering amyloid fibrils. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4231. [PMID: 34244499 PMCID: PMC8270918 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24362-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathological aggregation of the protein tau into insoluble aggregates is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. The emergence of disease-specific tau aggregate structures termed tau strains, however, remains elusive. Here we show that full-length tau protein can be aggregated in the absence of co-factors into seeding-competent amyloid fibrils that sequester RNA. Using a combination of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and biochemical experiments we demonstrate that the co-factor-free amyloid fibrils of tau have a rigid core that is similar in size and location to the rigid core of tau fibrils purified from the brain of patients with corticobasal degeneration. In addition, we demonstrate that the N-terminal 30 residues of tau are immobilized during fibril formation, in agreement with the presence of an N-terminal epitope that is specifically detected by antibodies in pathological tau. Experiments in vitro and in biosensor cells further established that co-factor-free tau fibrils efficiently seed tau aggregation, while binding studies with different RNAs show that the co-factor-free tau fibrils strongly sequester RNA. Taken together the study provides a critical advance to reveal the molecular factors that guide aggregation towards disease-specific tau strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gwladys Rivière
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shu Liu
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Rıza Dervişoğlu
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alina Hebestreit
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Loren B Andreas
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ina M Vorberg
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Lutter L, Aubrey LD, Xue WF. On the Structural Diversity and Individuality of Polymorphic Amyloid Protein Assemblies. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167124. [PMID: 34224749 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The prediction of highly ordered three-dimensional structures of amyloid protein fibrils from the amino acid sequences of their monomeric self-assembly precursors constitutes a challenging and unresolved aspect of the classical protein folding problem. Because of the polymorphic nature of amyloid assembly whereby polypeptide chains of identical amino acid sequences under identical conditions are capable of self-assembly into a spectrum of different fibril structures, the prediction of amyloid structures from an amino acid sequence requires a detailed and holistic understanding of its assembly free energy landscape. The full extent of the structure space accessible to the cross-β molecular architecture of amyloid must also be resolved. Here, we review the current understanding of the diversity and the individuality of amyloid structures, and how the polymorphic landscape of amyloid links to biology and disease phenotypes. We present a comprehensive review of structural models of amyloid fibrils derived by cryo-EM, ssNMR and AFM to date, and discuss the challenges ahead for resolving the structural basis and the biological consequences of polymorphic amyloid assemblies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liisa Lutter
- School of Biosciences, Division of Natural Sciences, University of Kent, CT2 7NJ Canterbury, UK
| | - Liam D Aubrey
- School of Biosciences, Division of Natural Sciences, University of Kent, CT2 7NJ Canterbury, UK
| | - Wei-Feng Xue
- School of Biosciences, Division of Natural Sciences, University of Kent, CT2 7NJ Canterbury, UK.
| |
Collapse
|