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Moqadam M, Gartan P, Talandashti R, Chiapparino A, Titeca K, Gavin AC, Reuter N. A Membrane-Assisted Mechanism for the Release of Ceramide from the CERT START Domain. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:6338-6351. [PMID: 38903016 PMCID: PMC11228987 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Ceramide transfer protein CERT is the mediator of nonvesicular transfer of ceramide from the ER to Golgi. In CERT, START is the domain responsible for the binding and transport of ceramide. A wealth of structural data has revealed a helix-grip fold surrounding a large hydrophobic cavity holding the ceramide. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms by which START releases the ceramide through the polar region and into the packed environment of cellular membranes. As such events do not lend themselves easily to experimental investigations, we used multiple unbiased microsecond-long molecular simulations. We propose a membrane-assisted mechanism in which the membrane acts as an allosteric effector initiating the release of ceramide and where the passage of the ceramide acyl chains is facilitated by the intercalation of a single phosphatidylcholine lipid in the cavity, practically greasing the ceramide way out. We verify using free energy calculation and experimental lipidomics data that CERT forms stable complexes with phosphatidylcholine lipids, in addition to ceramide, thus providing validation for the proposed mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Moqadam
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
- Computational
Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
| | - Parveen Gartan
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
- Computational
Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
| | - Reza Talandashti
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
- Computational
Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
| | - Antonella Chiapparino
- European
Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL, Meyerhofstrasse 1, Heidelberg D-69117, Germany
| | - Kevin Titeca
- European
Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL, Meyerhofstrasse 1, Heidelberg D-69117, Germany
- Department
of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, University
of Geneva, CMU Rue Michel-Servet 1, Genève 4 1211, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Claude Gavin
- Department
of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, University
of Geneva, CMU Rue Michel-Servet 1, Genève 4 1211, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Reuter
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
- Computational
Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
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Talandashti R, van Ek L, Gehin C, Xue D, Moqadam M, Gavin AC, Reuter N. Membrane specificity of the human cholesterol transfer protein STARD4. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168572. [PMID: 38615744 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
STARD4 regulates cholesterol homeostasis by transferring cholesterol between the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. The STARD4 structure features a helix-grip fold surrounding a large hydrophobic cavity holding the sterol. Its access is controlled by a gate formed by the Ω1 and Ω4 loops and the C-terminal α-helix. Little is known about the mechanisms by which STARD4 binds to membranes and extracts/releases cholesterol. All available structures of STARD4 are without a bound sterol and display the same closed conformation of the gate. The cholesterol transfer activity of the mouse STARD4 is enhanced in the presence of anionic lipids, and in particular of phosphatidylinositol biphosphates (PIP2) for which two binding sites were proposed on the mouse STARD4 surface. Yet only one of these sites is conserved in human STARD4. We here report the results of a liposome microarray-based assay and microseconds-long molecular dynamics simulations of human STARD4 with complex lipid bilayers mimicking the composition of the donor and acceptor membranes. We show that the binding of apo form of human STARD4 is sensitive to the presence of PIP2 through two specific binding sites, one of which was not identified on mouse STARD4. We report two novel conformations of the gate in holo-STARD4: a yet-unobserved close conformation and an open conformation of Ω4 shedding light on the opening/closure mechanism needed for cholesterol uptake/release. Overall, the modulation of human STARD4 membrane-binding by lipid composition, and by the presence of the cargo supports the capacity of human STARD4 to achieve directed transfer between specific organelle membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Talandashti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway; Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
| | - Larissa van Ek
- Department of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Diabetes Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Charlotte Gehin
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dandan Xue
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway; Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
| | - Mahmoud Moqadam
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway; Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
| | - Anne-Claude Gavin
- Department of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Diabetes Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Reuter
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway; Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway.
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Miliara X, Tatsuta T, Eiyama A, Langer T, Rouse SL, Matthews S. An intermolecular hydrogen bonded network in the PRELID-TRIAP protein family plays a role in lipid sensing. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2023; 1871:140867. [PMID: 36309326 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2022.140867] [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: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The PRELID-TRIAP1 family of proteins is responsible for lipid transfer in mitochondria. Multiple structures have been resolved of apo and lipid substrate bound forms, allowing us to begin to piece together the molecular level details of the full lipid transfer cycle. Here, we used molecular dynamics simulations to demonstrate that the lipid binding is mediated by an extended, water-mediated hydrogen bonding network. A key mutation, R53E, was found to disrupt this network, causing lipid to be released from the complex. The X-ray crystal structure of R53E was captured in a fully closed and apo state. Lipid transfer assays and molecular simulations allow us to interpret the observed conformation in the context of the biological role. Together, our work provides further understanding of the mechanistic control of lipid transport by PRELID-TRIAP1 in mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xeni Miliara
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Takashi Tatsuta
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, D-50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Akinori Eiyama
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, D-50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Langer
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, D-50931 Cologne, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), D-50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Sarah L Rouse
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Steve Matthews
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Egea PF. Mechanisms of Non-Vesicular Exchange of Lipids at Membrane Contact Sites: Of Shuttles, Tunnels and, Funnels. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:784367. [PMID: 34912813 PMCID: PMC8667587 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.784367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells are characterized by their exquisite compartmentalization resulting from a cornucopia of membrane-bound organelles. Each of these compartments hosts a flurry of biochemical reactions and supports biological functions such as genome storage, membrane protein and lipid biosynthesis/degradation and ATP synthesis, all essential to cellular life. Acting as hubs for the transfer of matter and signals between organelles and throughout the cell, membrane contacts sites (MCSs), sites of close apposition between membranes from different organelles, are essential to cellular homeostasis. One of the now well-acknowledged function of MCSs involves the non-vesicular trafficking of lipids; its characterization answered one long-standing question of eukaryotic cell biology revealing how some organelles receive and distribute their membrane lipids in absence of vesicular trafficking. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in synergy with the mitochondria, stands as the nexus for the biosynthesis and distribution of phospholipids (PLs) throughout the cell by contacting nearly all other organelle types. MCSs create and maintain lipid fluxes and gradients essential to the functional asymmetry and polarity of biological membranes throughout the cell. Membrane apposition is mediated by proteinaceous tethers some of which function as lipid transfer proteins (LTPs). We summarize here the current state of mechanistic knowledge of some of the major classes of LTPs and tethers based on the available atomic to near-atomic resolution structures of several "model" MCSs from yeast but also in Metazoans; we describe different models of lipid transfer at MCSs and analyze the determinants of their specificity and directionality. Each of these systems illustrate fundamental principles and mechanisms for the non-vesicular exchange of lipids between eukaryotic membrane-bound organelles essential to a wide range of cellular processes such as at PL biosynthesis and distribution, lipid storage, autophagy and organelle biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal F Egea
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Coronas-Serna JM, del Val E, Kagan JC, Molina M, Cid VJ. Heterologous Expression and Assembly of Human TLR Signaling Components in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1737. [PMID: 34827735 PMCID: PMC8615643 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling is key to detect pathogens and initiating inflammation. Ligand recognition triggers the assembly of supramolecular organizing centers (SMOCs) consisting of large complexes composed of multiple subunits. Building such signaling hubs relies on Toll Interleukin-1 Receptor (TIR) and Death Domain (DD) protein-protein interaction domains. We have expressed TIR domain-containing components of the human myddosome (TIRAP and MyD88) and triffosome (TRAM and TRIF) SMOCs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a platform for their study. Interactions between the TLR4 TIR domain, TIRAP, and MyD88 were recapitulated in yeast. Human TIRAP decorated the yeast plasma membrane (PM), except for the bud neck, whereas MyD88 was found at cytoplasmic spots, which were consistent with endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria junctions, as evidenced by co-localization with Mmm1 and Mdm34, components of the ER and Mitochondria Encounter Structures (ERMES). The formation of MyD88-TIRAP foci at the yeast PM was reinforced by co-expression of a membrane-bound TLR4 TIR domain. Mutations in essential residues of their TIR domains aborted MyD88 recruitment by TIRAP, but their respective subcellular localizations were unaltered. TRAM and TRIF, however, did not co-localize in yeast. TRAM assembled long PM-bound filaments that were disrupted by co-expression of the TLR4 TIR domain. Our results evidence that the yeast model can be exploited to study the interactions and subcellular localization of human SMOC components in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia María Coronas-Serna
- Departament of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRyCIS), Pza. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.M.C.-S.); (E.d.V.)
| | - Elba del Val
- Departament of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRyCIS), Pza. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.M.C.-S.); (E.d.V.)
| | - Jonathan C. Kagan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - María Molina
- Departament of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRyCIS), Pza. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.M.C.-S.); (E.d.V.)
| | - Víctor J. Cid
- Departament of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRyCIS), Pza. Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.M.C.-S.); (E.d.V.)
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Róg T, Girych M, Bunker A. Mechanistic Understanding from Molecular Dynamics in Pharmaceutical Research 2: Lipid Membrane in Drug Design. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:1062. [PMID: 34681286 PMCID: PMC8537670 DOI: 10.3390/ph14101062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We review the use of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation as a drug design tool in the context of the role that the lipid membrane can play in drug action, i.e., the interaction between candidate drug molecules and lipid membranes. In the standard "lock and key" paradigm, only the interaction between the drug and a specific active site of a specific protein is considered; the environment in which the drug acts is, from a biophysical perspective, far more complex than this. The possible mechanisms though which a drug can be designed to tinker with physiological processes are significantly broader than merely fitting to a single active site of a single protein. In this paper, we focus on the role of the lipid membrane, arguably the most important element outside the proteins themselves, as a case study. We discuss work that has been carried out, using MD simulation, concerning the transfection of drugs through membranes that act as biological barriers in the path of the drugs, the behavior of drug molecules within membranes, how their collective behavior can affect the structure and properties of the membrane and, finally, the role lipid membranes, to which the vast majority of drug target proteins are associated, can play in mediating the interaction between drug and target protein. This review paper is the second in a two-part series covering MD simulation as a tool in pharmaceutical research; both are designed as pedagogical review papers aimed at both pharmaceutical scientists interested in exploring how the tool of MD simulation can be applied to their research and computational scientists interested in exploring the possibility of a pharmaceutical context for their research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Róg
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Mykhailo Girych
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Alex Bunker
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
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