1
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Gatzemeier LM, Meyer F, Outeiro TF. Synthesis and Semi-Synthesis of Alpha-Synuclein: Insight into the Chemical Complexity of Synucleinopathies. Chembiochem 2024:e202400253. [PMID: 38965889 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400253] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
The chemical rules governing protein folding have intrigued generations of researchers for decades. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), prediction of protein structure has improved tremendously. However, there is still a level of analysis that is only possible through wet laboratory experiments, especially in respect to the investigation of the pathological effect of mutations and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) on proteins of interest. This requires the availability of pure peptides and proteins in sufficient quantities for biophysical, biochemical, and functional studies. In this context, chemical protein synthesis and semi-synthesis are powerful tools in protein research, which help to enlighten the role of protein modification in the physiology and pathology of proteins. A protein of high interest in the field of biomedicine is alpha-synuclein (aSyn), a protein deeply associated with several devastating neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), or multiple systems atrophy (MSA). Here, we describe several methods and pathways to synthesize native or modified aSyn, and discuss how these approaches enable us to address pathological mechanisms that may open novel perspectives for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Maria Gatzemeier
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstraße 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Waldweg 33, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franc Meyer
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstraße 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Waldweg 33, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Hermann-Rein-Straße 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
- Scientific employee with an honorary contract at Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Von Siebold-Straße 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
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2
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Nakamura G, Nakatsu K, Hayashi G. One-pot ligation of multiple peptide segments via N-terminal thiazolidine deprotection chemistry. Methods Enzymol 2024; 698:169-194. [PMID: 38886031 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.04.020] [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] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Peptide ligation chemistries have revolutionized the synthesis of proteins with site-specific modifications or proteomimetics through assembly of multiple peptide segments. In order to prepare polypeptide chains consisting of 100-150 amino acid residues or larger generally assembled from three or more peptide segments, iterative purification process that decreases the product yield is usually demanded. Accordingly, methodologies for one-pot peptide ligation that omit the purification steps of intermediate peptide segments have been vigorously developed so far to improve the efficiency of chemical protein synthesis. In this chapter, we first outline the concept and recent advances of one-pot peptide ligation strategies. Then, the practical guideline for the preparation of peptide segments for one-pot peptide ligation is described with an emphasis on diketopiperazine thioester synthesis. Finally, we disclose the explicit protocols for one-pot four segment ligation via repetitive deprotection of N-terminal thiazolidine by a 2-aminobenzamide type aldehyde scavenger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genki Nakamura
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Koki Nakatsu
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Gosuke Hayashi
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
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3
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Cao C, Magalhães P, Krapp LF, Bada Juarez JF, Mayer SF, Rukes V, Chiki A, Lashuel HA, Dal Peraro M. Deep Learning-Assisted Single-Molecule Detection of Protein Post-translational Modifications with a Biological Nanopore. ACS NANO 2024; 18:1504-1515. [PMID: 38112538 PMCID: PMC10795472 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08623] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a crucial role in countless biological processes, profoundly modulating protein properties on both spatial and temporal scales. Protein PTMs have also emerged as reliable biomarkers for several diseases. However, only a handful of techniques are available to accurately measure their levels, capture their complexity at a single molecule level, and characterize their multifaceted roles in health and disease. Nanopore sensing provides high sensitivity for the detection of low-abundance proteins, holding the potential to impact single-molecule proteomics and PTM detection, in particular. Here, we demonstrate the ability of a biological nanopore, the pore-forming toxin aerolysin, to detect and distinguish α-synuclein-derived peptides bearing single or multiple PTMs, namely, phosphorylation, nitration, and oxidation occurring at different positions and in various combinations. The characteristic current signatures of the α-synuclein peptide and its PTM variants could be confidently identified by using a deep learning model for signal processing. We further demonstrate that this framework can quantify α-synuclein peptides at picomolar concentrations and detect the C-terminal peptides generated by digestion of full-length α-synuclein. Collectively, our work highlights the advantage of using nanopores as a tool for simultaneous detection of multiple PTMs and facilitates their use in biomarker discovery and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan Cao
- Institute
of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
- Department
of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Magalhães
- Laboratory
of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind
Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Lucien F. Krapp
- Institute
of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Juan F. Bada Juarez
- Institute
of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Simon Finn Mayer
- Institute
of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Verena Rukes
- Institute
of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Anass Chiki
- Laboratory
of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind
Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A. Lashuel
- Laboratory
of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind
Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Dal Peraro
- Institute
of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
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4
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Abstract
Deposits of the microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) serve as a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases known as tauopathies. Numerous studies have demonstrated that in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Tau undergoes extensive remodeling. The attachment of post-translational modifications distributed throughout the entire sequence of the protein correlates with clinical presentation. A systematic examination of these protein alterations can shed light on their roles in both healthy and diseased states. However, the ability to access these modifications in the entire protein chain is limited as Tau can only be produced recombinantly or through semisynthesis. In this article, we describe the first chemical synthesis of the longest 2N4R isoform of Tau, consisting of 441 amino acids. The 2N4R Tau was divided into 3 major segments and a total of 11 fragments, all of which were prepared via solid-phase peptide synthesis. The successful chemical strategy has relied on the strategic use of two cysteine sites (C291 and C322) for the native chemical ligations (NCLs). This was combined with modern preparative protein chemistries, such as mercaptothreonine ligation (T205), diselenide-selenoester ligation (D358), and mutations of mercaptoamino acids into native residues via homogeneous radical desulfurization (A40, A77, A119, A157, A246, and A390). The successful completion of the synthesis has established a robust and scalable route to the native protein in multimilligram quantities and high purity. In broader terms, the presented strategy can be applied to the preparation of other shorter isoforms of Tau as well as to introduce all post-translational modifications that are characteristic of tauopathies such as AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wyatt C Powell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Ruiheng Jing
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Maciej A Walczak
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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5
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Leimu L, Haavisto O, Nesati V, Holm P, Haapalinna A, Salbo R, Pesonen U. Development of an in vitro aggregation assay for long synthetic polypeptide, amyloidogenic gelsolin fragment AGelD187N 173-242. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290179. [PMID: 37590229 PMCID: PMC10434866 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290179] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of the gelsolin protein fragment is the hallmark of the hereditary systemic disease gelsolin amyloidosis. As with other protein misfolding diseases, there is an urgent need for efficient disease-modifying treatment for gelsolin amyloidosis. The formation of amyloids can be reproduced by incubating the disease-causing amyloidogenic 8 kDa polypeptide, 70-residue gelsolin protein fragment, AGelD187N 173-242, in vitro and monitoring the process by thioflavin T dye. However, for screening of potential aggregation inhibitors, the required protein amounts are large and the biotechnological production of amyloidogenic proteins has many challenges. Conversely, use of shorter synthetic regions of AGelD187N 173-242 does not mimic the in vivo aggregation kinetics of full-length fragment as they have different aggregation propensity. In this study, we present an in vitro aggregation assay for full-length AGelD187N 173-242 that has been produced by solid-phase chemical synthesis and after that monomerized carefully. Chemical synthesis allows us to produce high quantities of full-length fragment efficiently and at low cost. We demonstrate that the generated aggregates are fibrillar in nature and how the purity, terminal modification, initial aggregates and seeding affect the aggregation kinetics of a synthetic gelsolin fragment. We also present sufficient quality criteria for the initial monomerized synthetic polypeptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Leimu
- R&D, Orion Pharma, Orion Corporation, Turku, Finland
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Oskar Haavisto
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Victor Nesati
- R&D, Orion Pharma, Orion Corporation, Turku, Finland
| | - Patrik Holm
- R&D, Orion Pharma, Orion Corporation, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Rune Salbo
- R&D, Orion Pharma, Orion Corporation, Turku, Finland
| | - Ullamari Pesonen
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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6
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Altay MF, Liu AKL, Holton JL, Parkkinen L, Lashuel HA. Prominent astrocytic alpha-synuclein pathology with unique post-translational modification signatures unveiled across Lewy body disorders. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:163. [PMID: 36371251 PMCID: PMC9652889 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01468-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractAlpha-synuclein (aSyn) is a pre-synaptic monomeric protein that can form aggregates in neurons in Parkinson’s disease (PD), Parkinson’s disease with dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and in oligodendrocytes in multiple system atrophy (MSA). Although aSyn in astrocytes has previously been described in PD, PDD and DLB, the biochemical properties and topographical distribution of astrocytic aSyn have not been studied in detail. Here, we present a systematic investigation of aSyn astrocytic pathology using an expanded antibody toolset covering the entire sequence and key post-translational modifications (PTMs) of aSyn in Lewy body disorders (LBDs) and in MSA. Astrocytic aSyn was detected in the limbic cortical regions of LBDs but were absent in main pathological regions of MSA. The astrocytic aSyn was revealed only with antibodies against the mid N-terminal and non-amyloid component (NAC) regions covering aSyn residues 34–99. The astroglial accumulations were negative to canonical aSyn aggregation markers, including p62, ubiquitin and aSyn pS129, but positive for phosphorylated and nitrated forms of aSyn at Tyrosine 39 (Y39), and not resistant to proteinase K. Our findings suggest that astrocytic aSyn accumulations represent a major part of aSyn pathology in LBDs and possess a distinct sequence and PTM signature that is characterized by both N- and C-terminal truncations and modifications at Y39. This is the first description that aSyn accumulations are made solely from N- and C-terminally cleaved aSyn species and the first report demonstrating that astrocytic aSyn is a mixture of Y39 phosphorylated and nitrated species. These observations underscore the importance of systematic characterization of aSyn accumulations in different cell types to capture the aSyn pathological diversity in the brain. Our findings combined with further studies on the role of astrocytic pathology in the progression of LBDs can pave the way towards identifying novel disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
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7
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Sánchez-Campillo I, Miguel-Gracia J, Karamanis P, Blanco-Canosa JB. A versatile o-aminoanilide linker for native chemical ligation. Chem Sci 2022; 13:10904-10913. [PMID: 36320694 PMCID: PMC9491214 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04158h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical protein synthesis (CPS) is a consolidated field founded on the high chemospecificity of amide-forming reactions, most notably the native chemical ligation (NCL), but also on new technologies such as the Ser/Thr ligation of C-terminal salicylaldehyde esters and the α-ketoacid-hydroxylamine (KAHA) condensation. NCL was conceptually devised for the ligation of peptides having a C-terminal thioester and an N-terminal cysteine. The synthesis of C-terminal peptide thioesters has attracted a lot of interest, resulting in the invention of a wide diversity of different methods for their preparation. The N-acylurea (Nbz) approach relies on the use of the 3,4-diaminobenzoic (Dbz-COOH) and the 3-amino-(4-methylamino)benzoic (MeDbz-COOH) acids; the latter disclosed to eliminate the formation of branching peptides. Dbz-COOH has been also used for the development of the benzotriazole (Bt)-mediated NCL, in which the peptide-Dbz-CONH2 precursor is oxidized to a highly acylating peptide-Bt-CONH2 species. Here, we have brought together the Nbz and Bt approaches in a versatile linker, the 1,2-diaminobenzene (Dbz). The Dbz combines the robustness of MeDbz-COOH and the flexibility of Dbz-COOH: it can be converted into the Nbz or Bt C-terminal peptides. Both are ligated in high yields, and the reaction intermediates can be conveniently characterized. Our results show that the Bt precursors have faster NCL kinetics that is reflected by a rapid transthioesterification (<5 min). Taking advantage of this major acylating capacity, peptide-Bt can be transselenoesterified in the presence of selenols to afford peptide selenoesters which hold enormous potential in NCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Sánchez-Campillo
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC) Jordi Girona 18-26 08034 Barcelona Spain
| | - Judit Miguel-Gracia
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC) Jordi Girona 18-26 08034 Barcelona Spain
| | - Periklis Karamanis
- Dept. of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna Via Selmi 2 40126 Bologna Italy
| | - Juan B Blanco-Canosa
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC) Jordi Girona 18-26 08034 Barcelona Spain
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8
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Oliveira LMA, Gasser T, Edwards R, Zweckstetter M, Melki R, Stefanis L, Lashuel HA, Sulzer D, Vekrellis K, Halliday GM, Tomlinson JJ, Schlossmacher M, Jensen PH, Schulze-Hentrich J, Riess O, Hirst WD, El-Agnaf O, Mollenhauer B, Lansbury P, Outeiro TF. Alpha-synuclein research: defining strategic moves in the battle against Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2021; 7:65. [PMID: 34312398 PMCID: PMC8313662 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-021-00203-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advent of the genetic era in Parkinson's disease (PD) research in 1997, α-synuclein was identified as an important player in a complex neurodegenerative disease that affects >10 million people worldwide. PD has been estimated to have an economic impact of $51.9 billion in the US alone. Since the initial association with PD, hundreds of researchers have contributed to elucidating the functions of α-synuclein in normal and pathological states, and these remain critical areas for continued research. With this position paper the authors strive to achieve two goals: first, to succinctly summarize the critical features that define α-synuclein's varied roles, as they are known today; and second, to identify the most pressing knowledge gaps and delineate a multipronged strategy for future research with the goal of enabling therapies to stop or slow disease progression in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M A Oliveira
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Thomas Gasser
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Robert Edwards
- Departments of Neurology and Physiology, UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ronald Melki
- Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, CEA and Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, CNRS, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Leonidas Stefanis
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- First Department of Neurology, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David Sulzer
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kostas Vekrellis
- Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Glenda M Halliday
- University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julianna J Tomlinson
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Schlossmacher
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Poul Henning Jensen
- Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine & DANDRITE, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Julia Schulze-Hentrich
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Olaf Riess
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Warren D Hirst
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Omar El-Agnaf
- Neurological Disorder Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Brit Mollenhauer
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Paracelsus-Elena-Klinik, Kassel, Germany
| | | | - Tiago F Outeiro
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
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9
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Moon SP, Balana AT, Pratt MR. Consequences of post-translational modifications on amyloid proteins as revealed by protein semisynthesis. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 64:76-89. [PMID: 34175787 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Alterations to the global levels of certain types of post-translational modifications (PTMs) are commonly observed in neurodegenerative diseases. The net influence of these PTM changes to the progression of these diseases can be deduced from cellular and animal studies. However, at the molecular level, how one PTM influences a given protein is not uniform and cannot be easily generalized from systemic observations, thus requiring protein-specific interrogations. Given that protein aggregation is a shared pathological hallmark in neurodegeneration, it is important to understand how these PTMs affect the behavior of amyloid-forming proteins. For this purpose, protein semisynthesis techniques, largely via native chemical and expressed protein ligation, have been widely used. These approaches have thus far led to our increased understanding of the site-specific consequences of certain PTMs to amyloidogenic proteins' endogenous function, their propensity for aggregation, and the structural variations these PTMs induce toward the aggregates formed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart P Moon
- Departments of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Aaron T Balana
- Departments of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Matthew R Pratt
- Departments of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
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10
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Lashuel HA. Rethinking protein aggregation and drug discovery in neurodegenerative diseases: Why we need to embrace complexity? Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 64:67-75. [PMID: 34174698 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
More than a century has passed since pathological protein aggregates were first identified in the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Yet, we still do not have effective therapies to treat or slow the progression of these devastating diseases or diagnostics for early detection and monitoring disease progression. Herein, I reflect on recent findings that are challenging traditional views about the composition, ultrastructural properties, and diversity of protein pathologies in the brain, their mechanisms of formation and how we investigate and model pathological aggregation processes in the laboratory today. This article is an invitation to embrace the complexity of proteinopathies as an essential step to understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning NDDs and to advance translational research and drug discovery in NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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11
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Luo Y, Jiang C, Yu L, Yang A. Chemical Biology of Autophagy-Related Proteins With Posttranslational Modifications: From Chemical Synthesis to Biological Applications. Front Chem 2020; 8:233. [PMID: 32309274 PMCID: PMC7145982 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy (hereafter referred to as autophagy) is an evolutionarily conserved lysosomal degradation pathway in all eukaryotic cells, which is critical for maintaining cell homeostasis. A series of autophagy-related (ATG) proteins are involved in the regulation of autophagy. The activities of ATG proteins are mainly modulated by posttranslational modifications (PTMs), such as phosphorylation, lipidation, acetylation, ubiquitination, and sumoylation. To tackle molecular mechanisms of autophagy, more and more researches are focusing on the roles of PTMs in regulation of the activity of ATG proteins and autophagy process. The protein ligation techniques have emerged as powerful tools for the chemical engineering of proteins with PTMs, and provided effective methods to elucidate the molecular mechanism and physiological significance of PTMs. Recently, several ATG proteins with PTM were prepared by protein ligation techniques such as native chemical ligation (NCL), expressed protein ligation (EPL), peptide hydrazide-based NCL, and Sortase A-mediated ligation (SML). More importantly, the synthesized ATG proteins are successfully used to probe the mechanism of autophagy. In this review, we summarize protein ligation techniques for the preparation of ATG proteins with PTMs. In addition, we highlight the biological applications of synthetic ATG proteins to probe the autophagy mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chen Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lihua Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Aimin Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
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12
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Mueller LK, Baumruck AC, Zhdanova H, Tietze AA. Challenges and Perspectives in Chemical Synthesis of Highly Hydrophobic Peptides. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:162. [PMID: 32195241 PMCID: PMC7064641 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) provides the possibility to chemically synthesize peptides and proteins. Applying the method on hydrophilic structures is usually without major drawbacks but faces extreme complications when it comes to "difficult sequences." These includes the vitally important, ubiquitously present and structurally demanding membrane proteins and their functional parts, such as ion channels, G-protein receptors, and other pore-forming structures. Standard synthetic and ligation protocols are not enough for a successful synthesis of these challenging sequences. In this review we highlight, summarize and evaluate the possibilities for synthetic production of "difficult sequences" by SPPS, native chemical ligation (NCL) and follow-up protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena K. Mueller
- Clemens-Schöpf Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Darmstadt University of Technology, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas C. Baumruck
- Clemens-Schöpf Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Darmstadt University of Technology, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Hanna Zhdanova
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alesia A. Tietze
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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13
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Gerding HR, Karreman C, Daiber A, Delp J, Hammler D, Mex M, Schildknecht S, Leist M. Reductive modification of genetically encoded 3-nitrotyrosine sites in alpha synuclein expressed in E.coli. Redox Biol 2019; 26:101251. [PMID: 31226647 PMCID: PMC6586993 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Tyrosine nitration is a post-translational protein modification relevant to various pathophysiological processes. Chemical nitration procedures have been used to generate and study nitrated proteins, but these methods regularly lead to modifications at other amino acid residues. A novel strategy employs a genetic code modification that allows incorporation of 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) during ribosomal protein synthesis to generate a recombinant protein with defined 3-NT-sites, in the absence of other post-translational modifications. This approach was applied to study the generation and stability of the 3-NT moiety in recombinant proteins produced in E.coli. Nitrated alpha-synuclein (ASYN) was selected as exemplary protein, relevant in Parkinson's disease (PD). A procedure was established to obtain pure tyrosine-modified ASYN in mg amounts. However, a rapid (t1/2 = 0.4 h) reduction of 3-NT to 3-aminotyrosine (3-AT) was observed. When screening for potential mechanisms, we found that 3-NT can be reduced enzymatically to 3-AT, whilst biologically relevant low molecular weight reductants, such as NADPH or GSH, did not affect 3-NT. A genetic screen for E.coli proteins, involved in the observed 3-NT reduction, revealed the contribution of several, possibly redundant pathways. Green fluorescent protein was studied as an alternative model protein. These data confirm 3-NT reduction as a broadly-relevant pathway in E.coli. In conclusion, incorporation of 3-NT as a genetically-encoded non-natural amino acid allows for generation of recombinant proteins with specific nitration sites. The potential reduction of the 3-NT moiety by E.coli, however, requires attention to the design of the purification strategy for obtaining pure nitrated protein. 3-nitrotyrosine in proteins is reduced to 3-aminotyrosine in E.coli. 3-aminotyrosine is stable in E.coli. 3-nitrotyrosine reduction is independent of the harboring protein but affected by protein structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne R Gerding
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Christiaan Karreman
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Andreas Daiber
- Zentrum für Kardiologie, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Johannes Delp
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Daniel Hammler
- Research School Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Mex
- Research School Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Stefan Schildknecht
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Marcel Leist
- In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
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14
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Zuo C, Zhang B, Yan B, Zheng JS. One-pot multi-segment condensation strategies for chemical protein synthesis. Org Biomol Chem 2019; 17:727-744. [DOI: 10.1039/c8ob02610f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes recent advances of one-pot multi-segment condensation strategies based on kinetically controlled strategies and/or protecting group-removal strategies in chemical protein synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Zuo
- School of Life Sciences
- University of Science and Technology of China
- Hefei 230027
- China
- Department of Chemistry
| | - Baochang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry
- Tsinghua University
- Beijing 100084
- China
| | - Bingjia Yan
- Department of Chemistry
- Tsinghua University
- Beijing 100084
- China
| | - Ji-Shen Zheng
- School of Life Sciences
- University of Science and Technology of China
- Hefei 230027
- China
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15
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Sarafian TA, Littlejohn K, Yuan S, Fernandez C, Cilluffo M, Koo BK, Whitelegge JP, Watson JB. Stimulation of synaptoneurosome glutamate release by monomeric and fibrillated α-synuclein. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:1871-1887. [PMID: 28117497 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The α-synuclein protein exists in vivo in a variety of covalently modified and aggregated forms associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology. However, the specific proteoform structures involved with neuropathological disease mechanisms are not clearly defined. Since α-synuclein plays a role in presynaptic neurotransmitter release, an in vitro enzyme-based assay was developed to measure glutamate release from mouse forebrain synaptoneurosomes (SNs) enriched in synaptic endings. Glutamate measurements utilizing SNs from various mouse genotypes (WT, over-expressers, knock-outs) suggested a concentration dependence of α-synuclein on calcium/depolarization-dependent presynaptic glutamate release from forebrain terminals. In vitro reconstitution experiments with recombinant human α-synuclein proteoforms including monomers and aggregated forms (fibrils, oligomers) produced further evidence of this functional impact. Notably, brief exogenous applications of fibrillated forms of α-synuclein enhanced SN glutamate release but monomeric forms did not, suggesting preferential membrane penetration and toxicity by the aggregated forms. However, when applied to brain tissue sections just prior to homogenization, both monomeric and fibrillated forms stimulated glutamate release. Immuno-gold and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) detected exogenous fibrillated α-synuclein associated with numerous SN membranous structures including synaptic terminals. Western blots and immuno-gold TEM were consistent with SN internalization of α-synuclein. Additional studies revealed no evidence of gross disruption of SN membrane integrity or glutamate transporter function by exogenous α-synuclein. Overall excitotoxicity, due to enhanced glutamate release in the face of either overexpressed monomeric α-synuclein or extrasynaptic exposure to fibrillated α-synuclein, should be considered as a potential neuropathological pathway during the progression of PD and other synucleinopathies. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore A Sarafian
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Littlejohn
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Yuan
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Charlene Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Bon-Kyung Koo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julian P Whitelegge
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph B Watson
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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16
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Recent advances in the preparation of Fmoc-SPPS-based peptide thioester and its surrogates for NCL-type reactions. Sci China Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11426-016-0381-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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17
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Modern tools for the chemical ligation and synthesis of modified peptides and proteins. Future Med Chem 2016; 8:2287-2304. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2016-0175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to improve nature's capacity by introducing modification of biological interest in proteins and peptides (P&P) is one of the modern challenges in synthetic chemistry. Due to the unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties, many native P&P are of little use as therapeutic agents. Today, few methods for the preparation of modified proteins are available. Initially introduced to realize the ligation between two standard peptidic sequences, and hence to afford native proteins, the modern chemical methodologies, in other words native chemical ligation, expressed ligation, Staudinger ligation, auxiliary mediated ligation, aldehyde capture, etc., can be virtually utilized to ligate a variety of peptidomimetic partners, allowing a systematic access to modified, unnatural large P&P.
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18
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Dikiy I, Fauvet B, Jovičić A, Mahul-Mellier AL, Desobry C, El-Turk F, Gitler AD, Lashuel HA, Eliezer D. Semisynthetic and in Vitro Phosphorylation of Alpha-Synuclein at Y39 Promotes Functional Partly Helical Membrane-Bound States Resembling Those Induced by PD Mutations. ACS Chem Biol 2016; 11:2428-37. [PMID: 27356045 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.6b00539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein is a presynaptic protein of poorly understood function that is linked to both genetic and sporadic forms of Parkinson's disease. We have proposed that alpha-synuclein may function specifically at synaptic vesicles docked at the plasma membrane, and that the broken-helix state of the protein, comprising two antiparallel membrane-bound helices connected by a nonhelical linker, may target the protein to such docked vesicles by spanning between the vesicle and the plasma membrane. Here, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein at tyrosine 39, carried out by c-Abl in vivo, may facilitate interconversion of synuclein from the vesicle-bound extended-helix state to the broken-helix state. Specifically, in the presence of lipid vesicles, Y39 phosphorylation leads to decreased binding of a region corresponding to helix-2 of the broken-helix state, potentially freeing this region of the protein to interact with other membrane surfaces. This effect is largely recapitulated by the phosphomimetic mutation Y39E, and expression of this mutant in yeast results in decreased membrane localization. Intriguingly, the effects of Y39 phosphorylation on membrane binding closely resemble those of the recently reported disease linked mutation G51D. These findings suggest that Y39 phosphorylation could modulate functional aspects of alpha-synuclein and perhaps influence pathological aggregation of the protein as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Dikiy
- Department
of Biochemistry and Program in Structural Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Bruno Fauvet
- Laboratory
of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 19, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ana Jovičić
- Department
of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Anne-Laure Mahul-Mellier
- Laboratory
of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 19, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carole Desobry
- Laboratory
of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 19, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Farah El-Turk
- Laboratory
of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 19, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Aaron D. Gitler
- Department
of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Hilal A. Lashuel
- Laboratory
of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 19, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Doha, Qatar
| | - David Eliezer
- Department
of Biochemistry and Program in Structural Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065, United States
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19
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Chemuru S, Kodali R, Wetzel R. Improved chemical synthesis of hydrophobic Aβ peptides using addition of C-terminal lysines later removed by carboxypeptidase B. Biopolymers 2016; 102:206-21. [PMID: 24488729 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2013] [Revised: 01/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Many amyloidogenic peptides are highly hydrophobic, introducing significant challenges to obtaining high quality peptides by chemical synthesis. For example, while good yield and purity can be obtained in the solid-phase synthesis of the Alzheimer's plaque peptide Aβ40, addition of a C-terminal Ile-Ala sequence to generate the more toxic Aβ42 molecule creates a much more difficult synthesis resulting in low yields and purities. We describe here a new method that significantly improves the Fmoc solid-phase synthesis of Aβ peptides. In our method, Lys residues are linked to the desired peptide's C-terminus through standard peptide bonds during the synthesis. These Lys residues are then removed post-purification using immobilized carboxypeptidase B (CPB). With this method we obtained both Aβ42 and Aβ46 of superior quality that, for Aβ42, rivals that obtained by recombinant expression. Intriguingly, the method appears to provide independent beneficial effects on both the total synthetic yield and on purification yield and final purity. Reversible Lys addition with CPB removal should be a generally useful method for making hydrophobic peptides that is applicable to any sequence not ending in Arg or Lys. As expected from the additional hydrophobicity of Aβ46, which is extended from the sequence Aβ42 by a C-terminal Thr-Val-Ile-Val sequence, this peptide makes typical amyloid at rates significantly faster than for Aβ42 or Aβ40. The enhanced amyloidogenicity of Aβ46 suggests that, even though it is present in relatively low amounts in the human brain, it could play a significant role in helping to initiate Aβ amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saketh Chemuru
- Department of Structural Biology and Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
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20
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Qi YK, Chang HN, Pan KM, Tian CL, Zheng JS. Total chemical synthesis of the site-selective azide-labeled [I66A]HIV-1 protease. Chem Commun (Camb) 2016; 51:14632-5. [PMID: 26289550 DOI: 10.1039/c5cc04846j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The first total chemical synthesis of the site-selective azide-labeled [I66A]HIV-1 protease is described by native chemical ligation. Chemical synthesis of azide-labeled proteins would provide useful protein tools for biochemical, biophysical or medical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Kun Qi
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
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21
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Bondalapati S, Jbara M, Brik A. Expanding the chemical toolbox for the synthesis of large and uniquely modified proteins. Nat Chem 2016; 8:407-18. [DOI: 10.1038/nchem.2476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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22
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Jbara M, Maity SK, Seenaiah M, Brik A. Palladium Mediated Rapid Deprotection of N-Terminal Cysteine under Native Chemical Ligation Conditions for the Efficient Preparation of Synthetically Challenging Proteins. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:5069-75. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b13580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Jbara
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200008, Israel
| | - Suman Kumar Maity
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200008, Israel
| | - Mallikanti Seenaiah
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200008, Israel
| | - Ashraf Brik
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200008, Israel
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23
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Fauvet B, Lashuel HA. Semisynthesis and Enzymatic Preparation of Post-translationally Modified α-Synuclein. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1345:3-20. [PMID: 26453202 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2978-8_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) serve as molecular switches for regulating protein folding, function, and interactome and have been implicated in the misfolding and amyloid formation by several proteins linked to neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Understanding the role of individual PTMs in protein misfolding and aggregation requires the preparation of site-specifically modified proteins, as well as the identification of the enzymes involved in regulating these PTMs. Recently, our group has pioneered the development of enzymatic, synthetic, and semisynthetic strategies that allow site-specific introduction of PTMs at single or multiple sites and generation of modified proteins in milligram quantities. In this chapter, we provide detailed description of enzymatic and semisynthetic strategies for the generation of the phosphorylated α-Synuclein (α-Syn) at S129, (pS129), which has been identified as a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. The semisynthetic method described for generation of α-Syn-pS129 requires expertise with protein chemical ligation, but can be used to incorporate other PTMs (single or multiple) within the α-Syn C-terminus if desired. On the other hand, the in vitro kinase-mediated phosphorylation strategy does not require any special setup and is rather easy to apply, but its application is restricted to the generation of α-Syn_pS129. These methods have the potential to increase the availability of pure and homogenous modified α-Syn reagents, which may be used as standards in numerous applications, including the search for potential biomarkers of synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Fauvet
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, AI 2.151, Station 19, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, AI 2.151, Station 19, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar.
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24
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Seenaiah M, Jbara M, Mali SM, Brik A. Convergent Versus Sequential Protein Synthesis: The Case of Ubiquitinated and Glycosylated H2B. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 54:12374-8. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201503309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Revised: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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25
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Seenaiah M, Jbara M, Mali SM, Brik A. Convergent Versus Sequential Protein Synthesis: The Case of Ubiquitinated and Glycosylated H2B. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201503309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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26
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Blanco-Canosa JB, Nardone B, Albericio F, Dawson PE. Chemical Protein Synthesis Using a Second-Generation N-Acylurea Linker for the Preparation of Peptide-Thioester Precursors. J Am Chem Soc 2015; 137:7197-209. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b03504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Brunello Nardone
- Departments
of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni
Paolo II 132, Fisciano 84084, Italy
| | - Fernando Albericio
- Department
of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franqués 1-11, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Philip E. Dawson
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), 10550 N. Torrey
Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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27
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Jbara M, Seenaiah M, Brik A. Solid phase chemical ligation employing a rink amide linker for the synthesis of histone H2B protein. Chem Commun (Camb) 2015; 50:12534-7. [PMID: 25196573 DOI: 10.1039/c4cc06499b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Presented here is a solid phase chemical ligation strategy employing native chemical ligation and the commercially available Rink-amide linker as a key element in our approach. The method was applied for the synthesis of histone H2B, which sets the ground for the rapid preparation of posttranslationally modified analogues of this protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Jbara
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel.
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28
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Burai R, Ait-Bouziad N, Chiki A, Lashuel HA. Elucidating the Role of Site-Specific Nitration of α-Synuclein in the Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease via Protein Semisynthesis and Mutagenesis. J Am Chem Soc 2015; 137:5041-52. [PMID: 25768729 DOI: 10.1021/ja5131726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the presence of intraneuronal inclusions consisting of aggregated and post-translationally modified α-synuclein (α-syn). Despite advances in the chemical synthesis of α-syn and other proteins, the generation of site-specifically nitrated synthetic proteins has not been reported. Consequently, it has not been possible to determine the roles of nitration at specific residues in regulating the physiological and pathogenic properties of α-syn. Here we report, for the first time, the site-specific incorporation of 3-nitrotyrosine at different regions of α-syn using native chemical ligation combined with a novel desulfurization strategy. This strategy enabled us to investigate the role of nitration at single or multiple tyrosine residues in regulating α-syn structure, membrane binding, oligomerization, and fibrils formation. We demonstrate that different site-specifically nitrated α-syn species exhibit distinct structural and aggregation properties and exhibit reduced affinity to negatively charged vesicle membranes. We provide evidence that intermolecular interactions between the N- and C-terminal regions of α-syn play critical roles in mediating nitration-induced α-syn oligomerization. For example, when Y39 is not available for nitration (Y39F and Y39/125F), the extent of cross-linking is limited mostly to dimer formation, whereas mutants in which Y39 along with one or multiple C-terminal tyrosines (Y125F, Y133F, Y136F and Y133/136F) can still undergo nitration readily to form higher-order oligomers. Our semisynthetic strategy for generating site-specifically nitrated proteins opens up new possibilities for investigating the role of nitration in regulating protein structure and function in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritwik Burai
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nadine Ait-Bouziad
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anass Chiki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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29
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Kennedy EJ. EMBO conference series: Chemical Biology 2014. Chembiochem 2014; 15:2783-7. [PMID: 25318996 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201402527] [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: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Around 300 people from 18 countries took part in the fourth biennial Chemical Biology conference at The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, from August 20 to 23, 2014. Many advances in the field of chemical biology were presented in talks and poster sessions. Picture: Petra Riedinger (EMBL).
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen J Kennedy
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 240 W. Green Street, Athens, GA 30602 (USA).
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30
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Ansaloni A, Wang ZM, Jeong JS, Ruggeri FS, Dietler G, Lashuel HA. One-Pot Semisynthesis of Exon 1 of the Huntingtin Protein: New Tools for Elucidating the Role of Posttranslational Modifications in the Pathogenesis of Huntington’s Disease. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201307510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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31
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Ansaloni A, Wang ZM, Jeong JS, Ruggeri FS, Dietler G, Lashuel HA. One-Pot Semisynthesis of Exon 1 of the Huntingtin Protein: New Tools for Elucidating the Role of Posttranslational Modifications in the Pathogenesis of Huntington’s Disease. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2014; 53:1928-33. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201307510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2013] [Revised: 10/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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32
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Facile “stop codon” method reveals elevated neuronal toxicity by discrete S87p-α-synuclein oligomers. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 443:1085-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.12.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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33
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Ma J, Zeng J, Wan Q. Postligation-Desulfurization: A General Approach for Chemical Protein Synthesis. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2014; 363:57-101. [DOI: 10.1007/128_2014_594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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34
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Schmid AW, Fauvet B, Moniatte M, Lashuel HA. Alpha-synuclein post-translational modifications as potential biomarkers for Parkinson disease and other synucleinopathies. Mol Cell Proteomics 2013; 12:3543-58. [PMID: 23966418 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.r113.032730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of novel therapies against neurodegenerative disorders requires the ability to detect their early, presymptomatic manifestations in order to enable treatment before irreversible cellular damage occurs. Precocious signs indicative of neurodegeneration include characteristic changes in certain protein levels, which can be used as diagnostic biomarkers when they can be detected in fluids such as blood plasma or cerebrospinal fluid. In the case of synucleinopathies, cerebrospinal alpha-synuclein (α-syn) has attracted great interest as a potential biomarker; however, there is ongoing debate regarding the association between cerebrospinal α-syn levels and neurodegeneration in Parkinson disease and synucleinopathies. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) have emerged as important determinants of α-syn's physiological and pathological functions. Several PTMs are enriched within Lewy bodies and exist at higher levels in α-synucleinopathy brains, suggesting that certain modified forms of α-syn might be more relevant biomarkers than the total α-syn levels. However, the quantification of PTMs in bodily fluids poses several challenges. This review describes the limitations of current immunoassay-based α-syn quantification methods and highlights how these limitations can be overcome using novel mass-spectrometry-based assays. In addition, we describe how advances in chemical synthesis, which have enabled the preparation of α-syn proteins that are site-specifically modified at single or multiple residues, can facilitate the development of more accurate assays for detecting and quantifying α-syn PTMs in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien W Schmid
- Proteomics Core Facility, School of Life Sciences, Station 19, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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