1
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Aydin S, Salehi SM, Töpfer K, Meuwly M. SCN as a local probe of protein structural dynamics. J Chem Phys 2024; 161:055101. [PMID: 39092954 DOI: 10.1063/5.0216657] [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: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The dynamics of lysozyme is probed by attaching -SCN to all alanine residues. The one-dimensional infrared spectra exhibit frequency shifts in the position of the maximum absorption of 4 cm-1, which is consistent with experiments in different solvents and indicates moderately strong interactions of the vibrational probe with its environment. Isotopic substitution 12C → 13C leads to a redshift by -47 cm-1, which agrees quantitatively with experiments for CN-substituted copper complexes in solution. The low-frequency, far-infrared part of the protein spectra contains label-specific information in the difference spectra when compared with the wild type protein. Depending on the position of the labels, local structural changes are observed. For example, introducing the -SCN label at Ala129 leads to breaking of the α-helical structure with concomitant change in the far-infrared spectrum. Finally, changes in the local hydration of SCN-labeled alanine residues as a function of time can be related to the reorientation of the label. It is concluded that -SCN is potentially useful for probing protein dynamics, both in the high-frequency part (CN-stretch) and in the far-infrared part of the spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sena Aydin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Seyedeh Maryam Salehi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kai Töpfer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Meuwly
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA
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2
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Mondal S, Sauer MA, Heyden M. Exploring Conformational Landscapes Along Anharmonic Low-Frequency Vibrations. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:7112-7120. [PMID: 38986052 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
We aim to automatize the identification of collective variables to simplify and speed up enhanced sampling simulations of conformational dynamics in biomolecules. We focus on anharmonic low-frequency vibrations that exhibit fluctuations on time scales faster than conformational transitions but describe a path of least resistance toward structural change. A key challenge is that harmonic approximations are ill-suited to characterize these vibrations, which are observed at far-infrared frequencies and are easily excited by thermal collisions at room temperature. Here, we approached this problem with a frequency-selective anharmonic (FRESEAN) mode analysis that does not rely on harmonic approximations and successfully isolates anharmonic low-frequency vibrations from short molecular dynamics simulation trajectories. We applied FRESEAN mode analysis to simulations of alanine dipeptide, a common test system for enhanced sampling simulation protocols, and compared the performance of isolated low-frequency vibrations to conventional user-defined collective variables (here backbone dihedral angles) in enhanced sampling simulations. The comparison shows that enhanced sampling along anharmonic low-frequency vibrations not only reproduces known conformational dynamics but can even further improve the sampling of slow transitions compared to user-defined collective variables. Notably, free energy surfaces spanned by low-frequency anharmonic vibrational modes exhibit lower barriers associated with conformational transitions relative to representations in backbone dihedral space. We thus conclude that anharmonic low-frequency vibrations provide a promising path for highly effective and fully automated enhanced sampling simulations of conformational dynamics in biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Mondal
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Michael A Sauer
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Matthias Heyden
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
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3
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Feng RR, Wang M, Zhang W, Gai F. Unnatural Amino Acids for Biological Spectroscopy and Microscopy. Chem Rev 2024; 124:6501-6542. [PMID: 38722769 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00944] [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: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Due to advances in methods for site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids (UAAs) into proteins, a large number of UAAs with tailored chemical and/or physical properties have been developed and used in a wide array of biological applications. In particular, UAAs with specific spectroscopic characteristics can be used as external reporters to produce additional signals, hence increasing the information content obtainable in protein spectroscopic and/or imaging measurements. In this Review, we summarize the progress in the past two decades in the development of such UAAs and their applications in biological spectroscopy and microscopy, with a focus on UAAs that can be used as site-specific vibrational, fluorescence, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probes. Wherever applicable, we also discuss future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran-Ran Feng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Manxi Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wenkai Zhang
- Department of Physics and Applied Optics Beijing Area Major Laboratory, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Feng Gai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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4
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Brooks CL, MacKerell AD, Post CB, Nilsson L. Biomolecular dynamics in the 21st century. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2024; 1868:130534. [PMID: 38065235 PMCID: PMC10842176 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The relevance of motions in biological macromolecules has been clear since the early structural analyses of proteins by X-ray crystallography. Computer simulations have been applied to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamics of biological macromolecules since 1976, and are now a standard tool in many labs working on the structure and function of biomolecules. In this mini-review we highlight some areas of current interest and active development for simulations, in particular all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles L Brooks
- University of Michigan, Department of Chemistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | | | - Carol B Post
- Purdue University, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2091, USA.
| | - Lennart Nilsson
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, SE-14183 Huddinge, Sweden.
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5
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Hill TD, Basnet S, Lepird HH, Rightnowar BW, Moran SD. Anisotropic dynamics of an interfacial enzyme active site observed using tethered substrate analogs and ultrafast 2D IR spectroscopy. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:165101. [PMID: 37870142 PMCID: PMC10597647 DOI: 10.1063/5.0167991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Enzymes accelerate the rates of biomolecular reactions by many orders of magnitude compared to bulk solution, and it is widely understood that this catalytic effect arises from a combination of polar pre-organization and electrostatic transition state stabilization. A number of recent reports have also implicated ultrafast (femtosecond-picosecond) timescale motions in enzymatic activity. However, complications arising from spatially-distributed disorder, the occurrence of multiple substrate binding modes, and the influence of hydration dynamics on solvent-exposed active sites still confound many experimental studies. Here we use ultrafast two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy and covalently-tethered substrate analogs to examine dynamical properties of the promiscuous Pyrococcus horikoshii ene-reductase (PhENR) active site in two binding configurations mimicking proposed "inactive" and "reactive" Michaelis complexes. Spectral diffusion measurements of aryl-nitrile substrate analogs reveal an end-to-end tradeoff between fast (sub-ps) and slow (>5 ps) motions. Fermi resonant aryl-azide analogs that sense interactions of coupled oscillators are described. Lineshape and quantum beat analyses of these probes reveal characteristics that correlate with aryl-nitrile frequency fluctuation correlation functions parameters, demonstrating that this anisotropy is an intrinsic property of the water-exposed active site, where countervailing gradients of fast dynamics and disorder in the reactant ground state are maintained near the hydration interface. Our results suggest several plausible factors leading to state-selective rate enhancement and promiscuity in PhENR. This study also highlights a strategy to detect perturbations to vibrational modes outside the transparent window of the mid-IR spectrum, which may be extended to other macromolecular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sunil Basnet
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1245 Lincoln Drive MC 4409, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Hannah H. Lepird
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1245 Lincoln Drive MC 4409, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Blaze W. Rightnowar
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1245 Lincoln Drive MC 4409, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Sean D. Moran
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1245 Lincoln Drive MC 4409, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
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6
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Liu J, Feng RR, Zhou L, Gai F, Zhang W. Photoenhancement of the C≡N Stretching Vibration Intensity of Aromatic Nitriles. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:9745-9751. [PMID: 36222647 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The C≡N stretching vibration is a versatile infrared (IR) reporter that is useful for a wide range of applications. Aiming to further expand its spectroscopic utility, herein, we show that, using 4-cyanoindole and 4-cyano-7-azaindole as examples, photoexcitation can significantly shift the frequency (νCN) and enhance the molar extinction coefficient (εCN) of this vibrational mode of aromatic nitriles and that, for these indole derivatives, the enhancement factor can reach 13. Moreover, we find that while solvent relaxation at the excited electronic state(s) always leads to an increase in εCN, its effect on νCN depends on the solute and the solvent. Taken together, these results demonstrate that solvent relaxation can differently affect the local environment of the nitrile group and its conjugation with the indole ring and, more importantly, that the C≡N stretching vibration can serve as a sensitive IR probe of charge and electron transfer processes in which an aromatic nitrile is involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingsong Liu
- Department of Physics and Applied Optics Beijing Area Major Laboratory, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ran-Ran Feng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Liang Zhou
- Department of Physics and Applied Optics Beijing Area Major Laboratory, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Feng Gai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wenkai Zhang
- Department of Physics and Applied Optics Beijing Area Major Laboratory, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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7
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Biswas A, Mallik BS. Vibrational Spectral Dynamics and Ion-Probe Interactions of the Hydrogen-Bonded Liquids in 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. Chem Phys 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2022.111519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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8
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Yang S, Zhang Q, Yang H, Shi H, Dong A, Wang L, Yu S. Progress in infrared spectroscopy as an efficient tool for predicting protein secondary structure. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 206:175-187. [PMID: 35217087 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.02.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is a highly sensitive technique that provides complete information on chemical compositions. The IR spectra of proteins or peptides give rise to nine characteristic IR absorption bands. The amide I bands are the most prominent and sensitive vibrational bands and widely used to predict protein secondary structures. The interference of H2O absorbance is the greatest challenge for IR protein secondary structure prediction. Much effort has been made to reduce/eliminate the interference of H2O, simplify operation steps, and increase prediction accuracy. Progress in sampling and equipment has rendered the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technique suitable for determining the protein secondary structure in broader concentration ranges, greatly simplifying the operating steps. This review highlights the recent progress in sample preparation, data analysis, and equipment development of FTIR in A/T mode, with a focus on recent applications of FTIR spectroscopy in the prediction of protein secondary structure. This review also provides a brief introduction of the progress in ATR-FTIR for predicting protein secondary structure and discusses some combined IR methods, such as AFM-based IR spectroscopy, that are used to analyze protein structural dynamics and protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shouning Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis, Institute of Mass Spectrometry, School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | | | - Huayan Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis, Institute of Mass Spectrometry, School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Haimei Shi
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis, Institute of Mass Spectrometry, School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Aichun Dong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, USA.
| | - Li Wang
- Kweichow Moutai Group, Renhuai, Guizhou 564501, China.
| | - Shaoning Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis, Institute of Mass Spectrometry, School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China.
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9
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Salehi SM, Meuwly M. Site-Selective Dynamics of Ligand-Free and Ligand-Bound Azidolysozyme. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:105105. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0077361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Markus Meuwly
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel Department of Chemistry, Switzerland
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10
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Vinogradov I, Feng Y, Kumar SKK, Guo C, Udagawa NS, Ge NH. Ultrafast vibrational dynamics of the tyrosine ring mode and its application to enkephalin insertion into phospholipid membranes as probed by two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:035102. [PMID: 34293882 DOI: 10.1063/5.0054428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Enkephalins are small opioid peptides whose binding conformations are catalyzed by phospholipid membranes. Binding to opioid receptors is determined by the orientation of tyrosine and phenylalanine side chains. In this work, we investigate the effects of different charged phospholipid headgroups on the insertion of the tyrosine side chain into a lipid bilayer using a combination of 2D IR spectroscopy, anharmonic DFT calculations, and third order response function modeling. The insertion is probed by using the ∼1515 cm-1 tyrosine ring breathing mode, which we found exhibits rich vibrational dynamics on the picosecond timescale. These dynamics include rapid intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR), where some of the energy ends up in a dark state that shows up as an anharmonically shifted combination band. The waiting-time dependent 2D IR spectra also show an unusual line shape distortion that affects the extraction of the frequency-frequency correlation function (FFCF), which is the dynamic observable of interest that reflects the tyrosine side chain's insertion into the lipid bilayer. We proposed three models to account for this distortion: a hot-state exchange model, a local environment dependent IVR model, and a coherence transfer model. A qualitative analysis of these models suggests that the local environment dependent IVR rate best explains the line shape distortion, while the coherence transfer model best reproduced the effects on the FFCF. Even with these complex dynamics, we found that the tyrosine ring mode's FFCF is qualitatively correlated with the degree of insertion expected from the different phospholipid headgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Vinogradov
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, USA
| | - Yuan Feng
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, USA
| | - S K Karthick Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, USA
| | - Chenxu Guo
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, USA
| | - Nina Saki Udagawa
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, USA
| | - Nien-Hui Ge
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, USA
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11
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Thielges MC. Transparent window 2D IR spectroscopy of proteins. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:040903. [PMID: 34340394 PMCID: PMC8302233 DOI: 10.1063/5.0052628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins are complex, heterogeneous macromolecules that exist as ensembles of interconverting states on a complex energy landscape. A complete, molecular-level understanding of their function requires experimental tools to characterize them with high spatial and temporal precision. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy has an inherently fast time scale that can capture all states and their dynamics with, in principle, bond-specific spatial resolution. Two-dimensional (2D) IR methods that provide richer information are becoming more routine but remain challenging to apply to proteins. Spectral congestion typically prevents selective investigation of native vibrations; however, the problem can be overcome by site-specific introduction of amino acid side chains that have vibrational groups with frequencies in the "transparent window" of protein spectra. This Perspective provides an overview of the history and recent progress in the development of transparent window 2D IR of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan C. Thielges
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington,
Indiana 47405, USA
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12
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Tumbic GW, Hossan MY, Thielges MC. Protein Dynamics by Two-Dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2021; 14:299-321. [PMID: 34314221 PMCID: PMC8713465 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-091520-091009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Proteins function as ensembles of interconverting structures. The motions span from picosecond bond rotations to millisecond and longer subunit displacements. Characterization of functional dynamics on all spatial and temporal scales remains challenging experimentally. Two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy (2D IR) is maturing as a powerful approach for investigating proteins and their dynamics. We outline the advantages of IR spectroscopy, describe 2D IR and the information it provides, and introduce vibrational groups for protein analysis. We highlight example studies that illustrate the power and versatility of 2D IR for characterizing protein dynamics and conclude with a brief discussion of the outlook for biomolecular 2D IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran W Tumbic
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47401, USA;
| | - Md Yeathad Hossan
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47401, USA;
| | - Megan C Thielges
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47401, USA;
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13
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Ramos S, Mammoser CC, Thibodeau KE, Thielges MC. Dynamics underlying hydroxylation selectivity of cytochrome P450cam. Biophys J 2021; 120:912-923. [PMID: 33545101 PMCID: PMC8008267 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural heterogeneity and the dynamics of the complexes of enzymes with substrates can determine the selectivity of catalysis; however, fully characterizing how remains challenging as heterogeneity and dynamics can vary at the spatial level of an amino acid residue and involve rapid timescales. We demonstrate the nascent approach of site-specific two-dimensional infrared (IR) spectroscopy to investigate the archetypical cytochrome P450, P450cam, to better delineate the mechanism of the lower regioselectivity of hydroxylation of the substrate norcamphor in comparison to the native substrate camphor. Specific locations are targeted throughout the enzyme by selectively introducing cyano groups that have frequencies in a spectrally isolated region of the protein IR spectrum as local vibrational probes. Linear and two-dimensional IR spectroscopy were applied to measure the heterogeneity and dynamics at each probe and investigate how they differentiate camphor and norcamphor recognition. The IR data indicate that the norcamphor complex does not fully induce a large-scale conformational change to a closed state of the enzyme adopted in the camphor complex. Additionally, a probe directed at the bound substrate experiences rapidly interconverting states in the norcamphor complex that explain the hydroxylation product distribution. Altogether, the study reveals large- and small-scale structural heterogeneity and dynamics that could contribute to selectivity of a cytochrome P450 and illustrates the approach of site-selective IR spectroscopy to elucidate protein dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sashary Ramos
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | | | | | - Megan C Thielges
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
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14
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Abstract
This review examines low-frequency vibrational modes of proteins and their coupling to enzyme catalytic sites. That protein motions are critical to enzyme function is clear, but the kinds of motions present in proteins and how they are involved in function remain unclear. Several models of enzyme-catalyzed reaction suggest that protein dynamics may be involved in the chemical step of the catalyzed reaction, but the evidence in support of such models is indirect. Spectroscopic studies of low-frequency protein vibrations consistently show that there are underdamped modes of the protein with frequencies in the tens of wavenumbers where overdamped behavior would be expected. Recent studies even show that such underdamped vibrations modulate enzyme active sites. These observations suggest that increasingly sophisticated spectroscopic methods will be able to unravel the link between low-frequency protein vibrations and enzyme function.
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15
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Abstract
Lipid membranes are more than just barriers between cell compartments; they provide molecular environments with a finely tuned balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions that enable proteins to dynamically fold and self-assemble to regulate biological function. Characterizing dynamics at the lipid-water interface is essential to understanding molecular complexities from the thermodynamics of liquid-liquid phase separation down to picosecond-scale reorganization of interfacial hydrogen-bond networks.Ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy, including two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) and vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopies, is a powerful tool to examine picosecond interfacial dynamics. Two-dimensional IR spectroscopy provides a bond-centered view of dynamics with subpicosecond time resolutions, as vibrational frequencies are highly sensitive to the local environment. Recently, 2D IR spectroscopy has been applied to carbonyl and phosphate vibrations intrinsically located at the lipid-water interface. Interface-specific VSFG spectroscopy probes the water vibrational modes directly, accessing H-bond strength and water organization at lipid headgroup positions. Signals in VSFG arise from the interfacial dipole contributions, directly probing headgroup ordering and water orientation to provide a structural view of the interface.In this Account we discuss novel applications of ultrafast spectroscopy to lipid membranes, a field that has experienced significant growth over the past decade. In particular, ultrafast experiments now offer a molecular perspective on increasingly complex membranes. The powerful combination of ultrafast, interface-selective spectroscopy and simulations opens up new routes to understanding multicomponent membranes and their function. This Account highlights key prevailing views that have emerged from recent experiments: (1) Water dynamics at the lipid-water interface are slow compared to those of bulk water as a result of disrupted H-bond networks near the headgroups. (2) Peptides, ions, osmolytes, and cosolvents perturb interfacial dynamics, indicating that dynamics at the interface are affected by bulk solvent dynamics and vice versa. (3) The interfacial environment is generally dictated by the headgroup structure and orientation, but hydrophobic interactions within the acyl chains also modulate interfacial dynamics. Ultrafast spectroscopy has been essential to characterizing the biophysical chemistry of the lipid-water interface; however, challenges remain in interpreting congested spectra as well as designing appropriate model systems to capture the complexity of a membrane environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C. Flanagan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, 105 East 24th Street Stop A5300, Austin, Texas 78712-1224, United States
| | - Mason L. Valentine
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, 105 East 24th Street Stop A5300, Austin, Texas 78712-1224, United States
| | - Carlos R. Baiz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, 105 East 24th Street Stop A5300, Austin, Texas 78712-1224, United States
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16
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Baiz CR, Błasiak B, Bredenbeck J, Cho M, Choi JH, Corcelli SA, Dijkstra AG, Feng CJ, Garrett-Roe S, Ge NH, Hanson-Heine MWD, Hirst JD, Jansen TLC, Kwac K, Kubarych KJ, Londergan CH, Maekawa H, Reppert M, Saito S, Roy S, Skinner JL, Stock G, Straub JE, Thielges MC, Tominaga K, Tokmakoff A, Torii H, Wang L, Webb LJ, Zanni MT. Vibrational Spectroscopic Map, Vibrational Spectroscopy, and Intermolecular Interaction. Chem Rev 2020; 120:7152-7218. [PMID: 32598850 PMCID: PMC7710120 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Vibrational spectroscopy is an essential tool in chemical analyses, biological assays, and studies of functional materials. Over the past decade, various coherent nonlinear vibrational spectroscopic techniques have been developed and enabled researchers to study time-correlations of the fluctuating frequencies that are directly related to solute-solvent dynamics, dynamical changes in molecular conformations and local electrostatic environments, chemical and biochemical reactions, protein structural dynamics and functions, characteristic processes of functional materials, and so on. In order to gain incisive and quantitative information on the local electrostatic environment, molecular conformation, protein structure and interprotein contacts, ligand binding kinetics, and electric and optical properties of functional materials, a variety of vibrational probes have been developed and site-specifically incorporated into molecular, biological, and material systems for time-resolved vibrational spectroscopic investigation. However, still, an all-encompassing theory that describes the vibrational solvatochromism, electrochromism, and dynamic fluctuation of vibrational frequencies has not been completely established mainly due to the intrinsic complexity of intermolecular interactions in condensed phases. In particular, the amount of data obtained from the linear and nonlinear vibrational spectroscopic experiments has been rapidly increasing, but the lack of a quantitative method to interpret these measurements has been one major obstacle in broadening the applications of these methods. Among various theoretical models, one of the most successful approaches is a semiempirical model generally referred to as the vibrational spectroscopic map that is based on a rigorous theory of intermolecular interactions. Recently, genetic algorithm, neural network, and machine learning approaches have been applied to the development of vibrational solvatochromism theory. In this review, we provide comprehensive descriptions of the theoretical foundation and various examples showing its extraordinary successes in the interpretations of experimental observations. In addition, a brief introduction to a newly created repository Web site (http://frequencymap.org) for vibrational spectroscopic maps is presented. We anticipate that a combination of the vibrational frequency map approach and state-of-the-art multidimensional vibrational spectroscopy will be one of the most fruitful ways to study the structure and dynamics of chemical, biological, and functional molecular systems in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos R. Baiz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, U.S.A
| | - Bartosz Błasiak
- Department of Physical and Quantum Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jens Bredenbeck
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Str. 1, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Minhaeng Cho
- Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Ho Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Steven A. Corcelli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, U.S.A
| | - Arend G. Dijkstra
- School of Chemistry and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K
| | - Chi-Jui Feng
- Department of Chemistry, James Franck Institute and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, U.S.A
| | - Sean Garrett-Roe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, U.S.A
| | - Nien-Hui Ge
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, U.S.A
| | - Magnus W. D. Hanson-Heine
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, U.K
| | - Jonathan D. Hirst
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, U.K
| | - Thomas L. C. Jansen
- University of Groningen, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kijeong Kwac
- Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Kevin J. Kubarych
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, U.S.A
| | - Casey H. Londergan
- Department of Chemistry, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania 19041, U.S.A
| | - Hiroaki Maekawa
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, U.S.A
| | - Mike Reppert
- Chemical Physics Theory Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Shinji Saito
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Molecular Science, Institute for Molecular Science, Myodaiji, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Santanu Roy
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6110, U.S.A
| | - James L. Skinner
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, U.S.A
| | - Gerhard Stock
- Biomolecular Dynamics, Institute of Physics, Albert Ludwigs University, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - John E. Straub
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A
| | - Megan C. Thielges
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 East Kirkwood, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, U.S.A
| | - Keisuke Tominaga
- Molecular Photoscience Research Center, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-0013, Japan
| | - Andrei Tokmakoff
- Department of Chemistry, James Franck Institute and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, U.S.A
| | - Hajime Torii
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, and Department of Optoelectronics and Nanostructure Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-Ku, Hamamatsu 432-8561, Japan
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, 174 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, U.S.A
| | - Lauren J. Webb
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, 105 E. 24th Street, STOP A5300, Austin, Texas 78712, U.S.A
| | - Martin T. Zanni
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1396, U.S.A
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17
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Schmidt-Engler JM, Zangl R, Guldan P, Morgner N, Bredenbeck J. Exploring the 2D-IR repertoire of the -SCN label to study site-resolved dynamics and solvation in the calcium sensor protein calmodulin. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:5463-5475. [PMID: 32096510 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp06808b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The calcium sensor protein calmodulin is ubiquitous among eukaryotes. It translates intracellular Ca2+ influx (by a decrease of conformational flexibility) into increased target recognition affinity. Here we demonstrate that by using the IR reporter -SCN in combination with 2D-IR spectroscopy, global structure changes and local dynamics, degree of solvent exposure and protein-ligand interaction can be characterised in great detail. The long vibrational lifetime of the -SCN label allows for centerline slope analysis of the 2D-IR line shape up to 120 ps to deduce the frequency-frequency correlation function (FFCF) of the -SCN label in various states and label positions in the protein. Based on that we show clear differences between a solvent exposed site, the environment close to the Ca2+ binding motif and three highly conserved positions for ligand binding. Furthermore, we demonstrate how these dynamics are affected by conformational change induced by the addition of Ca2+ ions and by interaction with a short helical peptide mimicking protein binding. We show that the binding mode is strongly heterogeneous among the probed key binding methionine residues. SCN's vibrational relaxation is dominated by intermolecular contributions. Changes in the vibrational lifetime upon changing between H2O and D2O buffer therefore provide a robust measure for water accessibility of the label. Characterising -SCN's extinction coefficient, vibrational lifetime in light and heavy water and its FFCF we demonstrate the vast potential it has as a label especially for nonlinear spectroscopies, such as 2D-IR spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian M Schmidt-Engler
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Str. 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Rene Zangl
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Patrick Guldan
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Str. 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Nina Morgner
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jens Bredenbeck
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Str. 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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18
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Chalyavi F, Adeyiga O, Weiner JM, Monzy JN, Schmitz AJ, Nguyen JK, Fenlon EE, Brewer SH, Odoh SO, Tucker MJ. 2D-IR studies of cyanamides (NCN) as spectroscopic reporters of dynamics in biomolecules: Uncovering the origin of mysterious peaks. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:074201. [PMID: 32087671 PMCID: PMC7028433 DOI: 10.1063/1.5138654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanamides (NCN) have been shown to have a larger transition dipole strength than cyano-probes. In addition, they have similar structural characteristics and vibrational lifetimes to the azido-group, suggesting their utility as infrared (IR) spectroscopic reporters for structural dynamics in biomolecules. To access the efficacy of NCN as an IR probe to capture the changes in the local environment, several model systems were evaluated via 2D IR spectroscopy. Previous work by Cho [G. Lee, D. Kossowska, J. Lim, S. Kim, H. Han, K. Kwak, and M. Cho, J. Phys. Chem. B 122(14), 4035-4044 (2018)] showed that phenylalanine analogues containing NCN show strong anharmonic coupling that can complicate the interpretation of structural dynamics. However, when NCN is embedded in 5-membered ring scaffolds, as in N-cyanomaleimide and N-cyanosuccinimide, a unique band structure is observed in the 2D IR spectrum that is not predicted by simple anharmonic frequency calculations. Further investigation indicated that electron delocalization plays a role in the origins of the band structure. In particular, the origin of the lower frequency transitions is likely a result of direct interaction with the solvent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Chalyavi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - Olajumoke Adeyiga
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - Julia M. Weiner
- Department of Chemistry, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17604-3003, USA
| | - Judith N. Monzy
- Department of Chemistry, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17604-3003, USA
| | - Andrew J. Schmitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - Justin K. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - Edward E. Fenlon
- Department of Chemistry, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17604-3003, USA
| | - Scott H. Brewer
- Department of Chemistry, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17604-3003, USA
| | - Samuel O. Odoh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - Matthew J. Tucker
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
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19
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Lin B, Zhang H, Zheng Q. How do mutations affect the structural characteristics and substrate binding of CYP21A2? An investigation by molecular dynamics simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:8870-8877. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cp00763c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
CYP21A2 mutations affect the activity of the protein leading to CAH disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baihui Lin
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130023
| | - Hongxing Zhang
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130023
| | - Qingchuan Zheng
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano-Micro Architecture Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130023
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20
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Kübel J, Lee G, Ooi SA, Westenhoff S, Han H, Cho M, Maj M. Ultrafast Chemical Exchange Dynamics of Hydrogen Bonds Observed via Isonitrile Infrared Sensors: Implications for Biomolecular Studies. J Phys Chem Lett 2019; 10:7878-7883. [PMID: 31794222 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b03144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Local probes are indispensable to study protein structure and dynamics with site-specificity. The isonitrile functional group is a highly sensitive and H-bonding interaction-specific probe. Isonitriles exhibit large spectral shifts and transition dipole moment changes upon H-bonding while being weakly affected by solvent polarity. These unique properties allow a clear separation of distinct subpopulations of interacting species and an elucidation of their ultrafast dynamics with two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopy. Here, we apply 2D-IR to quantify the picosecond chemical exchange dynamics of solute-solvent complexes forming between isonitrile-derivatized alanine and fluorinated ethanol, where the degree of fluorination controls their H-bond-donating ability. We show that the molecules undergo faster exchange in the presence of more acidic H-bond donors, indicating that the exchange process is primarily dependent on the nature of solvent-solvent interactions. We foresee isonitrile as a highly promising probe for studying of H-bonds dynamics in the active site of enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Kübel
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Gothenburg , 40530 Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Giseong Lee
- Department of Chemistry , Korea University , Seoul 02841 , South Korea
| | - Saik Ann Ooi
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Gothenburg , 40530 Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Sebastian Westenhoff
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Gothenburg , 40530 Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Hogyu Han
- Department of Chemistry , Korea University , Seoul 02841 , South Korea
| | - Minhaeng Cho
- Department of Chemistry , Korea University , Seoul 02841 , South Korea
- Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics , Institute for Basic Science , Seoul 02841 , South Korea
| | - Michał Maj
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Gothenburg , 40530 Gothenburg , Sweden
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21
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Schmidt-Engler JM, Blankenburg L, Błasiak B, van Wilderen LJGW, Cho M, Bredenbeck J. Vibrational Lifetime of the SCN Protein Label in H 2O and D 2O Reports Site-Specific Solvation and Structure Changes During PYP's Photocycle. Anal Chem 2019; 92:1024-1032. [PMID: 31769286 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b03997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The application of vibrational labels such as thiocyanate (-S-C≡N) for studying protein structure and dynamics is thriving. Absorption spectroscopy is usually employed to obtain wavenumber and line shape of the label. An observable of great significance might be the vibrational lifetime, which can be obtained by pump probe or 2D-IR spectroscopy. Due to the insulating effect of the heavy sulfur atom in the case of the SCN label, the lifetime of the C≡N oscillator is expected to be particularly sensitive to its surrounding as it is not dominated by through-bond relaxation. We therefore investigate the vibrational lifetime of the SCN label at various positions in the blue light sensor protein Photoactive Yellow Protein (PYP) in the ground state and signaling state of the photoreceptor. We find that the vibrational lifetime of the C≡N stretching mode is strongly affected both by its protein environment and by the degree of exposure to the solvent. Even for label positions where the line shape and wavenumber observed by FTIR are barely changing upon activation of the photoreceptor, we find that the lifetime can change considerably. To obtain an unambiguous measure for the solvent exposure of the labeled site, we show that it is imperative to compare the lifetimes in H2O and D2O. Importantly, the lifetimes shorten in H2O as compared to D2O for water exposed labels, while they stay largely the same for buried labels. We quantify this effect by defining a solvent exclusion coefficient (SEC). The response of the label's vibrational lifetime to its solvent exposure renders it a suitable universal probe for protein investigations. This applies even to systems that are otherwise hard to address, such as transient or short-lived states, which could be created during a protein's working cycle (as here in PYP) or during protein folding. It is also applicable to flexible systems (intrinsically disordered proteins), protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian M Schmidt-Engler
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University , Institute of Biophysics , Max-von-Laue-Straße 1 , 60438 Frankfurt am Main , Germany
| | - Larissa Blankenburg
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University , Institute of Biophysics , Max-von-Laue-Straße 1 , 60438 Frankfurt am Main , Germany
| | - Bartosz Błasiak
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University , Institute of Biophysics , Max-von-Laue-Straße 1 , 60438 Frankfurt am Main , Germany
| | - Luuk J G W van Wilderen
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University , Institute of Biophysics , Max-von-Laue-Straße 1 , 60438 Frankfurt am Main , Germany
| | - Minhaeng Cho
- Institute of Basic Science , Center of Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics , 145 Anam-ro , Seongbuk-gu , Seoul 02841 , Republic of Korea.,Korea University , Department of Chemistry , 145 Anam-ro , Seongbuk-gu , Seoul 02841 , Republic of Korea
| | - Jens Bredenbeck
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University , Institute of Biophysics , Max-von-Laue-Straße 1 , 60438 Frankfurt am Main , Germany
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22
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Bukowski GS, Horness RE, Thielges MC. Involvement of Local, Rapid Conformational Dynamics in Binding of Flexible Recognition Motifs. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:8387-8396. [PMID: 31535866 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b07036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Flexible protein sequences populate ensembles of rapidly interconverting states differentiated by small-scale fluctuations; however, elucidating whether and how the ensembles determine function experimentally is challenged by the combined high spatial and temporal resolution needed to capture the states. We used carbon-deuterium (C-D) bond vibrations incorporated as infrared probes to characterize with residue-specific detail the heterogeneity of states adopted by proline-rich (PR) sequences and assess their involvement in recognition of Src homology 3 domains. The C-D absorption envelopes provided evidence for two or three sub-populations at all proline residues. The changes in the subpopulations induced by binding generally reflected recognition by conformational selection but depended on the residue and the state of the ligand to illuminate distinct mechanisms among the PR ligands. Notably, the spectral data indicate that greater adaptability among the states is associated with reduced recognition specificity and that perturbation to the ensemble populations contributes to differences in binding entropy. Broadly, the study quantifies rapidly interconverting ensembles with residue-specific detail and implicates them in function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory S Bukowski
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University, Bloomington , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Rachel E Horness
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University, Bloomington , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Megan C Thielges
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University, Bloomington , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
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23
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Ramos S, Thielges MC. Site-Specific 1D and 2D IR Spectroscopy to Characterize the Conformations and Dynamics of Protein Molecular Recognition. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:3551-3566. [PMID: 30848912 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b00969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Proteins exist as ensembles of interconverting states on a complex energy landscape. A complete, molecular-level understanding of their function requires knowledge of the populated states and thus the experimental tools to characterize them. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy has an inherently fast time scale that can capture all states and their dynamics with, in principle, bond-specific spatial resolution, and 2D IR methods that provide richer information are becoming more routine. Although application of IR spectroscopy for investigation of proteins is challenged by spectral congestion, the issue can be overcome by site-specific introduction of amino acid side chains that have IR probe groups with frequency-resolved absorptions, which furthermore enables selective characterization of different locations in proteins. Here, we briefly introduce the biophysical methods and summarize the current progress toward the study of proteins. We then describe our efforts to apply site-specific 1D and 2D IR spectroscopy toward elucidation of protein conformations and dynamics to investigate their involvement in protein molecular recognition, in particular mediated by dynamic complexes: plastocyanin and its binding partner cytochrome f, cytochrome P450s and substrates or redox partners, and Src homology 3 domains and proline-rich peptide motifs. We highlight the advantages of frequency-resolved probes to characterize specific, local sites in proteins and uncover variation among different locations, as well as the advantage of the fast time scale of IR spectroscopy to detect rapidly interconverting states. In addition, we illustrate the greater insight provided by 2D methods and discuss potential routes for further advancement of the field of biomolecular 2D IR spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sashary Ramos
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Megan C Thielges
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
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24
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Ramos S, Le Sueur AL, Horness RE, Specker JT, Collins JA, Thibodeau KE, Thielges MC. Heterogeneous and Highly Dynamic Interface in Plastocyanin-Cytochrome f Complex Revealed by Site-Specific 2D-IR Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:2114-2122. [PMID: 30742428 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b12157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Transient protein complexes are crucial for sustaining dynamic cellular processes. The complexes of electron-transfer proteins are a notable example, such as those formed by plastocyanin (Pc) and cytochrome f (cyt f) in the photosynthetic apparatus. The dynamic and heterogeneous nature of these complexes, however, makes their study challenging. To better elucidate the complex of Nostoc Pc and cyt f, 2D-IR spectroscopy coupled to site-specific labeling with cyanophenylalanine infrared (IR) probes was employed to characterize how the local environments at sites along the surface of Pc were impacted by cyt f binding. The results indicate that Pc most substantially engages with cyt f via the hydrophobic patch around the copper redox site. Complexation with cyt f led to an increase in inhomogeneous broadening of the probe absorptions, reflective of increased heterogeneity of interactions with their environment. Notably, most of the underlying states interconverted very rapidly (1 to 2 ps), suggesting a complex with a highly mobile interface. The data support a model of the complex consisting of a large population of an encounter complex. Additionally, the study demonstrates the application of 2D-IR spectroscopy with site-specifically introduced probes to reveal new quantitative insight about dynamic biochemical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sashary Ramos
- Indiana University , Department of Chemistry , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Amanda L Le Sueur
- Indiana University , Department of Chemistry , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Rachel E Horness
- Indiana University , Department of Chemistry , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Jonathan T Specker
- Indiana University , Department of Chemistry , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Jessica A Collins
- Indiana University , Department of Chemistry , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Katherine E Thibodeau
- Indiana University , Department of Chemistry , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Megan C Thielges
- Indiana University , Department of Chemistry , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
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