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Heier JL, Boselli DJ, Parker LL. Antibody-free time-resolved terbium luminescence assays designed for cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5). BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.24.590988. [PMID: 38712268 PMCID: PMC11071522 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.24.590988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Novel time-resolved terbium luminescence assays were developed for CDK5 and CDK2 by designing synthetic substrates which incorporate phospho-inducible terbium sensitizing motifs with kinase substrate consensus sequences. Substrates designed for CDK5 showed no phosphorylation by CDK2, opening the possibility for CDK5-specific assay development for selective drug discovery.
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2
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Ertelt M, Mulligan VK, Maguire JB, Lyskov S, Moretti R, Schiffner T, Meiler J, Schoeder CT. Combining machine learning with structure-based protein design to predict and engineer post-translational modifications of proteins. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1011939. [PMID: 38484014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011939] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins play a vital role in their function and stability. These modifications influence protein folding, signaling, protein-protein interactions, enzyme activity, binding affinity, aggregation, degradation, and much more. To date, over 400 types of PTMs have been described, representing chemical diversity well beyond the genetically encoded amino acids. Such modifications pose a challenge to the successful design of proteins, but also represent a major opportunity to diversify the protein engineering toolbox. To this end, we first trained artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict eighteen of the most abundant PTMs, including protein glycosylation, phosphorylation, methylation, and deamidation. In a second step, these models were implemented inside the computational protein modeling suite Rosetta, which allows flexible combination with existing protocols to model the modified sites and understand their impact on protein stability as well as function. Lastly, we developed a new design protocol that either maximizes or minimizes the predicted probability of a particular site being modified. We find that this combination of ANN prediction and structure-based design can enable the modification of existing, as well as the introduction of novel, PTMs. The potential applications of our work include, but are not limited to, glycan masking of epitopes, strengthening protein-protein interactions through phosphorylation, as well as protecting proteins from deamidation liabilities. These applications are especially important for the design of new protein therapeutics where PTMs can drastically change the therapeutic properties of a protein. Our work adds novel tools to Rosetta's protein engineering toolbox that allow for the rational design of PTMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Ertelt
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence ScaDS.AI, Dresden/Leipzig, Germany
| | - Vikram Khipple Mulligan
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Jack B Maguire
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Sergey Lyskov
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Rocco Moretti
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Torben Schiffner
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jens Meiler
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence ScaDS.AI, Dresden/Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Clara T Schoeder
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence ScaDS.AI, Dresden/Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Xie HC, Wang ZG, Feng YH, Wang JX, Liu L, Yang XL, Li JF, Feng GW. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells repress renal transplant immune rejection by facilitating the APRIL phosphorylation to induce regulation B cell production. Physiol Genomics 2023; 55:90-100. [PMID: 36645668 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00103.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) exert pivotal roles in suppressing immune rejection in organ transplantation. However, the function of BMSCs on immune rejection in renal transplantation remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect and underlying mechanism of BMSCs on immune rejection in renal transplantation. Following the establishment of the renal allograft mouse model, the isolated primary BMSCs were injected intravenously into the recipient mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and Western blot assays were conducted to investigate BMSCs' function in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, the underlying mechanism of BMSCs on immune rejection in renal transplantation was investigated in in vivo and in vitro models. Functionally, BMSCs alleviated the immune rejection in renal transplantation mice and facilitated B cell activation and the production of IL-10+ regulatory B cells (Bregs). Furthermore, the results of mechanism studies revealed that BMSCs induced the production of IL-10+ Bregs by facilitating a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) phosphorylation to enhance immunosuppression and repressed renal transplant rejection by promoting APRIL phosphorylation to induce IL-10+ Bregs. BMSCs prevent renal transplant rejection by facilitating APRIL phosphorylation to induce IL-10+ Bregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Chang Xie
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Wang
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yong-Hua Feng
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jun-Xiang Wang
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xian-Lei Yang
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jin-Feng Li
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Gui-Wen Feng
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Widstrom NE, Perez M, Pratt ED, Heier JL, Blankenhorn JF, Breidenbach L, Peterson H, Parker LL. Novel Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) Substrates for Time-Resolved Luminescence Assays. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:1328-1333. [PMID: 35653784 PMCID: PMC10041687 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a well-documented target for cancer therapeutics due to its role in B-cell signaling pathways. However, inhibitor design is hindered by lack of tools to assess kinase activity. We used in vitro phosphoproteomics to determine BTK's substrate preferences and applied this information to our updated data processing pipeline, KINATEST-ID 2.1.0. This pipeline generates a position-specific scoring matrix for BTK and a list of candidate synthetic substrates, each given a score. Characterization of selected synthetic substrates demonstrated a correlation between KINATEST-ID 2.1.0 score and biochemical performance in in vitro kinase assays. Additionally, by incorporating a known terbium-chelation motif, we adapted synthetic substrates for use in an antibody-free time-resolved terbium luminescence assay. This assay has applications in high-throughput inhibitor screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi E Widstrom
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 420 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Minervo Perez
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 420 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Erica D Pratt
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 420 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Jason L Heier
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 420 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - John F Blankenhorn
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 420 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Lindsay Breidenbach
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 420 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Hannah Peterson
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 420 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Laurie L Parker
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, 420 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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De novo design of a reversible phosphorylation-dependent switch for membrane targeting. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1472. [PMID: 33674566 PMCID: PMC7935970 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21622-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Modules that switch protein-protein interactions on and off are essential to develop synthetic biology; for example, to construct orthogonal signaling pathways, to control artificial protein structures dynamically, and for protein localization in cells or protocells. In nature, the E. coli MinCDE system couples nucleotide-dependent switching of MinD dimerization to membrane targeting to trigger spatiotemporal pattern formation. Here we present a de novo peptide-based molecular switch that toggles reversibly between monomer and dimer in response to phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. In combination with other modules, we construct fusion proteins that couple switching to lipid-membrane targeting by: (i) tethering a ‘cargo’ molecule reversibly to a permanent membrane ‘anchor’; and (ii) creating a ‘membrane-avidity switch’ that mimics the MinD system but operates by reversible phosphorylation. These minimal, de novo molecular switches have potential applications for introducing dynamic processes into designed and engineered proteins to augment functions in living cells and add functionality to protocells. The ability to dynamically control protein-protein interactions and localization of proteins is critical in synthetic biological systems. Here the authors develop a peptide-based molecular switch that regulates dimer formation and lipid membrane targeting via reversible phosphorylation.
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Winter DL, Iranmanesh H, Clark DS, Glover DJ. Design of Tunable Protein Interfaces Controlled by Post-Translational Modifications. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:2132-2143. [PMID: 32702241 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The design of protein interaction interfaces is a cornerstone of synthetic biology, where they can be used to promote the association of protein subunits into active molecular complexes or into protein nanostructures. In nature, protein interactions can be modulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs) that modify the protein interfaces with the addition and removal of various chemical groups. PTMs thus represent a means to gain control over protein interactions, yet they have seldom been considered in the design of synthetic proteins. Here, we explore the potential of a reversible PTM, serine phosphorylation, to modulate the interactions between peptides. We designed a series of interacting peptide pairs, including heterodimeric coiled coils, that contained one or more protein kinase A (PKA) recognition motifs. Our set of peptide pairs comprised interactions ranging from nanomolar to micromolar affinities. Mass spectrometry analyses showed that all peptides were excellent phosphorylation substrates of PKA, and subsequent phosphate removal could be catalyzed by lambda protein phosphatase. Binding kinetics measurements performed before and after treatment of the peptides with PKA revealed that phosphorylation of the target serines affected both the association and dissociation rates of the interacting peptides. We observed both the strengthening of interactions (up to an 11-fold decrease in Kd) and the weakening of interactions (up to a 180-fold increase in Kd). De novo-designed PTM-modulated interfaces will be useful to control the association of proteins in biological systems using protein-modifying enzymes, expanding the paradigm of self-assembly to encompass controlled assembly of engineerable protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L. Winter
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Hasti Iranmanesh
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Douglas S. Clark
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Dominic J. Glover
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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Urmey AR, Zondlo NJ. Cysteine oxidation to the sulfinic acid induces oxoform-specific lanthanide binding and fluorescence in a designed peptide. Free Radic Biol Med 2020; 152:166-174. [PMID: 32097680 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Cysteine sulfinic acid (Cys-SO2-) is a protein post-translational modification that is formed reversibly under oxidative conditions. A short, encodable peptide was developed whose metal binding and terbium luminescence are dependent on cysteine (Cys) oxidation to the sulfinic acid. The protein design is based on the modification of a key metal-binding aspartate (Asp) in a canonical EF-Hand motif (DKDADGWISPAEAK) to Cys. In this design, Cys in the thiol oxidation state does not mimic the native Asp, and thus the peptide binds terbium(III) (Tb3+) poorly and exhibits weak terbium luminescence (fluorescence). In contrast, when Cys is oxidized to the Cys sulfinic acid oxoform, the Cys sulfinate effectively mimics Asp, resulting in a significant increase in terbium affinity and luminescence. Asp residues at positions 1, 3, and 5 of the EF-Hand motif were examined as potential sites for Cys oxidation-responsive metal binding. The peptide with Cys at residue 1 exhibited the highest Tb3+ affinity in both oxidation states. The peptide with Cys at residue 3 exhibited a 4.2-fold distinction in affinity between the oxidation states. Most significantly, the peptide with Cys at residue 5 had only modest Tb3+ affinity as the Cys thiol, but exhibited a 30-fold increase in Tb3+ affinity and an 18-fold increase in Tb3+ luminescence on Cys oxidation to the sulfinic acid. This peptide (Ac-DKDACGWISPAEAK-NH2) exhibited selective Tb3+ binding via Cys-SO2- over the thiol, S-glutathionyl, S-nitrosyl, and sulfonic acid oxoforms, indicating substantially greater Lewis basicity of the sulfinate than the sulfonate. NMR spectroscopy and quantum homology modeling indicated that the designed peptide binds metal with an overall geometry similar to that of an EF-Hand motif, with the Cys sulfinate effectively replacing Asp as a metal-binding ligand. This peptide was applied to detect Cys oxidation to the sulfinic acid by fluorescence spectroscopy, suggesting its broader application in understanding Cys sulfinic acid biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Urmey
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, United States
| | - Neal J Zondlo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, United States.
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Rao RN, Chanda K. An assessment study of known pyrazolopyrimidines: Chemical methodology and cellular activity. Bioorg Chem 2020; 99:103801. [PMID: 32278206 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.103801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen atom play a key role in the normal life cycle of a cell. Pyrazolopyrimidine is a privileged class of nitrogen containing fused heterocyclic compound contributing to a major portion of all lead molecules in medicinal chemistry. The thumbprint of pyrazolopyrimidine as a pharmacophore is always noticeable due to its analogy with the adenine base in DNA. Pyrazolopyrimidines are divided into five types [I, II, III, IV, V] based on the mechanism of action on the specific target conferring a wide scope of research which has accelerated the interest of researchers to investigate its biological profile. In 1956, the anti-cancer activity of pyrazolopyrimidine was evaluated for the first time with appreciable results. Since then, medicinal chemists centered their work on various methods of synthesis and evaluating the biological profile of pyrazolopyrimidine isomers. This report consists of novel methodologies followed to synthesize pyrazolopyrimidine isomers along with a note on their biological significance. To the best of our knowledge, this review article will be first of its kind to encompass different synthetic procedures along with anti-cancer, kinase inhibition, phosphodiesterase inhibition and receptor blocking activity of pyrazolopyrimidine moieties. IC50 values of potent compounds are added wherever necessary to understand the suitability of pyrazolopyrimidine skeletons for a specific biological activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Nishanth Rao
- Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, India
| | - Kaushik Chanda
- Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, India
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9
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Urmey AR, Zondlo NJ. Design of a Protein Motif Responsive to Tyrosine Nitration and an Encoded Turn-Off Sensor of Tyrosine Nitration. Biochemistry 2019; 58:2822-2833. [PMID: 31140788 PMCID: PMC6688601 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Tyrosine nitration is a protein post-translational modification that is predominantly non-enzymatic and is observed to be increased under conditions of nitrosative stress and in numerous disease states. A small protein motif (14-18 amino acids) responsive to tyrosine nitration has been developed. In this design, nitrotyrosine replaced the conserved Glu12 of an EF-hand metal-binding motif. Thus, the non-nitrated peptide bound terbium weakly. In contrast, tyrosine nitration resulted in a 45-fold increase in terbium affinity. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated direct binding of nitrotyrosine to the metal and EF-hand-like metal contacts in this designed peptide. Nitrotyrosine is an efficient quencher of fluorescence. To develop a sensor of tyrosine nitration, the initial design was modified to incorporate Glu residues at EF-hand positions 9 and 16 as additional metal-binding residues, to increase the terbium affinity of the peptide with unmodified tyrosine. This peptide with a tyrosine at residue 12 bound terbium and effectively sensitized terbium luminescence. Tyrosine nitration resulted in a 180-fold increase in terbium affinity ( Kd = 1.6 μM) and quenching of terbium luminescence. This sequence was incorporated as an encoded protein tag and applied as a turn-off fluorescent protein sensor of tyrosine nitration. The sensor was responsive to nitration by peroxynitrite, with fluorescence quenched upon nitration. The greater terbium affinity upon tyrosine nitration resulted in a large dynamic range and sensitivity to substoichiometric nitration. An improved approach for the synthesis of peptides containing nitrotyrosine was also developed, via the in situ silyl protection of nitrotyrosine. This work represents the first designed, encodable protein motif that is responsive to tyrosine nitration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R. Urmey
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Neal J. Zondlo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
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