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Travis CR, Kean KM, Albanese KI, Henriksen HC, Treacy JW, Chao EY, Houk KN, Waters ML. Trimethyllysine Reader Proteins Exhibit Widespread Charge-Agnostic Binding via Different Mechanisms to Cationic and Neutral Ligands. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:3086-3093. [PMID: 38266163 PMCID: PMC11140585 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10031] [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] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
In the last 40 years, cation-π interactions have become part of the lexicon of noncovalent forces that drive protein binding. Indeed, tetraalkylammoniums are universally bound by aromatic cages in proteins, suggesting that cation-π interactions are a privileged mechanism for binding these ligands. A prominent example is the recognition of histone trimethyllysine (Kme3) by the conserved aromatic cage of reader proteins, dictating gene expression. However, two proteins have recently been suggested as possible exceptions to the conventional understanding of tetraalkylammonium recognition. To broadly interrogate the role of cation-π interactions in protein binding interactions, we report the first large-scale comparative evaluation of reader proteins for a neutral Kme3 isostere, experimental and computational mechanistic studies, and structural analysis. We find unexpected widespread binding of readers to a neutral isostere with the first examples of readers that bind the neutral isostere more tightly than Kme3. We find that no single factor dictates the charge selectivity, demonstrating the challenge of predicting such interactions. Further, readers that bind both cationic and neutral ligands differ in mechanism: binding Kme3 via cation-π interactions and the neutral isostere through the hydrophobic effect in the same aromatic cage. This discovery explains apparently contradictory results in previous studies, challenges traditional understanding of molecular recognition of tetraalkylammoniums by aromatic cages in myriad protein-ligand interactions, and establishes a new framework for selective inhibitor design by exploiting differences in charge dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R. Travis
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kelsey M. Kean
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Katherine I. Albanese
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hanne C. Henriksen
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Joseph W. Treacy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - Elaine Y. Chao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - K. N. Houk
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - Marcey L. Waters
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Coleman OD, Macdonald J, Thomson B, Ward JA, Stubbs CJ, McAllister TE, Clark S, Amin S, Cao Y, Abboud MI, Zhang Y, Sanganee H, Huber KVM, Claridge TDW, Kawamura A. Cyclic peptides target the aromatic cage of a PHD-finger reader domain to modulate epigenetic protein function. Chem Sci 2023; 14:7136-7146. [PMID: 37416723 PMCID: PMC10321576 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc05944d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant homeodomain fingers (PHD-fingers) are a family of reader domains that can recruit epigenetic proteins to specific histone modification sites. Many PHD-fingers recognise methylated lysines on histone tails and play crucial roles in transcriptional regulation, with their dysregulation linked to various human diseases. Despite their biological importance, chemical inhibitors for targeting PHD-fingers are very limited. Here we report a potent and selective de novo cyclic peptide inhibitor (OC9) targeting the Nε-trimethyllysine-binding PHD-fingers of the KDM7 histone demethylases, developed using mRNA display. OC9 disrupts PHD-finger interaction with histone H3K4me3 by engaging the Nε-methyllysine-binding aromatic cage through a valine, revealing a new non-lysine recognition motif for the PHD-fingers that does not require cation-π interaction. PHD-finger inhibition by OC9 impacted JmjC-domain mediated demethylase activity at H3K9me2, leading to inhibition of KDM7B (PHF8) but stimulation of KDM7A (KIAA1718), representing a new approach for selective allosteric modulation of demethylase activity. Chemoproteomic analysis showed selective engagement of OC9 with KDM7s in T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma SUP T1 cells. Our results highlight the utility of mRNA-display derived cyclic peptides for targeting challenging epigenetic reader proteins to probe their biology, and the broader potential of this approach for targeting protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver D Coleman
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences - Chemistry, Newcastle University Newcastle NE1 7RU UK
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford Roosevelt Drive Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7BN UK
| | - Jessica Macdonald
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Ben Thomson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Jennifer A Ward
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
| | - Christopher J Stubbs
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge CB4 0WG UK
| | - Tom E McAllister
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences - Chemistry, Newcastle University Newcastle NE1 7RU UK
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford Roosevelt Drive Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7BN UK
| | - Shane Clark
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Siddique Amin
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences - Chemistry, Newcastle University Newcastle NE1 7RU UK
| | - Yimang Cao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Martine I Abboud
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Yijia Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Hitesh Sanganee
- Emerging Innovations Unit, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge UK
| | - Kilian V M Huber
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
| | - Tim D W Claridge
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Akane Kawamura
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences - Chemistry, Newcastle University Newcastle NE1 7RU UK
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford Roosevelt Drive Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7BN UK
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3
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Liu H, Shi C, Wang S, Zhang L, Zhao J, Yang M, Chen C, Song Y, Ling Z. Clay nanoflakes and organic molecules synergistically promoting CO2 hydrate formation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 641:812-819. [PMID: 36966570 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.03.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction is an urgent challenge worldwide due to the dramatically increased CO2 concentration and concomitant environmental problems. Geological CO2 storage in gas hydrate in marine sediment is a promising and attractive way to mitigate CO2 emissions owning to its huge storage capability and safety. However, the sluggish kinetics and unclear enhancing mechanisms of CO2 hydrate formation limit the practical application of hydrate-based CO2 storage technologies. Here, we used vermiculite nanoflakes (VMNs) and methionine (Met) to investigate the synergistic promotion of natural clay surface and organic matter on CO2 hydrate formation kinetics. Induction time and t90 in VMNs dispersion with Met were shorter by one to two orders of magnitude than Met solution and VMNs dispersion. Besides, CO2 hydrate formation kinetics showed significant concentration-dependence on both Met and VMNs. The side chains of Met can promote CO2 hydrate formation by inducing water molecules to form a clathrate-like structure. However, when Met concentration exceeded 3.0 mg/mL, the critical amount of ammonium ions from dissociated Met distorted the ordered structure of water molecules, inhibiting CO2 hydrate formation. Negatively charged VMNs can attenuate this inhibition by adsorbing ammonium ions in VMNs dispersion. This work sheds light on the formation mechanism of CO2 hydrate in the presence of clay and organic matter which are the indispensable constituents of marine sediments, also contributes to the practical application of hydrate-based CO2 storage technologies.
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Kojasoy V, Tantillo DJ. Impacts of noncovalent interactions involving sulfur atoms on protein stability, structure, folding, and bioactivity. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 21:11-23. [PMID: 36345987 DOI: 10.1039/d2ob01602h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This review discusses the various types of noncovalent interactions in which sulfur atoms participate and their effects on protein stability, structure, folding and bioactivity. Current approaches and recommendations for modelling these noncovalent interactions (in terms of both geometries and interaction energies) are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volga Kojasoy
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Dean J Tantillo
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Maas MN, Hintzen JCJ, Mecinović J. Probing lysine posttranslational modifications by unnatural amino acids. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:7216-7231. [PMID: 35678513 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc00708h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Posttranslational modifications, typically small chemical tags attached on amino acids following protein biosynthesis, have a profound effect on protein structure and function. Numerous chemically and structurally diverse posttranslational modifications, including methylation, acetylation, hydroxylation, and ubiquitination, have been identified and characterised on lysine residues in proteins. In this feature article, we focus on chemical tools that rely on the site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into peptides and proteins to probe posttranslational modifications of lysine. We highlight that simple amino acid mimics enable detailed mechanistic and functional assignment of enzymes that install and remove such modifications, and proteins that specifically recognise lysine posttranslational modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marijn N Maas
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark.
| | - Jordi C J Hintzen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark.
| | - Jasmin Mecinović
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark.
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