1
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Hekmat A, Kostova I, Saboury AA. Application of metallic nanoparticles-amyloid protein supramolecular materials in tissue engineering and drug delivery: Recent progress and perspectives. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2024; 244:114185. [PMID: 39226848 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.114185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 08/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Supramolecular medicine refers to the formulation of therapeutic and diagnostic agents through supramolecular techniques, amid treating, diagnosing, and preventing disease. Recently, there has been growing interest in developing metal nanoparticles (MNPs)-amyloid hybrid materials, which have the potential to revolutionize medical applications. Furthermore, the development of MNPs-amyloid hydrogel/scaffold supramolecules represents a promising new direction in amyloid nanotechnology, with potential applications in tissue engineering and biomedicine. This review first provides a brief introduction to the formation process of protein amyloid aggregates and their unique nanostructures. Subsequently, we focused on recent investigations into the use of MNPs-amyloid hybrid materials in tissue engineering and biomedicine. We anticipate that MNPs-amyloid supramolecular materials will pave the way for new functional materials in medical science, particularly in the field of tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Hekmat
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Irena Kostova
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ali Akbar Saboury
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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2
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Chibh S, Singh A, Finkelstein-Zuta G, Koren G, Sorkin R, Beck R, Rencus-Lazar S, Gazit E. Amylum forms typical self-assembled amyloid fibrils. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadp6471. [PMID: 39213351 PMCID: PMC11364109 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp6471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid fibril formation is a central biochemical process in pathology and physiology. Over decades, substantial advances were made in elucidating the mechanisms of amyloidogenesis, its links to disease, and the production of functional supramolecular structures. While the term "amyloid" denotes starch-like features of these assemblies, no evidence of amyloidogenic behavior of polysaccharides has been so far reported. Here, we investigate the potential of amylum (starch) not only to self-assemble into hierarchical fibrillar structures but also to exhibit canonical amyloidogenic properties. Ordered amylum structures were formed through a sigmoidal growth process with characteristic amyloid features including typical nanofibril morphology, binding to indicative dyes, inherent luminescence, apple-green birefringence upon Congo red staining, and notable mechanical rigidity. These findings shed light on polysaccharide self-assembly and expand the generic amyloid phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonika Chibh
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ashmeet Singh
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Gal Finkelstein-Zuta
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Gil Koren
- The Raymond & Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and the Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Raya Sorkin
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Center of Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Roy Beck
- The Raymond & Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and the Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Sigal Rencus-Lazar
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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3
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Hu L, Zhou S, Zhang X, Shi C, Zhang Y, Chen X. Self-Assembly of Polymers and Their Applications in the Fields of Biomedicine and Materials. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:2097. [PMID: 39125124 PMCID: PMC11314328 DOI: 10.3390/polym16152097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Polymer self-assembly can prepare various shapes and sizes of pores, making it widely used. The complexity and diversity of biomolecules make them a unique class of building blocks for precise assembly. They are particularly suitable for the new generation of biomaterials integrated with life systems as they possess inherent characteristics such as accurate identification, self-organization, and adaptability. Therefore, many excellent methods developed have led to various practical results. At the same time, the development of advanced science and technology has also expanded the application scope of self-assembly of synthetic polymers. By utilizing this technology, materials with unique shapes and properties can be prepared and applied in the field of tissue engineering. Nanomaterials with transparent and conductive properties can be prepared and applied in fields such as electronic displays and smart glass. Multi-dimensional, controllable, and multi-level self-assembly between nanostructures has been achieved through quantitative control of polymer dosage and combination, chemical modification, and composite methods. Here, we list the classic applications of natural- and artificially synthesized polymer self-assembly in the fields of biomedicine and materials, introduce the cutting-edge technologies involved in these applications, and discuss in-depth the advantages, disadvantages, and future development directions of each type of polymer self-assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xiaoyi Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, China; (L.H.); (S.Z.); (X.Z.); (C.S.); (Y.Z.)
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4
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Heath SG, Gray SG, Hamzah EM, O'Connor KM, Bozonet SM, Botha AD, de Cordovez P, Magon NJ, Naughton JD, Goldsmith DLW, Schwartfeger AJ, Sunde M, Buell AK, Morris VK, Göbl C. Amyloid formation and depolymerization of tumor suppressor p16 INK4a are regulated by a thiol-dependent redox mechanism. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5535. [PMID: 38951545 PMCID: PMC11217399 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49581-7] [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: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The conversion of a soluble protein into polymeric amyloid structures is a process that is poorly understood. Here, we describe a fully redox-regulated amyloid system in which cysteine oxidation of the tumor suppressor protein p16INK4a leads to rapid amyloid formation. We identify a partially-structured disulfide-bonded dimeric intermediate species that subsequently assembles into fibrils. The stable amyloid structures disassemble when the disulfide bond is reduced. p16INK4a is frequently mutated in cancers and is considered highly vulnerable to single-point mutations. We find that multiple cancer-related mutations show increased amyloid formation propensity whereas mutations stabilizing the fold prevent transition into amyloid. The complex transition into amyloids and their structural stability is therefore strictly governed by redox reactions and a single regulatory disulfide bond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah G Heath
- Mātai Hāora - Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Shelby G Gray
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Emilie M Hamzah
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Karina M O'Connor
- Mātai Hāora - Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Stephanie M Bozonet
- Mātai Hāora - Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Alex D Botha
- Mātai Hāora - Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Pierre de Cordovez
- Mātai Hāora - Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Nicholas J Magon
- Mātai Hāora - Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Jennifer D Naughton
- Mātai Hāora - Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Dylan L W Goldsmith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | | | - Margaret Sunde
- School of Medical Sciences and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alexander K Buell
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Vanessa K Morris
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
| | - Christoph Göbl
- Mātai Hāora - Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
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5
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Behbahanipour M, Navarro S, Bárcenas O, Garcia-Pardo J, Ventura S. Bioengineered self-assembled nanofibrils for high-affinity SARS-CoV-2 capture and neutralization. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 674:753-765. [PMID: 38955007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.06.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spurred intense research efforts to develop new materials with antiviral activity. In this study, we genetically engineered amyloid-based nanofibrils for capturing and neutralizing SARS-CoV-2. Building upon the amyloid properties of a short Sup35 yeast prion sequence, we fused it to SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) capturing proteins, LCB1 and LCB3. By tuning the reaction conditions, we achieved the spontaneous self-assembly of the Sup35-LCB1 fusion protein into a highly homogeneous and well-dispersed amyloid-like fibrillar material. These nanofibrils exhibited high affinity for the SARS-CoV-2 RBD, effectively inhibiting its interaction with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, the primary entry point for the virus into host cells. We further demonstrate that this functional nanomaterial entraps and neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles (VLPs), with a potency comparable to that of therapeutic antibodies. As a proof of concept, we successfully fabricated patterned surfaces that selectively capture SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein on wet environments. Collectively, these findings suggest that these protein-only nanofibrils hold promise as disinfecting coatings endowed with selective SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing properties to combat viral spread or in the development of sensitive viral sampling and diagnostic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molood Behbahanipour
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Oriol Bárcenas
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Javier Garcia-Pardo
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
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6
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Mishra R, Gerlach GJ, Sahoo B, Camacho CJ, Wetzel R. A Targetable Self-association Surface of the Huntingtin exon1 Helical Tetramer Required for Assembly of Amyloid Pre-nucleation Oligomers. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168607. [PMID: 38734203 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) sequences undergo repeat-length dependent formation of disease-associated, amyloid-like cross-β core structures with kinetics and aggregate morphologies often influenced by the flanking sequences. In Huntington's disease (HD), the httNT segment on the polyQ's N-terminal flank enhances aggregation rates by changing amyloid nucleation from a classical homogeneous mechanism to a two-step process requiring an ɑ-helix-rich oligomeric intermediate. A folded, helix-rich httNT tetrameric structure suggested to be this critical intermediate was recently reported. Here we employ single alanine replacements along the httNT sequence to assess this proposed structure and refine the mechanistic model. We find that Ala replacement of hydrophobic residues within simple httNT peptides greatly suppresses helicity, supporting the tetramer model. These same helix-disruptive replacements in the httNT segment of an exon-1 analog greatly reduce aggregation kinetics, suggesting that an ɑ-helix rich multimer - either the tetramer or a larger multimer - plays an on-pathway role in nucleation. Surprisingly, several other Ala replacements actually enhance helicity and/or amyloid aggregation. The spatial localization of these residues on the tetramer surface suggests a self-association interface responsible for formation of the octomers and higher-order multimers most likely required for polyQ amyloid nucleation. Multimer docking of the tetramer, using the protein-protein docking algorithm ClusPro, predicts this symmetric surface to be a viable tetramer dimerization interface. Intriguingly, octomer formation brings the emerging polyQ chains into closer proximity at this tetramer-tetramer interface. Further supporting the potential importance of tetramer super-assembly, computational docking with a known exon-1 aggregation inhibitor predicts ligand contacts with residues at this interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Mishra
- Department Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Gabriella J Gerlach
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Bankanidhi Sahoo
- Department Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Carlos J Camacho
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Ronald Wetzel
- Department Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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7
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Kaur G, Mankoo OK, Kaur A, Goyal D, Goyal B. Insights into the baicalein-induced destabilization of LS-shaped Aβ 42 protofibrils using computer simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:16674-16686. [PMID: 38809059 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06006c] [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: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides aggregate spontaneously into various aggregating species comprising oligomers, protofibrils, and mature fibrils in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Disrupting β-sheet rich neurotoxic smaller soluble Aβ42 oligomers formed at early stages is considered a potent strategy to interfere with AD pathology. Previous experiments have demonstrated the inhibition of the early stages of Aβ aggregation by baicalein; however, the molecular mechanism behind inhibition remains largely unknown. Thus, in this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been employed to illuminate the molecular mechanism of baicalein-induced destabilization of preformed Aβ42 protofibrils. Baicalein binds to chain A of the Aβ42 protofibril through hydrogen bonds, π-π interactions, and hydrophobic contacts with the central hydrophobic core (CHC) residues of the Aβ42 protofibril. The binding of baicalein to the CHC region of the Aβ42 protofibril resulted in the elongation of the kink angle and disruption of K28-A42 salt bridges, which resulted in the distortion of the protofibril structure. Importantly, the β-sheet content was notably reduced in Aβ42 protofibrils upon incorporation of baicalein with a concomitant increase in the coil content, which is consistent with ThT fluorescence and AFM images depicting disaggregation of pre-existing Aβ42 fibrils on the incorporation of baicalein. Remarkably, the interchain binding affinity in Aβ42 protofibrils was notably reduced in the presence of baicalein leading to distortion in the overall structure, which agrees with the structural stability analyses and conformational snapshots. This work sheds light on the molecular mechanism of baicalein in disrupting the Aβ42 protofibril structure, which will be beneficial to the design of therapeutic candidates against disrupting β-sheet rich neurotoxic Aβ42 oligomers in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gagandeep Kaur
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Opinder Kaur Mankoo
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Anupamjeet Kaur
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| | - Deepti Goyal
- Department of Chemistry, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh-160011, India.
| | - Bhupesh Goyal
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala-147004, Punjab, India.
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8
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Nabi Afjadi M, Aziziyan F, Farzam F, Dabirmanesh B. Biotechnological applications of amyloid fibrils. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 206:435-472. [PMID: 38811087 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Protein aggregates and amyloid fibrils have special qualities and are used in a variety of biotechnological applications. They are extensively employed in bioremediation, biomaterials, and biocatalysis. Because of their capacity to encapsulate and release pharmaceuticals and their sensitivity to certain molecules, respectively, they are also used in drug delivery and biosensor applications. They have also demonstrated potential in the domains of food and bioremediation. Additionally, amyloid peptides have drawn interest in biological applications, especially in the investigation of illnesses like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. The unique characteristics of amyloid fibrils, namely their mechanical strength and β-sheet structure, make them adaptable to a wide range of biotechnological uses. Even with their promise, one important factor to keep in mind before widely using modified amyloid materials is their potential toxicity. Thus, current research aims to overcome safety concerns while maximizing their potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Nabi Afjadi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Aziziyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farnoosh Farzam
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Dabirmanesh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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9
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Nandi A, Zhang A, Arad E, Jelinek R, Warshel A. Assessing the Catalytic Role of Native Glucagon Amyloid Fibrils. ACS Catal 2024; 14:4656-4664. [PMID: 39070231 PMCID: PMC11270920 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.4c00452] [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: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Glucagon stands out as a pivotal peptide hormone, instrumental in controlling blood glucose levels and lipid metabolism. While the formation of glucagon amyloid fibrils has been documented, their biological functions remain enigmatic. Recently, we demonstrated experimentally that glucagon amyloid fibrils can act as catalysts in several biological reactions including esterolysis, lipid hydrolysis, and dephosphorylation. Herein, we present a multiscale quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulation of the acylation step in the esterolysis of para-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA), catalyzed by native glucagon amyloid fibrils, serving as a model system to elucidate their catalytic function. This step entails a concerted mechanism, involving proton transfer from serine to histidine, followed by the nucleophilic attack of the serine oxy anion on the carbonyl carbon of p-NPA. We computed the binding energy and free-energy profiles of this reaction using the protein-dipole Langevin-dipole (PDLD) within the linear response approximation (LRA) framework (PDLD/S-LRA-2000) and the empirical valence bond (EVB) methods. This included simulations of the reaction in an aqueous environment and in the fibril, enabling us to estimate the catalytic effect of the fibril. Our EVB calculations obtained a barrier of 23.4 kcal mol-1 for the enzyme-catalyzed reaction compared to the experimental value of 21.9 kcal mol-1 (and a calculated catalytic effect of 3.2 kcal mol-1 compared to the observed effect of 4.7 kcal mol-1). This close agreement together with the barrier reduction when transitioning from the reference solution reaction to the amyloid fibril provides supporting evidence to the catalytic role of glucagon amyloid fibrils. Moreover, employing the PDLD/S-LRA-2000 approach further reinforced exclusively the enzyme's catalytic role. The results presented in this study contribute significantly to our understanding of the catalytic role of glucagon amyloid fibrils, marking, to the best of our knowledge, the first-principles mechanistic investigation of fibrils using QM/MM methods. Therefore, our findings offer fruitful insights for future research into the mechanisms of related amyloid catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashim Nandi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1062, United States
| | - Aoxuan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1062, United States
| | - Elad Arad
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Raz Jelinek
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Arieh Warshel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1062, United States
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10
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Solomonov A, Kozell A, Shimanovich U. Designing Multifunctional Biomaterials via Protein Self-Assembly. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318365. [PMID: 38206201 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Protein self-assembly is a fundamental biological process where proteins spontaneously organize into complex and functional structures without external direction. This process is crucial for the formation of various biological functionalities. However, when protein self-assembly fails, it can trigger the development of multiple disorders, thus making understanding this phenomenon extremely important. Up until recently, protein self-assembly has been solely linked either to biological function or malfunction; however, in the past decade or two it has also been found to hold promising potential as an alternative route for fabricating materials for biomedical applications. It is therefore necessary and timely to summarize the key aspects of protein self-assembly: how the protein structure and self-assembly conditions (chemical environments, kinetics, and the physicochemical characteristics of protein complexes) can be utilized to design biomaterials. This minireview focuses on the basic concepts of forming supramolecular structures, and the existing routes for modifications. We then compare the applicability of different approaches, including compartmentalization and self-assembly monitoring. Finally, based on the cutting-edge progress made during the last years, we summarize the current knowledge about tailoring a final function by introducing changes in self-assembly and link it to biomaterials' performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksei Solomonov
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl st., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Anna Kozell
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl st., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Ulyana Shimanovich
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl st., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
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11
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Lindberg M, Axell E, Sparr E, Linse S. A label-free high-throughput protein solubility assay and its application to Aβ40. Biophys Chem 2024; 307:107165. [PMID: 38309218 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
A major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of aggregated amyloid β peptide (Aβ) in the brain. Here we develop a solubility assay for proteins and measure the solubility of Aβ40. In brief, the method utilizes 96-well filter plates to separate monomeric Aβ from aggregated Aβ, and the small species are quantified with the amine reactive dye o-phthalaldehyde (OPA). This procedure ensures that solubility is measured for unlabeled species, and makes the assay high-throughput and inexpensive. We demonstrate that the filter plates successfully separate fibrils from monomer, with negligible monomer adsorption, and that OPA can quantify Aβ peptides in a concentration range from 40 nM to 20 μM. We also show that adding a methionine residue to the N-terminus of Aβ1-40 decreases the solubility by <3-fold. The method will facilitate further solubility studies, and contribute to the understanding of the thermodynamics of amyloid fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Lindberg
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Emil Axell
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Emma Sparr
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sara Linse
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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12
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Duran-Meza E, Araya-Secchi R, Romero-Hasler P, Soto-Bustamante EA, Castro-Fernandez V, Castillo-Caceres C, Monasterio O, Diaz-Espinoza R. Metal Ions Can Modulate the Self-Assembly and Activity of Catalytic Peptide Amyloids. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:6094-6106. [PMID: 38470353 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Rational design of peptides has become a powerful tool to produce self-assembled nanostructures with the ability to catalyze different chemical reactions, paving the way to develop minimalistic enzyme-like nanomaterials. Catalytic amyloid-like assemblies have emerged among the most versatile and active, but they often require additional factors for activity. Elucidating how these factors influence the structure and activity is key for the design. Here, we showed that biologically relevant metal ions can guide and modulate the self-assembly of a small peptide into diverse amyloid architectures. The morphology and catalytic activity of the resulting fibrils were tuned by the specific metal ion decorating the surface, whereas X-ray structural analysis of the amyloids showed ion-dependent shape sizes. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the metals can strongly affect the local conformational space, which can trigger major rearrangements of the fibrils. Our results demonstrate that the conformational landscape of catalytic amyloids is broad and tunable by external factors, which can be critical for future design strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Duran-Meza
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, General Amengual 014, Estación Central, Santiago 9170390, Chile
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - Raul Araya-Secchi
- Computational Biophysics group, Facultad de Ingenieria, Tecnologia y Diseño, Universidad San Sebastian, Bellavista 7, Recoleta, Santiago 8420524, Chile
- Centro Basal Ciencia & Vida, Universidad San Sebastian, Santiago 8420524, Chile
| | - Patricio Romero-Hasler
- Departamento de Ciencia de los Alimentos y Tecnología Química, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Dr. Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Independencia, Santiago 81380494, Chile
| | - Eduardo Arturo Soto-Bustamante
- Departamento de Química Orgánica y Fisicoquímica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Dr. Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Independencia, Santiago 81380494, Chile
| | - Victor Castro-Fernandez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - Claudio Castillo-Caceres
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, General Amengual 014, Estación Central, Santiago 9170390, Chile
| | - Octavio Monasterio
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Diaz-Espinoza
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, General Amengual 014, Estación Central, Santiago 9170390, Chile
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13
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Dec R, Dzwolak W, Winter R. From a Droplet to a Fibril and from a Fibril to a Droplet: Intertwined Transition Pathways in Highly Dynamic Enzyme-Modulated Peptide-Adenosine Triphosphate Systems. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:6045-6052. [PMID: 38394622 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13152] [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: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Many cellular coassemblies of proteins and polynucleotides facilitate liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and the subsequent self-assembly of disease-associated amyloid fibrils within the liquid droplets. Here, we explore the dynamics of coupled phase and conformational transitions of model adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding peptides, ACC1-13Kn, consisting of the potent amyloidogenic fragment of insulin's A-chain (ACC1-13) merged with oligolysine segments of various lengths (Kn, n = 16, 24, 40). The self-assembly of ATP-stabilized amyloid fibrils is preceded by LLPS for peptides with sufficiently long oligolysine segments. The two-component droplets and fibrils are in dynamic equilibria with free ATP and monomeric peptides, which makes them susceptible to ATP-hydrolyzing apyrase and ACC1-13Kn-digesting proteinase K. Both enzymes are capable of rapid disassembly of amyloid fibrils, producing either monomers of the peptide (apyrase) or free ATP released together with cleaved-off oligolysine segments (proteinase K). In the latter case, the enzyme-sequestered Kn segments form subsequent droplets with the co-released ATP, resulting in an unusual fibril-to-droplet transition. In support of the highly dynamic nature of the aggregate-monomer equilibria, addition of superstoichiometric amounts of free peptide to the ACC1-13Kn-ATP coaggregate causes its disassembly. Our results show that the droplet state is not merely an intermediate phase on the pathway to the amyloid aggregate but may also constitute the final phase of a complex amyloidogenic protein misfolding scenario rich in highly degraded protein fragments incompetent to transition again into fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Dec
- Physical Chemistry I-Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Street 4a, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Wojciech Dzwolak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Pasteur Street 1, Warsaw 02-093, Poland
| | - Roland Winter
- Physical Chemistry I-Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Street 4a, Dortmund 44227, Germany
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14
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Meisl G. The thermodynamics of neurodegenerative disease. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2024; 5:011303. [PMID: 38525484 PMCID: PMC10957229 DOI: 10.1063/5.0180899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The formation of protein aggregates in the brain is a central aspect of the pathology of many neurodegenerative diseases. This self-assembly of specific proteins into filamentous aggregates, or fibrils, is a fundamental biophysical process that can easily be reproduced in the test tube. However, it has been difficult to obtain a clear picture of how the biophysical insights thus obtained can be applied to the complex, multi-factorial diseases and what this means for therapeutic strategies. While new, disease-modifying therapies are now emerging, for the most devastating disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, they still fall well short of offering a cure, and few drug design approaches fully exploit the wealth of mechanistic insights that has been obtained in biophysical studies. Here, I attempt to provide a new perspective on the role of protein aggregation in disease, by phrasing the problem in terms of a system that, under constant energy consumption, attempts to maintain a healthy, aggregate-free state against the thermodynamic driving forces that inexorably push it toward pathological aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Meisl
- WaveBreak Therapeutics Ltd., Chemistry of Health, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
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15
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Farzadfard A, Kunka A, Mason TO, Larsen JA, Norrild RK, Dominguez ET, Ray S, Buell AK. Thermodynamic characterization of amyloid polymorphism by microfluidic transient incomplete separation. Chem Sci 2024; 15:2528-2544. [PMID: 38362440 PMCID: PMC10866369 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05371g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils of proteins such as α-synuclein are a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases and much research has focused on their kinetics and mechanisms of formation. The question as to the thermodynamic stability of such structures has received much less attention. Here, we newly utilize the principle of transient incomplete separation of species in laminar flow in combination with chemical depolymerization for the quantification of amyloid fibril stability. The relative concentrations of fibrils and monomer at equilibrium are determined through an in situ separation of these species based on their different diffusivity inside a microfluidic capillary. The method is highly sample economical, using much less than a microliter of sample per data point and its only requirement is the presence of aromatic residues (W, Y) because of its label-free nature, which makes it widely applicable. Using this method, we investigate the differences in thermodynamic stability between different fibril polymorphs of α-synuclein and quantify these differences for the first time. Importantly, we show that fibril formation can be under kinetic or thermodynamic control and that a change in solution conditions can both stabilise and destabilise amyloid fibrils. Taken together, our results establish the thermodynamic stability as a well-defined and key parameter that can contribute towards a better understanding of the physiological roles of amyloid fibril polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azad Farzadfard
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Gustav Wieds Vej 14 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Antonin Kunka
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Thomas Oliver Mason
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Jacob Aunstrup Larsen
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Rasmus Krogh Norrild
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Elisa Torrescasana Dominguez
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Soumik Ray
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Alexander K Buell
- Protein Biophysics Group, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark Søltofts Plads, Building 227, Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
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16
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Hosseini AN, van der Spoel D. Martini on the Rocks: Can a Coarse-Grained Force Field Model Crystals? J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:1079-1088. [PMID: 38261634 PMCID: PMC10839907 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00012] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Computational chemistry is an important tool in numerous scientific disciplines, including drug discovery and structural biology. Coarse-grained models offer simple representations of molecular systems that enable simulations of large-scale systems. Because there has been an increase in the adoption of such models for simulations of biomolecular systems, critical evaluation is warranted. Here, the stability of the amyloid peptide and organic crystals is evaluated using the Martini 3 coarse-grained force field. The crystals change shape drastically during the simulations. Radial distribution functions show that the distance between backbone beads in β-sheets increases by ∼1 Å, breaking the crystals. The melting points of organic compounds are much too low in the Martini force field. This suggests that Martini 3 lacks the specific interactions needed to accurately simulate peptides or organic crystals without imposing artificial restraints. The problems may be exacerbated by the use of the 12-6 potential, suggesting that a softer potential could improve this model for crystal simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Najla Hosseini
- Department of Cell and Molecular
Biology, Uppsala University, Box 596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David van der Spoel
- Department of Cell and Molecular
Biology, Uppsala University, Box 596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
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17
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Galkin M, Priss A, Kyriukha Y, Shvadchak V. Navigating α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibition: Methods, Mechanisms, and Molecular Targets. CHEM REC 2024; 24:e202300282. [PMID: 37919046 DOI: 10.1002/tcr.202300282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a yet incurable, age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the aggregation of small neuronal protein α-synuclein into amyloid fibrils. Inhibition of this process is a prospective strategy for developing a disease-modifying treatment. We overview here small molecule, peptide, and protein inhibitors of α-synuclein fibrillization reported to date. Special attention was paid to the specificity of inhibitors and critical analysis of their action mechanisms. Namely, the importance of oxidation of polyphenols and cross-linking of α-synuclein into inhibitory dimers was highlighted. We also compared strategies of targeting monomeric, oligomeric, and fibrillar α-synuclein species, thoroughly discussed the strong and weak sides of different approaches to testing the inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksym Galkin
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anastasiia Priss
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Yevhenii Kyriukha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
| | - Volodymyr Shvadchak
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
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18
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Aubrey LD, Ninkina N, Ulamec SM, Abramycheva NY, Vasili E, Devine OM, Wilkinson M, Mackinnon E, Limorenko G, Walko M, Muwanga S, Amadio L, Peters OM, Illarioshkin SN, Outeiro TF, Ranson NA, Brockwell DJ, Buchman VL, Radford SE. Substitution of Met-38 to Ile in γ-synuclein found in two patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis induces aggregation into amyloid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309700120. [PMID: 38170745 PMCID: PMC10786281 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309700120] [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: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
α-, β-, and γ-Synuclein are intrinsically disordered proteins implicated in physiological processes in the nervous system of vertebrates. α-synuclein (αSyn) is the amyloidogenic protein associated with Parkinson's disease and certain other neurodegenerative disorders. Intensive research has focused on the mechanisms that cause αSyn to form amyloid structures, identifying its NAC region as being necessary and sufficient for amyloid assembly. Recent work has shown that a 7-residue sequence (P1) is necessary for αSyn amyloid formation. Although γ-synuclein (γSyn) is 55% identical in sequence to αSyn and its pathological deposits are also observed in association with neurodegenerative conditions, γSyn is resilient to amyloid formation in vitro. Here, we report a rare single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the SNCG gene encoding γSyn, found in two patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The SNP results in the substitution of Met38 with Ile in the P1 region of the protein. These individuals also had a second, common and nonpathological, SNP in SNCG resulting in the substitution of Glu110 with Val. In vitro studies demonstrate that the Ile38 variant accelerates amyloid fibril assembly. Contrastingly, Val110 retards fibril assembly and mitigates the effect of Ile38. Substitution of residue 38 with Leu had little effect, while Val retards, and Ala increases the rate of amyloid formation. Ile38 γSyn also results in the formation of γSyn-containing inclusions in cells. The results show how a single point substitution can enhance amyloid formation of γSyn and highlight the P1 region in driving amyloid formation in another synuclein family member.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam D. Aubrey
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Ninkina
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod308015, Russian Federation
| | - Sabine M. Ulamec
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Y. Abramycheva
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Tissue Engineering, Brain Science Institute, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow125367, Russia
| | - Eftychia Vasili
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, LausanneCH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Oliver M. Devine
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Wilkinson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Eilish Mackinnon
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Galina Limorenko
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, LausanneCH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Martin Walko
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Muwanga
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Leonardo Amadio
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Owen M. Peters
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Sergey N. Illarioshkin
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Tissue Engineering, Brain Science Institute, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow125367, Russia
| | - Tiago F. Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen37075, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Goettingen37075, Germany
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon TyneNE2 4HH, United Kingdom
- Scientific employee with a honorary contract at Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Göttingen37075, Germany
| | - Neil A. Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Brockwell
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Vladimir L. Buchman
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CardiffCF10 3AX, United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod308015, Russian Federation
| | - Sheena E. Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, LeedsLS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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19
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Li T, Kambanis J, Sorenson TL, Sunde M, Shen Y. From Fundamental Amyloid Protein Self-Assembly to Development of Bioplastics. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:5-23. [PMID: 38147506 PMCID: PMC10777412 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01129] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Proteins can self-assemble into a range of nanostructures as a result of molecular interactions. Amyloid nanofibrils, as one of them, were first discovered with regard to the relevance of neurodegenerative diseases but now have been exploited as building blocks to generate multiscale materials with designed functions for versatile applications. This review interconnects the mechanism of amyloid fibrillation, the current approaches to synthesizing amyloid protein-based materials, and the application in bioplastic development. We focus on the fundamental structures of self-assembled amyloid fibrils and how external factors can affect protein aggregation to optimize the process. Protein self-assembly is essentially the autonomous congregation of smaller protein units into larger, organized structures. Since the properties of the self-assembly can be manipulated by changing intrinsic factors and external conditions, protein self-assembly serves as an excellent building block for bioplastic development. Building on these principles, general processing methods and pathways from raw protein sources to mature state materials are proposed, providing a guide for the development of large-scale production. Additionally, this review discusses the diverse properties of protein-based amyloid nanofibrils and how they can be utilized as bioplastics. The economic feasibility of the protein bioplastics is also compared to conventional plastics in large-scale production scenarios, supporting their potential as sustainable bioplastics for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchen Li
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, PNR Building, Darlington NSW 2008, Australia
| | - Jordan Kambanis
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, PNR Building, Darlington NSW 2008, Australia
| | - Timothy L. Sorenson
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, PNR Building, Darlington NSW 2008, Australia
| | - Margaret Sunde
- School
of Medical Sciences and Sydney Nano, The
University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Yi Shen
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, PNR Building, Darlington NSW 2008, Australia
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20
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Wilkinson M, Xu Y, Thacker D, Taylor AIP, Fisher DG, Gallardo RU, Radford SE, Ranson NA. Structural evolution of fibril polymorphs during amyloid assembly. Cell 2023; 186:5798-5811.e26. [PMID: 38134875 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.025] [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: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) has provided unprecedented insights into amyloid fibril structures, including those associated with disease. However, these structures represent the endpoints of long assembly processes, and their relationship to fibrils formed early in assembly is unknown. Consequently, whether different fibril architectures, with potentially different pathological properties, form during assembly remains unknown. Here, we used cryo-EM to determine structures of amyloid fibrils at different times during in vitro fibrillation of a disease-related variant of human islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP-S20G). Strikingly, the fibrils formed in the lag, growth, and plateau phases have different structures, with new forms appearing and others disappearing as fibrillation proceeds. A time course with wild-type hIAPP also shows fibrils changing with time, suggesting that this is a general property of IAPP amyloid assembly. The observation of transiently populated fibril structures has implications for understanding amyloid assembly mechanisms with potential new insights into amyloid progression in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Wilkinson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Yong Xu
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Dev Thacker
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Alexander I P Taylor
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Declan G Fisher
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Rodrigo U Gallardo
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Neil A Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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21
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Levkovich SA, Gazit E, Laor Bar-Yosef D. The Metabolostasis Network and the Cellular Depository of Aggregation-Prone Metabolites. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202217622. [PMID: 37266966 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202217622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The vital role of metabolites across all branches of life and their involvement in various disorders have been investigated for decades. Many metabolites are poorly soluble in water or in physiological buffers and tend to form supramolecular aggregates. On the other hand, in the cell, they should be preserved in a pool and be readily available for the execution of biochemical functions. We thus propose that a quality-control network, termed "metabolostasis", has evolved to regulate the storage and retrieval of aggregation-prone metabolites. Such a system should control metabolite concentration, subcellular localization, supramolecular arrangement, and interaction in dynamic environments, thus enabling normal cellular physiology, healthy development, and preventing disease onset. The paradigm-shifting concept of metabolostasis calls for a reevaluation of the traditional view of metabolite storage and dynamics in physiology and pathology and proposes unprecedented directions for therapeutic targets under conditions where metabolostasis is imbalanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shon A Levkovich
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- BLAVATNIK CENTER for Drug Discovery, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Dana Laor Bar-Yosef
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
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22
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Wijker S, Palmans ARA. Protein-Inspired Control over Synthetic Polymer Folding for Structured Functional Nanoparticles in Water. Chempluschem 2023; 88:e202300260. [PMID: 37417828 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202300260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The folding of proteins into functional nanoparticles with defined 3D structures has inspired chemists to create simple synthetic systems mimicking protein properties. The folding of polymers into nanoparticles in water proceeds via different strategies, resulting in the global compaction of the polymer chain. Herein, we review the different methods available to control the conformation of synthetic polymers and collapse/fold them into structured, functional nanoparticles, such as hydrophobic collapse, supramolecular self-assembly, and covalent cross-linking. A comparison is made between the design principles of protein folding to synthetic polymer folding and the formation of structured nanocompartments in water, highlighting similarities and differences in design and function. We also focus on the importance of structure for functional stability and diverse applications in complex media and cellular environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Wijker
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Anja R A Palmans
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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23
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Wales DJ. Energy Landscapes and Heat Capacity Signatures for Monomers and Dimers of Amyloid-Forming Hexapeptides. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10613. [PMID: 37445791 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid formation is a hallmark of various neurodegenerative disorders. In this contribution, energy landscapes are explored for various hexapeptides that are known to form amyloids. Heat capacity (CV) analysis at low temperature for these hexapeptides reveals that the low energy structures contributing to the first heat capacity feature above a threshold temperature exhibit a variety of backbone conformations for amyloid-forming monomers. The corresponding control sequences do not exhibit such structural polymorphism, as diagnosed via end-to-end distance and a dihedral angle defined for the monomer. A similar heat capacity analysis for dimer conformations obtained using basin-hopping global optimisation shows clear features in end-to-end distance versus dihedral correlation plots, where amyloid-forming sequences exhibit a preference for larger end-to-end distances and larger positive dihedrals. These results hold true for sequences taken from tau, amylin, insulin A chain, a de novo designed peptide, and various control sequences. While there is a little overall correlation between the aggregation propensity and the temperature at which the low-temperature CV feature occurs, further analysis suggests that the amyloid-forming sequences exhibit the key CV feature at a lower temperature compared to control sequences derived from the same protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Wales
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
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24
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Paladino A, Vitagliano L, Graziano G. The Action of Chemical Denaturants: From Globular to Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050754. [PMID: 37237566 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Proteins perform their many functions by adopting either a minimal number of strictly similar conformations, the native state, or a vast ensemble of highly flexible conformations. In both cases, their structural features are highly influenced by the chemical environment. Even though a plethora of experimental studies have demonstrated the impact of chemical denaturants on protein structure, the molecular mechanism underlying their action is still debated. In the present review, after a brief recapitulation of the main experimental data on protein denaturants, we survey both classical and more recent interpretations of the molecular basis of their action. In particular, we highlight the differences and similarities of the impact that denaturants have on different structural classes of proteins, i.e., globular, intrinsically disordered (IDP), and amyloid-like assemblies. Particular attention has been given to the IDPs, as recent studies are unraveling their fundamental importance in many physiological processes. The role that computation techniques are expected to play in the near future is illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Paladino
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Graziano
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, via Francesco de Sanctis snc, 82100 Benevento, Italy
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25
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Hosseini AN, van der Spoel D. Simulations of Amyloid-Forming Peptides in the Crystal State. Protein J 2023:10.1007/s10930-023-10119-3. [PMID: 37145206 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-023-10119-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
There still is little treatment available for amyloid diseases, despite their significant impact on individuals and the social and economic implications for society. One reason for this is that the physical nature of amyloid formation is not understood sufficiently well. Therefore, fundamental research at the molecular level remains necessary to support the development of therapeutics. A few structures of short peptides from amyloid-forming proteins have been determined. These can in principle be used as scaffolds for designing aggregation inhibitors. Attempts to this end have often used the tools of computational chemistry, in particular molecular simulation. However, few simulation studies of these peptides in the crystal state have been presented so far. Hence, to validate the capability of common force fields (AMBER19SB, CHARMM36m, and OPLS-AA/M) to yield insight into the dynamics and structural stability of amyloid peptide aggregates, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations of twelve different peptide crystals at two different temperatures. From the simulations, we evaluate the hydrogen bonding patterns, the isotropic B-factors, the change in energy, the Ramachandran plots, and the unit cell parameters and compare the results with the crystal structures. Most crystals are stable in the simulations but for all force fields there is at least one that deviates from the experimental crystal, suggesting more work is needed on these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Najla Hosseini
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Box 596, SE, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David van der Spoel
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Box 596, SE, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden.
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26
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Behbahanipour M, Benoit R, Navarro S, Ventura S. OligoBinders: Bioengineered Soluble Amyloid-like Nanoparticles to Bind and Neutralize SARS-CoV-2. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:11444-11457. [PMID: 36890692 PMCID: PMC9969896 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c18305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become a primary health concern. Molecules that prevent viral entry into host cells by interfering with the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2r) opened a promising avenue for virus neutralization. Here, we aimed to create a novel kind of nanoparticle that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2. To this purpose, we exploited a modular self-assembly strategy to engineer OligoBinders, soluble oligomeric nanoparticles decorated with two miniproteins previously described to bind to the S protein receptor binding domain (RBD) with high affinity. The multivalent nanostructures compete with the RBD-ACE2r interaction and neutralize SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles (SC2-VLPs) with IC50 values in the pM range, preventing SC2-VLPs fusion with the membrane of ACE2r-expressing cells. Moreover, OligoBinders are biocompatible and significantly stable in plasma. Overall, we describe a novel protein-based nanotechnology that might find application in SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molood Behbahanipour
- Institut
de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica
i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma
de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roger Benoit
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Biology, Division of Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut
de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica
i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma
de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut
de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica
i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma
de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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27
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Rosetti B, Marchesan S. Peptide Inhibitors of Insulin Fibrillation: Current and Future Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:1306. [PMID: 36674821 PMCID: PMC9863703 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloidoses include a large variety of local and systemic diseases that share the common feature of protein unfolding or refolding into amyloid fibrils. The most studied amyloids are those directly involved in neurodegenerative diseases, while others, such as those formed by insulin, are surprisingly far less studied. Insulin is a very important polypeptide that plays a variety of biological roles and, first and foremost, is at the basis of the therapy of diabetic patients. It is well-known that it can form fibrils at the site of injection, leading to inflammation and immune response, in addition to other side effects. In this concise review, we analyze the current knowledge on insulin fibrillation, with a focus on the development of peptide-based inhibitors, which are promising candidates for their biocompatibility but still pose challenges to their effective use in therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia Marchesan
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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28
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Understanding the mechanism of amylin aggregation: From identifying crucial segments to tracing dominant sequential events to modeling potential aggregation suppressors. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2023; 1871:140866. [PMID: 36272537 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2022.140866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
One of the most abundant, prevailing, and life-threatening human diseases that are currently baffling the scientific community is type 2 diabetes (T2D). The self-association of human amylin has been implicated in the pathogenesis of T2D, though with an inconclusive understanding of the mechanism. Hence, we focused on the characterization of the conformational ensembles of all the species that are believed to define the structural polymorphism of the aggregation process - the functional monomeric, the initially self-associated oligomeric, and the structured protofibril - by employing near-equilibrium, non-equilibrium, and equilibrium atomistic simulations on the sporadic, two familial variants (S20G and G33R), and their proline-substituted forms (S20P and G33P). The dynamic near-equilibrium assays hint toward - the abundance of helical conformation in the monomeric state, the retainment of the helicity in the initial self-associated oligomeric phase pointing toward the existence of the helix-helix association mechanism, the difference in preference of specific segments to have definite secondary structural features, the phase-dependent variability in the dominance of specific segments and mutation sites, and the simultaneous presence of generic and unique features among various sequences. Furthermore, the non-equilibrium pulling assays exemplify a generic sequential unzipping mechanism of the protofibrils, however, the sequence-dependent uniqueness comes from the difference in location and magnitude of the control of a specific terminus. Importantly, the equilibrium thermodynamic assays efficiently rank order the potential of aggregability among sequences and consequently suggests the probability of designing effective aggregation suppressors against sporadic and familial amylin variants incorporating proline as the mutation.
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Török M. Amyloids in synthetic applications. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21095. [PMID: 36482055 PMCID: PMC9731959 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25499-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Török
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
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30
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Sedov I, Khaibrakhmanova D. Molecular Mechanisms of Inhibition of Protein Amyloid Fibril Formation: Evidence and Perspectives Based on Kinetic Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13428. [PMID: 36362217 PMCID: PMC9657184 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of fibril formation is considered a possible treatment strategy for amyloid-related diseases. Understanding the molecular nature of inhibitor action is crucial for the design of drug candidates. In the present review, we describe the common kinetic models of fibril formation and classify known inhibitors by the mechanism of their interactions with the aggregating protein and its oligomers. This mechanism determines the step or steps of the aggregation process that become inhibited and the observed changes in kinetics and equilibrium of fibril formation. The results of numerous studies indicate that possible approaches to antiamyloid inhibitor discovery include the search for the strong binders of protein monomers, cappers blocking the ends of the growing fibril, or the species absorbing on the surface of oligomers preventing nucleation. Strongly binding inhibitors stabilizing the native state can be promising for the structured proteins while designing the drug candidates targeting disordered proteins is challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Sedov
- Chemical Institute, Kazan Federal University, Kremlevskaya 18, 420008 Kazan, Russia
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 420111 Kazan, Russia
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Ave, 354340 Sochi, Russia
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31
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Diaz-Espinoza R. Catalytically Active Amyloids as Future Bionanomaterials. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:3802. [PMID: 36364578 PMCID: PMC9656882 DOI: 10.3390/nano12213802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Peptides and proteins can aggregate into highly ordered and structured conformations called amyloids. These supramolecular structures generally have convergent features, such as the formation of intermolecular beta sheets, that lead to fibrillary architectures. The resulting fibrils have unique mechanical properties that can be exploited to develop novel nanomaterials. In recent years, sequences of small peptides have been rationally designed to self-assemble into amyloids that catalyze several chemical reactions. These amyloids exhibit reactive surfaces that can mimic the active sites of enzymes. In this review, I provide a state-of-the-art summary of the development of catalytically active amyloids. I will focus especially on catalytic activities mediated by hydrolysis, which are the most studied examples to date, as well as novel types of recently reported activities that promise to expand the possible repertoires. The combination of mechanical properties with catalytic activity in an amyloid scaffold has great potential for the development of future bionanomaterials aimed at specific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Diaz-Espinoza
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago 3363, Chile
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32
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Weiffert T, Meisl G, Curk S, Cukalevski R, Šarić A, Knowles TPJ, Linse S. Influence of denaturants on amyloid β42 aggregation kinetics. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:943355. [PMID: 36203800 PMCID: PMC9531139 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.943355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid formation is linked to devastating neurodegenerative diseases, motivating detailed studies of the mechanisms of amyloid formation. For Aβ, the peptide associated with Alzheimer's disease, the mechanism and rate of aggregation have been established for a range of variants and conditions in vitro and in bodily fluids. A key outstanding question is how the relative stabilities of monomers, fibrils and intermediates affect each step in the fibril formation process. By monitoring the kinetics of aggregation of Aβ42, in the presence of urea or guanidinium hydrochloride (GuHCl), we here determine the rates of the underlying microscopic steps and establish the importance of changes in relative stability induced by the presence of denaturant for each individual step. Denaturants shift the equilibrium towards the unfolded state of each species. We find that a non-ionic denaturant, urea, reduces the overall aggregation rate, and that the effect on nucleation is stronger than the effect on elongation. Urea reduces the rate of secondary nucleation by decreasing the coverage of fibril surfaces and the rate of nucleus formation. It also reduces the rate of primary nucleation, increasing its reaction order. The ionic denaturant, GuHCl, accelerates the aggregation at low denaturant concentrations and decelerates the aggregation at high denaturant concentrations. Below approximately 0.25 M GuHCl, the screening of repulsive electrostatic interactions between peptides by the charged denaturant dominates, leading to an increased aggregation rate. At higher GuHCl concentrations, the electrostatic repulsion is completely screened, and the denaturing effect dominates. The results illustrate how the differential effects of denaturants on stability of monomer, oligomer and fibril translate to differential effects on microscopic steps, with the rate of nucleation being most strongly reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Weiffert
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Georg Meisl
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Samo Curk
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Risto Cukalevski
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anđela Šarić
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Linse
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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33
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Oliveira RJD. Biotinylation Eliminates the Intermediate State of Top7 Designed with an HIV-1 Epitope. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:7331-7342. [PMID: 36121918 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c04969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 are rare with the 2F5 antibody being one of the most protective. Insertion of an antibody epitope into a stable and small protein scaffold overcomes many of the obstacles found to produce antibodies. However, the design leads to grafting of epitopes that may cause protein aggregation. Here, I investigated the 2F5 epitope grafted into the Top7 as the scaffold in which the resulting immunoreactive protein precipitates along the storage time, as opposed to its completely soluble biotinylated version. Molecular dynamics showed that biotinylation eliminates the intermediate state of the scaffold-epitope Top7-2F5 by switching a noncooperative to a cooperative folding. The aggregation propensity of the Top7-designed proteins is examined in light of thermodynamic cooperativity and kinetic traps along the decreasing depth of the intermediate ensemble in the free energy landscape. This protocol may predict stable and soluble scaffold-epitopes with the purpose of composing novel therapeutic and diagnostic platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronaldo Junio de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biofísica Teórica, Departamento de Física, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e Educação, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, MG 38064-200, Brazil
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