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Yang CT, Chu LK. Protein dynamics of human serum albumin at hypothermic temperatures investigated by temperature jump. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:11079-11085. [PMID: 35471209 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp00220e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant protein in human plasma. Most protein dynamics studies of HSA have been performed above the hyperthermia temperature (>42 °C), so information on the dynamics under hypothermic conditions (<35 °C) is lacking. In this work, a tryptophan-based fluorescence temperature jump system was employed to investigate the thermally-induced dynamic process of HSA at a physiological concentration of ca. 45 mg mL-1 and pH = ca. 7 upon an instantaneous temperature increase from 25 °C to 30-43 °C. The observed kinetics manifested a three-state consecutive feature, . Upon analysis with the Arrhenius model, the rate coefficients k1 and k2 manifested piecewise temperature dependence, and the turning-point temperature was found to be ca. 34 °C, coinciding with the upper bound of hypothermic temperature. Meanwhile, the corresponding activation energies of the transitions at 34-43 °C were lower than those at 30-34 °C, suggesting that protein conformational adjustments at 34-43 °C were more feasible than those at hypothermic temperatures. These observations provided a fresh viewpoint on the relationship between the energetics of protein dynamics and the apparent functioning of a given protein at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Tsun Yang
- Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan.
| | - Li-Kang Chu
- Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan.
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2
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Hache F, Changenet P. Multiscale conformational dynamics probed by time-resolved circular dichroism from seconds to picoseconds. Chirality 2021; 33:747-757. [PMID: 34523161 DOI: 10.1002/chir.23359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Time-resolved circular dichroism has been developed for a few decades to investigate rapid conformational changes in (bio)molecules. In our group, we have come up with several experimental set-ups allowing us to study pico-nanosecond local phenomena in molecular systems as well as much slower effects occurring in proteins and DNA in the folding processes. After an overview of the worldwide realizations in this domain, we present emblematic experiments that we have carried out, spanning time domain from picoseconds to seconds.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Hache
- Optics and Biosciences Laboratory, CNRS, INSERM, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Pascale Changenet
- Optics and Biosciences Laboratory, CNRS, INSERM, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
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3
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Laouer K, Schmid M, Wien F, Changenet P, Hache F. Folding Dynamics of DNA G-Quadruplexes Probed by Millisecond Temperature Jump Circular Dichroism. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:8088-8098. [PMID: 34279936 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes play important roles in cellular regulatory functions, but despite significant experimental and theoretical efforts, their folding mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this context, we developed a T-jump experiment to access the thermal denaturation and renaturation dynamics of short intramolecular G-quadruplexes in vitro, on the time scale of a few hundred milliseconds. With this new setup, we compared the thermal denaturation and renaturation kinetics of three antiparallel topologies made of the human telomeric sequences d[(5'-GGG(TTAGGG)3-3']/Na+ and d[5'-AGGG(TTAGGG)3-3']/Na+ and the thrombin-binding aptamer sequence d[5'-GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG-3']/K+, with those of the parallel topology made of the human CEB25 minisatellite d[5'-AAGGGTGGGTGTAAGTGTGGGTGGGT-3']/Na+. In all cases, exponential kinetics of the order of several hundred milliseconds were observed. Measurements performed for different initial temperatures revealed distinct denaturation and renaturation dynamics, ruling out a simple two-state mechanism. The parallel topology, in which all guanines adopt an anti conformation, displays much slower dynamics than antiparallel topologies associated with very low activation barriers. This behavior can be explained by the constrained conformational space due to the presence of the single-base propeller loops that likely hinders the movement of the coiled DNA strand and reduces the contribution of the entropy during the renaturation process at high temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Laouer
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS -INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91128 Cedex Palaiseau, France
| | - M Schmid
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS -INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91128 Cedex Palaiseau, France
| | - F Wien
- L'orme des merisiers, Synchrotron SOLEIL, 91192 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - P Changenet
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS -INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91128 Cedex Palaiseau, France
| | - F Hache
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS -INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91128 Cedex Palaiseau, France
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4
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Pal S, Banerjee S, Prabhakaran EN. Helix-Coil Transition at a Glycine Following a Nascent α-Helix: A Synergetic Guidance Mechanism for Helix Growth. J Phys Chem A 2020; 124:7478-7490. [PMID: 32877193 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.0c05489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A detailed understanding of forces guiding the rapid folding of a polypeptide from an apparently random coil state to an ordered α-helical structure following the rate-limiting preorganization of the initial three residue backbones into helical conformation is imperative to comprehending and regulating protein folding and for the rational design of biological mimetics. However, several details of this process are still unknown. First, although the helix-coil transition was proposed to originate at the residue level (J. Chem. Phys. 1959, 31, 526-535; J. Chem. Phys. 1961, 34, 1963-1974), all helix-folding studies have only established it between time-averaged bulk states of a long-lived helix and several transiently populated random coils, along the whole helix model sequence. Second, the predominant thermodynamic forces driving either this two-state transition or the faster helix growth following helix nucleation are still unclear. Third, the conformational space of the random coil state is not well-defined unlike its corresponding α-helix. Here we investigate the restrictions placed on the conformational space of a Gly residue backbone, as a result of it immediately succeeding a nascent α-helical turn. Analyses of the temperature-dependent 1D-, 2D-NMR, FT-IR, and CD spectra and GROMACS MD simulation trajectory of a Gly residue backbone following a model α-helical turn, which is artificially rigidified by a covalent hydrogen bond surrogate, reveal that: (i) the α-helical turn guides the ϕ torsion of the Gly exclusively into either a predominantly populated entropically favored α-helical (α-ϕ) state or a scarcely populated random coil (RC-ϕ) state; (ii) the α-ϕ state of Gly in turn favors the stability of the preceding α-helical turn, while the RC-ϕ state disrupts it, revealing an entropy-driven synergetic guidance for helix growth in the residue following helix nucleation. The applicability of a current synergetic guidance mechanism to explain rapid helix growth in folded and unfolded states of proteins and helical peptides is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunit Pal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka-560012, India
| | - Shreya Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka-560012, India
| | - Erode N Prabhakaran
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka-560012, India
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5
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Abstract
We present an atomistic force field for the azo-moiety of the photoswitchable FK-11-X peptide. We use the parameters to study the unfolding of the peptide through molecular dynamics simulations. The unfolded ensemble contains many different structures, ranging from a partially unfolded peptide to a fully unfolded structure. The averaged computed far-ultraviolet circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of the set of structures, which was simulated using the newly developed force field, agrees well with experiment. The rate of the simulated unfolding process was estimated to have a time constant of 5.80 ± 0.03 ns from the time evolution of the CD spectrum of the peptide, computed from the backbone conformations sampled over 40 simulated trajectories. Our estimated time constant is faster than, but not inconsistent with, previous experimental estimates from time-resolved infrared and optical rotatory dispersion spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois Auvray
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan D Hirst
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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6
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Minnes L, Greetham GM, Shaw DJ, Clark IP, Fritzsch R, Towrie M, Parker AW, Henry AJ, Taylor RJ, Hunt NT. Uncovering the Early Stages of Domain Melting in Calmodulin with Ultrafast Temperature-Jump Infrared Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:8733-8739. [PMID: 31557034 PMCID: PMC7007250 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b08870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
![]()
The signaling protein
calmodulin (CaM) undergoes a well-known change
in secondary structure upon binding Ca2+, but the structural
plasticity of the Ca2+-free apo state
is linked to CaM functionality. Variable temperature studies of apo-CaM indicate two structural transitions at 46 and 58
°C that are assigned to melting of the C- and N-terminal domains,
respectively, but the molecular mechanism of domain unfolding is unknown.
We report temperature-jump time-resolved infrared (IR) spectroscopy
experiments designed to target the first steps in the C-terminal domain
melting transition of human apo-CaM. A comparison
of the nonequilibrium relaxation of apo-CaM with
the more thermodynamically stable holo-CaM, with
4 equiv of Ca2+ bound, shows that domain melting of apo-CaM begins on microsecond time scales with α-helix
destabilization. These observations enable the assignment of previously
reported dynamics of CaM on hundreds of microsecond time scales to
thermally activated melting, producing a complete mechanism for thermal
unfolding of CaM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Minnes
- Department of Physics, SUPA , University of Strathclyde , Glasgow G4 0NG , United Kingdom
| | - Gregory M Greetham
- STFC Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell , Rutherford Appleton Laboratory , Harwell Campus , Didcot OX11 0QX , United Kingdom
| | | | - Ian P Clark
- STFC Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell , Rutherford Appleton Laboratory , Harwell Campus , Didcot OX11 0QX , United Kingdom
| | - Robby Fritzsch
- Department of Physics, SUPA , University of Strathclyde , Glasgow G4 0NG , United Kingdom
| | - Michael Towrie
- STFC Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell , Rutherford Appleton Laboratory , Harwell Campus , Didcot OX11 0QX , United Kingdom
| | - Anthony W Parker
- STFC Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell , Rutherford Appleton Laboratory , Harwell Campus , Didcot OX11 0QX , United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Neil T Hunt
- Department of Chemistry and York Biomedical Research Institute , University of York , Heslington, York YO10 5DD , United Kingdom
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8
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Clarke DT. Circular dichroism in protein folding studies. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN PROTEIN SCIENCE 2012; Chapter 28:28.3.1-28.3.17. [PMID: 23151746 DOI: 10.1002/0471140864.ps2803s70] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Protein folding is a biological process of both fundamental significance and practical importance, and protein misfolding is implicated in a number of serious diseases of both humans and animals. The study of protein folding requires a technique that is able to monitor changes in protein structure in solution, with millisecond time resolution. Ultraviolet circular dichroism (CD) is such a technique, providing information on both secondary and tertiary protein structure. This unit describes the procedures for performing CD experiments for the study of protein folding, and identifies commonly encountered problems and their solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Clarke
- Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
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9
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Mendonça L, Hache F. Nanosecond T-jump experiment in poly(glutamic acid): a circular dichroism study. Int J Mol Sci 2012; 13:2239-2248. [PMID: 22408450 PMCID: PMC3292019 DOI: 10.3390/ijms13022239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2012] [Revised: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 02/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly(glutamic acid) has been studied with a nanosecond T-jump experiment. A new experimental set-up based on the frequency-quadrupling of an 82 MHz Titanium-Sapphire laser allows rapid CD measurements to be performed. Combining time-resolved absorption and circular dichroism at 204 and 220 nm, we are able to measure precisely the unfolding relaxation time as well as the helical fraction evolution. We show that only CD at 220 nm is relevant to observe the unfolding of an alpha helix whereas no change is observed for CD at 204 nm. Conversely, both absorptions yield information on the dynamics of the process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - François Hache
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +33-169-33-50-39; Fax: +33-169-33-50-84
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10
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Serrano AL, Waegele MM, Gai F. Spectroscopic studies of protein folding: linear and nonlinear methods. Protein Sci 2012; 21:157-70. [PMID: 22109973 PMCID: PMC3324760 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2011] [Accepted: 11/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Although protein folding is a simple outcome of the underlying thermodynamics, arriving at a quantitative and predictive understanding of how proteins fold nevertheless poses huge challenges. Therefore, both advanced experimental and computational methods are continuously being developed and refined to probe and reveal the atomistic details of protein folding dynamics and mechanisms. Herein, we provide a concise review of recent developments in spectroscopic studies of protein folding, with a focus on new triggering and probing methods. In particular, we describe several laser-based techniques for triggering protein folding/unfolding on the picosecond and/or nanosecond timescales and various linear and nonlinear spectroscopic techniques for interrogating protein conformations, conformational transitions, and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaldo L Serrano
- Department of Chemistry, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Matthias M Waegele
- Department of Chemistry, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Feng Gai
- Department of Chemistry, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
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