1
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Chatterjee H, Mahapatra AJ, Zacharias M, Sengupta N. Helical reorganization in the context of membrane protein folding: Insights from simulations with bacteriorhodopsin (BR) fragments. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2024; 1866:184333. [PMID: 38740122 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2024.184333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Membrane protein folding is distinct from folding of soluble proteins. Conformational acquisition in major membrane protein subclasses can be delineated into insertion and folding processes. An exception to the "two stage" folding, later developed to "three stage" folding, is observed within the last two helices in bacteriorhodopsin (BR), a system that serves as a model membrane protein. We employ a reductionist approach to understand interplay of molecular factors underlying the apparent defiance. Leveraging available solution NMR structures, we construct, sample in silico, and analyze partially (PIn) and fully inserted (FIn) BR membrane states. The membrane lateral C-terminal helix (CH) in PIn is markedly prone to transient structural distortions over microsecond timescales; a disorder prone region (DPR) is thereby identified. While clear transmembrane propensities are not acquired, the distortions induce alterations in local membrane curvature and area per lipid. Importantly, energetic decompositions reveal that overall, the N-terminal helix (NH) is thermodynamically more stable in the PIn. Higher overall stability of the FIn arises from favorable interactions between the NH and the CH. Our results establish lack of spontaneous transition of the PIn to the FIn, and attributes their partitioning to barriers that exceed those accessible with thermal fluctuations. This work paves the way for further detailed studies aimed at determining the thermo-kinetic roles of the initial five helices, or complementary external factors, in complete helical folding and insertion in BR. We comment that complementing such efforts with the growing field of machine learning assisted energy landscape searches may offer unprecedented insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hindol Chatterjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Anshuman J Mahapatra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Martin Zacharias
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies, TUM School of Natural Sciences Technical University Munich, Ernst-Otto-Fischer-Straße 8, 85748 Garching, Germany.
| | - Neelanjana Sengupta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India.
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2
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Xiao P, Drewniak P, Dingwell DA, Brown LS, Ladizhansky V. Probing the energy barriers and stages of membrane protein unfolding using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm7907. [PMID: 38758787 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm7907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how the amino acid sequence dictates protein structure and defines its stability is a fundamental problem in molecular biology. It is especially challenging for membrane proteins that reside in the complex environment of a lipid bilayer. Here, we obtain an atomic-level picture of the thermally induced unfolding of a membrane-embedded α-helical protein, human aquaporin 1, using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our data reveal the hierarchical two-step pathway that begins with unfolding of a structured extracellular loop and proceeds to an intermediate state with a native-like helical packing. In the second step, the transmembrane domain unravels as a single unit, resulting in a heterogeneous misfolded state with high helical content but with nonnative helical packing. Our results show the importance of loops for the kinetic stabilization of the whole membrane protein structure and support the three-stage membrane protein folding model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xiao
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Philip Drewniak
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Dylan Archer Dingwell
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Leonid S Brown
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Vladimir Ladizhansky
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
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3
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Yee SW, Macdonald CB, Mitrovic D, Zhou X, Koleske ML, Yang J, Buitrago Silva D, Rockefeller Grimes P, Trinidad DD, More SS, Kachuri L, Witte JS, Delemotte L, Giacomini KM, Coyote-Maestas W. The full spectrum of SLC22 OCT1 mutations illuminates the bridge between drug transporter biophysics and pharmacogenomics. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1932-1947.e10. [PMID: 38703769 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.04.008] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in transporters can impact an individual's response to drugs and cause many diseases. Few variants in transporters have been evaluated for their functional impact. Here, we combine saturation mutagenesis and multi-phenotypic screening to dissect the impact of 11,213 missense single-amino-acid deletions, and synonymous variants across the 554 residues of OCT1, a key liver xenobiotic transporter. By quantifying in parallel expression and substrate uptake, we find that most variants exert their primary effect on protein abundance, a phenotype not commonly measured alongside function. Using our mutagenesis results combined with structure prediction and molecular dynamic simulations, we develop accurate structure-function models of the entire transport cycle, providing biophysical characterization of all known and possible human OCT1 polymorphisms. This work provides a complete functional map of OCT1 variants along with a framework for integrating functional genomics, biophysical modeling, and human genetics to predict variant effects on disease and drug efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sook Wah Yee
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Christian B Macdonald
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Darko Mitrovic
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 12121 Solna, Stockholm, Stockholm County 114 28, Sweden
| | - Xujia Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Megan L Koleske
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jia Yang
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Dina Buitrago Silva
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Patrick Rockefeller Grimes
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Donovan D Trinidad
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Swati S More
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Linda Kachuri
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - John S Witte
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lucie Delemotte
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 12121 Solna, Stockholm, Stockholm County 114 28, Sweden.
| | - Kathleen M Giacomini
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Willow Coyote-Maestas
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94148, USA.
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4
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Yao J, Hong H. Steric trapping strategy for studying the folding of helical membrane proteins. Methods 2024; 225:1-12. [PMID: 38428472 PMCID: PMC11107808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.02.007] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the folding energy landscape of membrane proteins is essential to the understanding of the proteins' stabilizing forces, folding mechanisms, biogenesis, and quality control. This is not a trivial task because the reversible control of folding is inherently difficult in a lipid bilayer environment. Recently, novel methods have been developed, each of which has a unique strength in investigating specific aspects of membrane protein folding. Among such methods, steric trapping is a versatile strategy allowing a reversible control of membrane protein folding with minimal perturbation of native protein-water and protein-lipid interactions. In a nutshell, steric trapping exploits the coupling of spontaneous denaturation of a doubly biotinylated protein to the simultaneous binding of bulky monovalent streptavidin molecules. This strategy has been evolved to investigate key elements of membrane protein folding such as thermodynamic stability, spontaneous denaturation rates, conformational features of the denatured states, and cooperativity of stabilizing interactions. In this review, we describe the critical methodological advancement, limitation, and outlook of the steric trapping strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Yao
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Heedeok Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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5
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Factors That Control the Force Needed to Unfold a Membrane Protein in Silico Depend on the Mode of Denaturation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032654. [PMID: 36768981 PMCID: PMC9917119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule force spectroscopy methods, such as AFM and magnetic tweezers, have proved extremely beneficial in elucidating folding pathways for soluble and membrane proteins. To identify factors that determine the force rupture levels in force-induced membrane protein unfolding, we applied our near-atomic-level Upside molecular dynamics package to study the vertical and lateral pulling of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) and GlpG, respectively. With our algorithm, we were able to selectively alter the magnitudes of individual interaction terms and identify that, for vertical pulling, hydrogen bond strength had the strongest effect, whereas other non-bonded protein and membrane-protein interactions had only moderate influences, except for the extraction of the last helix where the membrane-protein interactions had a stronger influence. The up-down topology of the transmembrane helices caused helices to be pulled out as pairs. The rate-limiting rupture event often was the loss of H-bonds and the ejection of the first helix, which then propagated tension to the second helix, which rapidly exited the bilayer. The pulling of the charged linkers across the membrane had minimal influence, as did changing the bilayer thickness. For the lateral pulling of GlpG, the rate-limiting rupture corresponded to the separation of the helices within the membrane, with the H-bonds generally being broken only afterward. Beyond providing a detailed picture of the rupture events, our study emphasizes that the pulling mode greatly affects the factors that determine the forces needed to unfold a membrane protein.
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Harris NJ, Pellowe GA, Blackholly LR, Gulaidi-Breen S, Findlay HE, Booth PJ. Methods to study folding of alpha-helical membrane proteins in lipids. Open Biol 2022; 12:220054. [PMID: 35855589 PMCID: PMC9297032 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
How alpha-helical membrane proteins fold correctly in the highly hydrophobic membrane interior is not well understood. Their folding is known to be highly influenced by the lipids within the surrounding bilayer, but the majority of folding studies have focused on detergent-solubilized protein rather than protein in a lipid environment. There are different ways to study folding in lipid bilayers, and each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. This review will discuss folding methods which can be used to study alpha-helical membrane proteins in bicelles, liposomes, nanodiscs or native membranes. These folding methods include in vitro folding methods in liposomes such as denaturant unfolding studies, and single-molecule force spectroscopy studies in bicelles, liposomes and native membranes. This review will also discuss recent advances in co-translational folding studies, which use cell-free expression with liposomes or nanodiscs or are performed in vivo with native membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J. Harris
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London, SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Grant A. Pellowe
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London, SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Laura R. Blackholly
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London, SE1 1DB, UK
| | | | - Heather E. Findlay
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London, SE1 1DB, UK,The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Paula J. Booth
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London, SE1 1DB, UK,The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
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7
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Brady R, Harris NJ, Pellowe GA, Gulaidi Breen S, Booth PJ. How lipids affect the energetics of co-translational alpha helical membrane protein folding. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:555-567. [PMID: 35212365 PMCID: PMC9022994 DOI: 10.1042/bst20201063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Membrane proteins need to fold with precision in order to function correctly, with misfolding potentially leading to disease. The proteins reside within a hydrophobic lipid membrane and must insert into the membrane and fold correctly, generally whilst they are being translated by the ribosome. Favourable and unfavourable free energy contributions are present throughout each stage of insertion and folding. The unfavourable energy cost of transferring peptide bonds into the hydrophobic membrane interior is compensated for by the favourable hydrophobic effect of partitioning a hydrophobic transmembrane alpha-helix into the membrane. Native membranes are composed of many different types of lipids, but how these different lipids influence folding and the associated free energies is not well understood. Altering the lipids in the bilayer is known to affect the probability of transmembrane helix insertion into the membrane, and lipids also affect protein stability and can promote successful folding. This review will summarise the free energy contributions associated with insertion and folding of alpha helical membrane proteins, as well as how lipids can make these processes more or less favourable. We will also discuss the implications of this work for the free energy landscape during the co-translational folding of alpha helical membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Brady
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | - Nicola J. Harris
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | - Grant A. Pellowe
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | - Samuel Gulaidi Breen
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, U.K
| | - Paula J. Booth
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
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8
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Free-energy changes of bacteriorhodopsin point mutants measured by single-molecule force spectroscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2020083118. [PMID: 33753487 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2020083118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Single amino acid mutations provide quantitative insight into the energetics that underlie the dynamics and folding of membrane proteins. Chemical denaturation is the most widely used assay and yields the change in unfolding free energy (ΔΔG). It has been applied to >80 different residues of bacteriorhodopsin (bR), a model membrane protein. However, such experiments have several key limitations: 1) a nonnative lipid environment, 2) a denatured state with significant secondary structure, 3) error introduced by extrapolation to zero denaturant, and 4) the requirement of globally reversible refolding. We overcame these limitations by reversibly unfolding local regions of an individual protein with mechanical force using an atomic-force-microscope assay optimized for 2 μs time resolution and 1 pN force stability. In this assay, bR was unfolded from its native bilayer into a well-defined, stretched state. To measure ΔΔG, we introduced two alanine point mutations into an 8-amino-acid region at the C-terminal end of bR's G helix. For each, we reversibly unfolded and refolded this region hundreds of times while the rest of the protein remained folded. Our single-molecule-derived ΔΔG for mutant L223A (-2.3 ± 0.6 kcal/mol) quantitatively agreed with past chemical denaturation results while our ΔΔG for mutant V217A was 2.2-fold larger (-2.4 ± 0.6 kcal/mol). We attribute the latter result, in part, to contact between Val217 and a natively bound squalene lipid, highlighting the contribution of membrane protein-lipid contacts not present in chemical denaturation assays. More generally, we established a platform for determining ΔΔG for a fully folded membrane protein embedded in its native bilayer.
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9
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Huysmans GHM, Ciftci D, Wang X, Blanchard SC, Boudker O. The high-energy transition state of the glutamate transporter homologue GltPh. EMBO J 2021; 40:e105415. [PMID: 33185289 PMCID: PMC7780239 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane transporters mediate cellular uptake of nutrients, signaling molecules, and drugs. Their overall mechanisms are often well understood, but the structural features setting their rates are mostly unknown. Earlier single-molecule fluorescence imaging of the archaeal model glutamate transporter homologue GltPh from Pyrococcus horikoshii suggested that the slow conformational transition from the outward- to the inward-facing state, when the bound substrate is translocated from the extracellular to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, is rate limiting to transport. Here, we provide insight into the structure of the high-energy transition state of GltPh that limits the rate of the substrate translocation process. Using bioinformatics, we identified GltPh gain-of-function mutations in the flexible helical hairpin domain HP2 and applied linear free energy relationship analysis to infer that the transition state structurally resembles the inward-facing conformation. Based on these analyses, we propose an approach to search for allosteric modulators for transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard H M Huysmans
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, USR 2000CNRSInstitut PasteurParisFrance
| | - Didar Ciftci
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Tri‐Institutional Training Program in Chemical BiologyNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Scott C Blanchard
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Tri‐Institutional Training Program in Chemical BiologyNew YorkNYUSA
- St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalMemphisTNUSA
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Tri‐Institutional Training Program in Chemical BiologyNew YorkNYUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteChevy ChaseMDUSA
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10
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Choi HK, Min D, Kang H, Shon MJ, Rah SH, Kim HC, Jeong H, Choi HJ, Bowie JU, Yoon TY. Watching helical membrane proteins fold reveals a common N-to-C-terminal folding pathway. Science 2020; 366:1150-1156. [PMID: 31780561 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw8208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
To understand membrane protein biogenesis, we need to explore folding within a bilayer context. Here, we describe a single-molecule force microscopy technique that monitors the folding of helical membrane proteins in vesicle and bicelle environments. After completely unfolding the protein at high force, we lower the force to initiate folding while transmembrane helices are aligned in a zigzag manner within the bilayer, thereby imposing minimal constraints on folding. We used the approach to characterize the folding pathways of the Escherichia coli rhomboid protease GlpG and the human β2-adrenergic receptor. Despite their evolutionary distance, both proteins fold in a strict N-to-C-terminal fashion, accruing structures in units of helical hairpins. These common features suggest that integral helical membrane proteins have evolved to maximize their fitness with cotranslational folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Kyu Choi
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.,Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Duyoung Min
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Hyunook Kang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Min Ju Shon
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.,Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Sang-Hyun Rah
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.,School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.,Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Hak Chan Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Hawoong Jeong
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Hee-Jung Choi
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
| | - James U Bowie
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Tae-Young Yoon
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea. .,Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
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11
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Oueslati B, Yiou P, Jézéquel A. Revisiting the dynamic and thermodynamic processes driving the record-breaking January 2014 precipitation in the southern UK. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2859. [PMID: 30814625 PMCID: PMC6393453 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39306-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Many attribution studies of precipitation extreme events have attempted to estimate the thermodynamic contribution (linked to temperature changes) and the dynamic contribution (linked to the atmospheric circulation). Those studies are based on statistical decompositions of atmospheric fields, and essentially focus on the horizontal motion of the atmosphere. This paper proposes a framework that decomposes those terms from first physical principles, which include the vertical atmospheric motion that has often been overlooked. The goal is to take into account the driving processes of the extreme event. We revisit a recent example of extreme precipitation that was extensively investigated through its relation with the atmospheric circulation. We find that although the horizontal motion plays a minor (but important) role, the vertical motion yields a dominating contribution to the event that is larger than the thermodynamic contribution. This analysis quantifies the processes leading to high winter precipitation rates, and can be extended for further attribution studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boutheina Oueslati
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, UMR 8212 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, IPSL and U Paris-Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
| | - Pascal Yiou
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, UMR 8212 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, IPSL and U Paris-Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Aglaé Jézéquel
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, UMR 8212 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, IPSL and U Paris-Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
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12
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Tan YL, Mitchell J, Klein-Seetharaman J, Nietlispach D. Characterization of Denatured States and Reversible Unfolding of Sensory Rhodopsin II. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:4068-4086. [PMID: 30098339 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding on the folding of membrane proteins lags behind that of soluble proteins due to challenges posed by the exposure of hydrophobic regions during in vitro chemical denaturation and refolding experiments. While different folding models are accepted for soluble proteins, only the two-stage model and the long-range interactions model have been proposed so far for helical membrane proteins. To address our knowledge gap on how different membrane proteins traverse their folding pathways, we have systematically investigated the structural features of SDS-denatured states and the kinetics for reversible unfolding of sensory rhodopsin II (pSRII), a retinal-binding photophobic receptor from Natronomonas pharaonis. pSRII is difficult to denature, and only SDS can dislodge the retinal chromophore without rapid aggregation. Even in 30% SDS (0.998 ΧSDS), pSRII retains the equivalent of six out of seven transmembrane helices, while the retinal-binding pocket is disrupted, with transmembrane residues becoming more solvent exposed. Folding of pSRII from an SDS-denatured state harboring a covalently bound retinal chromophore shows deviations from an apparent two-state behavior. SDS denaturation to form the sensory opsin apo-protein is reversible. We report pSRII as a new model protein which is suitable for membrane protein folding studies and has a unique folding mechanism that differs from those of bacteriorhodopsin and bovine rhodopsin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lei Tan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, CB2 1GA, United Kingdom
| | - James Mitchell
- Biomedical Sciences Division, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Judith Klein-Seetharaman
- Biomedical Sciences Division, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Nietlispach
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, CB2 1GA, United Kingdom.
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13
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Lipid bilayer composition modulates the unfolding free energy of a knotted α-helical membrane protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E1799-E1808. [PMID: 29432185 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1714668115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
α-Helical membrane proteins have eluded investigation of their thermodynamic stability in lipid bilayers. Reversible denaturation curves have enabled some headway in determining unfolding free energies. However, these parameters have been limited to detergent micelles or lipid bicelles, which do not possess the same mechanical properties as lipid bilayers that comprise the basis of natural membranes. We establish reversible unfolding of the membrane transporter LeuT in lipid bilayers, enabling the comparison of apparent unfolding free energies in different lipid compositions. LeuT is a bacterial ortholog of neurotransmitter transporters and contains a knot within its 12-transmembrane helical structure. Urea is used as a denaturant for LeuT in proteoliposomes, resulting in the loss of up to 30% helical structure depending upon the lipid bilayer composition. Urea unfolding of LeuT in liposomes is reversible, with refolding in the bilayer recovering the original helical structure and transport activity. A linear dependence of the unfolding free energy on urea concentration enables the free energy to be extrapolated to zero denaturant. Increasing lipid headgroup charge or chain lateral pressure increases the thermodynamic stability of LeuT. The mechanical and charge properties of the bilayer also affect the ability of urea to denature the protein. Thus, we not only gain insight to the long-sought-after thermodynamic stability of an α-helical protein in a lipid bilayer but also provide a basis for studies of the folding of knotted proteins in a membrane environment.
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14
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González Flecha FL. Kinetic stability of membrane proteins. Biophys Rev 2017; 9:563-572. [PMID: 28921106 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-017-0324-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Although membrane proteins constitute an important class of biomolecules involved in key cellular processes, study of the thermodynamic and kinetic stability of their structures is far behind that of soluble proteins. It is known that many membrane proteins become unstable when removed by detergent extraction from the lipid environment. In addition, most of them undergo irreversible denaturation, even under mild experimental conditions. This process was found to be associated with partial unfolding of the polypeptide chain exposing hydrophobic regions to water, and it was proposed that the formation of kinetically trapped conformations could be involved. In this review, we will describe some of the efforts toward understanding the irreversible inactivation of membrane proteins. Furthermore, its modulation by phospholipids, ligands, and temperature will be herein discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Luis González Flecha
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Laboratorio de Biofísica Molecular, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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15
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Oh KI, Smith-Dupont KB, Markiewicz BN, Gai F. Kinetics of peptide folding in lipid membranes. Biopolymers 2016; 104:281-90. [PMID: 25808575 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Despite our extensive understanding of water-soluble protein folding kinetics, much less is known about the folding dynamics and mechanisms of membrane proteins. However, recent studies have shown that for relatively simple systems, such as peptides that form a transmembrane α-helix, helical dimer, or helix-turn-helix, it is possible to assess the kinetics of several important steps, including peptide binding to the membrane from aqueous solution, peptide folding on the membrane surface, helix insertion into the membrane, and helix-helix association inside the membrane. Herein, we provide a brief review of these studies and also suggest new initiation and probing methods that could lead to improved temporal and structural resolution in future experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Im Oh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kathryn B Smith-Dupont
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | | | - Feng Gai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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16
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Horne JE, Radford SE. A growing toolbox of techniques for studying β-barrel outer membrane protein folding and biogenesis. Biochem Soc Trans 2016; 44:802-9. [PMID: 27284045 PMCID: PMC4900752 DOI: 10.1042/bst20160020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Great strides into understanding protein folding have been made since the seminal work of Anfinsen over 40 years ago, but progress in the study of membrane protein folding has lagged behind that of their water soluble counterparts. Researchers in these fields continue to turn to more advanced techniques such as NMR, mass spectrometry, molecular dynamics (MD) and single molecule methods to interrogate how proteins fold. Our understanding of β-barrel outer membrane protein (OMP) folding has benefited from these advances in the last decade. This class of proteins must traverse the periplasm and then insert into an asymmetric lipid membrane in the absence of a chemical energy source. In this review we discuss old, new and emerging techniques used to examine the process of OMP folding and biogenesis in vitro and describe some of the insights and new questions these techniques have revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim E Horne
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
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17
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Cooperative folding of a polytopic α-helical membrane protein involves a compact N-terminal nucleus and nonnative loops. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:7978-83. [PMID: 26056273 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1424751112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the ubiquity of helical membrane proteins in nature and their pharmacological importance, the mechanisms guiding their folding remain unclear. We performed kinetic folding and unfolding experiments on 69 mutants (engineered every 2-3 residues throughout the 178-residue transmembrane domain) of GlpG, a membrane-embedded rhomboid protease from Escherichia coli. The only clustering of significantly positive ϕ-values occurs at the cytosolic termini of transmembrane helices 1 and 2, which we identify as a compact nucleus. The three loops flanking these helices show a preponderance of negative ϕ-values, which are sometimes taken to be indicative of nonnative interactions in the transition state. Mutations in transmembrane helices 3-6 yielded predominantly ϕ-values near zero, indicating that this part of the protein has denatured-state-level structure in the transition state. We propose that loops 1-3 undergo conformational rearrangements to position the folding nucleus correctly, which then drives folding of the rest of the domain. A compact N-terminal nucleus is consistent with the vectorial nature of cotranslational membrane insertion found in vivo. The origin of the interactions in the transition state that lead to a large number of negative ϕ-values remains to be elucidated.
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18
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Peptide Folding in Translocon-Like Pores. J Membr Biol 2015; 248:407-17. [DOI: 10.1007/s00232-015-9808-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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19
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McMorran LM, Brockwell DJ, Radford SE. Mechanistic studies of the biogenesis and folding of outer membrane proteins in vitro and in vivo: what have we learned to date? Arch Biochem Biophys 2014; 564:265-80. [PMID: 24613287 PMCID: PMC4262575 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2014.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 02/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Research into the mechanisms by which proteins fold into their native structures has been on-going since the work of Anfinsen in the 1960s. Since that time, the folding mechanisms of small, water-soluble proteins have been well characterised. By contrast, progress in understanding the biogenesis and folding mechanisms of integral membrane proteins has lagged significantly because of the need to create a membrane mimetic environment for folding studies in vitro and the difficulties in finding suitable conditions in which reversible folding can be achieved. Improved knowledge of the factors that promote membrane protein folding and disfavour aggregation now allows studies of folding into lipid bilayers in vitro to be performed. Consequently, mechanistic details and structural information about membrane protein folding are now emerging at an ever increasing pace. Using the panoply of methods developed for studies of the folding of water-soluble proteins. This review summarises current knowledge of the mechanisms of outer membrane protein biogenesis and folding into lipid bilayers in vivo and in vitro and discusses the experimental techniques utilised to gain this information. The emerging knowledge is beginning to allow comparisons to be made between the folding of membrane proteins with current understanding of the mechanisms of folding of water-soluble proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay M McMorran
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - David J Brockwell
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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20
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Toward understanding driving forces in membrane protein folding. Arch Biochem Biophys 2014; 564:297-313. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2014.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Revised: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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21
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Folding energetics and oligomerization of polytopic α-helical transmembrane proteins. Arch Biochem Biophys 2014; 564:281-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2014.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Revised: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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22
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Schlebach J, Woodall N, Bowie JU, Park C. Bacteriorhodopsin folds through a poorly organized transition state. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:16574-81. [PMID: 25369295 PMCID: PMC4277764 DOI: 10.1021/ja508359n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The folding mechanisms of helical membrane proteins remain largely uncharted. Here we characterize the kinetics of bacteriorhodopsin folding and employ φ-value analysis to explore the folding transition state. First, we developed and confirmed a kinetic model that allowed us to assess the rate of folding from SDS-denatured bacteriorhodopsin (bRU) and provides accurate thermodynamic information even under influence of retinal hydrolysis. Next, we obtained reliable φ-values for 16 mutants of bacteriorhodopsin with good coverage across the protein. Every φ-value was less than 0.4, indicating the transition state is not uniquely structured. We suggest that the transition state is a loosely organized ensemble of conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan
P. Schlebach
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, 575
Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United
States
- Interdisciplinary
Life Science Graduate Program, Purdue University, 155 South Grant Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Nicholas
B. Woodall
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Box 951569, Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, United States
| | - James U. Bowie
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Box 951569, Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, United States
| | - Chiwook Park
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, 575
Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United
States
- Interdisciplinary
Life Science Graduate Program, Purdue University, 155 South Grant Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Bindley
Bioscience Center, Purdue University, 1203 West State Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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23
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The safety dance: biophysics of membrane protein folding and misfolding in a cellular context. Q Rev Biophys 2014; 48:1-34. [PMID: 25420508 DOI: 10.1017/s0033583514000110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Most biological processes require the production and degradation of proteins, a task that weighs heavily on the cell. Mutations that compromise the conformational stability of proteins place both specific and general burdens on cellular protein homeostasis (proteostasis) in ways that contribute to numerous diseases. Efforts to elucidate the chain of molecular events responsible for diseases of protein folding address one of the foremost challenges in biomedical science. However, relatively little is known about the processes by which mutations prompt the misfolding of α-helical membrane proteins, which rely on an intricate network of cellular machinery to acquire and maintain their functional structures within cellular membranes. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the physical principles that guide membrane protein biogenesis and folding in the context of mammalian cells. Additionally, we explore how pathogenic mutations that influence biogenesis may differ from those that disrupt folding and assembly, as well as how this may relate to disease mechanisms and therapeutic intervention. These perspectives indicate an imperative for the use of information from structural, cellular, and biochemical studies of membrane proteins in the design of novel therapeutics and in personalized medicine.
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24
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Predictive energy landscapes for folding α-helical transmembrane proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:11031-6. [PMID: 25030446 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1410529111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We explore the hypothesis that the folding landscapes of membrane proteins are funneled once the proteins' topology within the membrane is established. We extend a protein folding model, the associative memory, water-mediated, structure, and energy model (AWSEM) by adding an implicit membrane potential and reoptimizing the force field to account for the differing nature of the interactions that stabilize proteins within lipid membranes, yielding a model that we call AWSEM-membrane. Once the protein topology is set in the membrane, hydrophobic attractions play a lesser role in finding the native structure, whereas polar-polar attractions are more important than for globular proteins. We examine both the quality of predictions made with AWSEM-membrane when accurate knowledge of the topology and secondary structure is available and the quality of predictions made without such knowledge, instead using bioinformatically inferred topology and secondary structure based on sequence alone. When no major errors are made by the bioinformatic methods used to assign the topology of the transmembrane helices, these two types of structure predictions yield roughly equivalent quality structures. Although the predictive energy landscape is transferable and not structure based, within the correct topological sector we find the landscape is indeed very funneled: Thermodynamic landscape analysis indicates that both the total potential energy and the contact energy decrease as native contacts are formed. Nevertheless the near symmetry of different helical packings with respect to native contact formation can result in multiple packings with nearly equal thermodynamic occupancy, especially at temperatures just below collapse.
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25
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Chen H, Weng TW, Riccitelli MM, Cui Y, Irudayaraj J, Choi JH. Understanding the Mechanical Properties of DNA Origami Tiles and Controlling the Kinetics of Their Folding and Unfolding Reconfiguration. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:6995-7005. [PMID: 24749534 DOI: 10.1021/ja500612d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Haorong Chen
- School
of Mechanical Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Bindley Bioscience
Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Te-Wei Weng
- School
of Mechanical Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Bindley Bioscience
Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Molly M. Riccitelli
- School
of Mechanical Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Bindley Bioscience
Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Yi Cui
- Department
of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Joseph Irudayaraj
- School
of Mechanical Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Bindley Bioscience
Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Department
of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Jong Hyun Choi
- School
of Mechanical Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Bindley Bioscience
Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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26
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Roman EA, González Flecha FL. Kinetics and thermodynamics of membrane protein folding. Biomolecules 2014; 4:354-73. [PMID: 24970219 PMCID: PMC4030980 DOI: 10.3390/biom4010354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2013] [Revised: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding protein folding has been one of the great challenges in biochemistry and molecular biophysics. Over the past 50 years, many thermodynamic and kinetic studies have been performed addressing the stability of globular proteins. In comparison, advances in the membrane protein folding field lag far behind. Although membrane proteins constitute about a third of the proteins encoded in known genomes, stability studies on membrane proteins have been impaired due to experimental limitations. Furthermore, no systematic experimental strategies are available for folding these biomolecules in vitro. Common denaturing agents such as chaotropes usually do not work on helical membrane proteins, and ionic detergents have been successful denaturants only in few cases. Refolding a membrane protein seems to be a craftsman work, which is relatively straightforward for transmembrane β-barrel proteins but challenging for α-helical membrane proteins. Additional complexities emerge in multidomain membrane proteins, data interpretation being one of the most critical. In this review, we will describe some recent efforts in understanding the folding mechanism of membrane proteins that have been reversibly refolded allowing both thermodynamic and kinetic analysis. This information will be discussed in the context of current paradigms in the protein folding field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto A Roman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysical Chemistry, University of Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires 1113, Argentina.
| | - F Luis González Flecha
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysical Chemistry, University of Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires 1113, Argentina.
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27
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Harris NJ, Findlay HE, Simms J, Liu X, Booth PJ. Relative domain folding and stability of a membrane transport protein. J Mol Biol 2014; 426:1812-25. [PMID: 24530957 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2014.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Revised: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
There is a limited understanding of the folding of multidomain membrane proteins. Lactose permease (LacY) of Escherichia coli is an archetypal member of the major facilitator superfamily of membrane transport proteins, which contain two domains of six transmembrane helices each. We exploit chemical denaturation to determine the unfolding free energy of LacY and employ Trp residues as site-specific thermodynamic probes. Single Trp LacY mutants are created with the individual Trps situated at mirror image positions on the two LacY domains. The changes in Trp fluorescence induced by urea denaturation are used to construct denaturation curves from which unfolding free energies can be determined. The majority of the single Trp tracers report the same stability and an unfolding free energy of approximately +2 kcal mol(-1). There is one exception; the fluorescence of W33 at the cytoplasmic end of helix I on the N domain is unaffected by urea. In contrast, the equivalent position on the first helix, VII, of the C-terminal domain exhibits wild-type stability, with the single Trp tracer at position 243 on helix VII reporting an unfolding free energy of +2 kcal mol(-1). This indicates that the region of the N domain of LacY at position 33 on helix I has enhanced stability to urea, when compared the corresponding location at the start of the C domain. We also find evidence for a potential network of stabilising interactions across the domain interface, which reduces accessibility to the hydrophilic substrate binding pocket between the two domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J Harris
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | | | - John Simms
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Xia Liu
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Paula J Booth
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
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28
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Tastan O, Dutta A, Booth P, Klein-Seetharaman J. Retinal proteins as model systems for membrane protein folding. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2013; 1837:656-63. [PMID: 24333783 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2013.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Revised: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 11/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Experimental folding studies of membrane proteins are more challenging than water-soluble proteins because of the higher hydrophobicity content of membrane embedded sequences and the need to provide a hydrophobic milieu for the transmembrane regions. The first challenge is their denaturation: due to the thermodynamic instability of polar groups in the membrane, secondary structures in membrane proteins are more difficult to disrupt than in soluble proteins. The second challenge is to refold from the denatured states. Successful refolding of membrane proteins has almost always been from very subtly denatured states. Therefore, it can be useful to analyze membrane protein folding using computational methods, and we will provide results obtained with simulated unfolding of membrane protein structures using the Floppy Inclusions and Rigid Substructure Topography (FIRST) method. Computational methods have the advantage that they allow a direct comparison between diverse membrane proteins. We will review here both, experimental and FIRST studies of the retinal binding proteins bacteriorhodopsin and mammalian rhodopsin, and discuss the extension of the findings to deriving hypotheses on the mechanisms of folding of membrane proteins in general. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Retinal Proteins-You can teach an old dog new tricks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oznur Tastan
- Department of Computer Engineering, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Arpana Dutta
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Paula Booth
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, UK
| | - Judith Klein-Seetharaman
- Division of Metabolic and Vascular Health, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
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29
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Schlebach JP, Peng D, Kroncke BM, Mittendorf KF, Narayan M, Carter BD, Sanders CR. Reversible folding of human peripheral myelin protein 22, a tetraspan membrane protein. Biochemistry 2013; 52:3229-41. [PMID: 23639031 DOI: 10.1021/bi301635f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Misfolding of the α-helical membrane protein peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the common neurodegenerative disease known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTD) and also several other related peripheral neuropathies. Emerging evidence suggests that the propensity of PMP22 to misfold in the cell may be due to an intrinsic lack of conformational stability. Therefore, quantitative studies of the conformational equilibrium of PMP22 are needed to gain insight into the molecular basis of CMTD. In this work, we have investigated the folding and unfolding of wild type (WT) human PMP22 in mixed micelles. Both kinetic and thermodynamic measurements demonstrate that the denaturation of PMP22 by n-lauroyl sarcosine (LS) in dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles is reversible. Assessment of the conformational equilibrium indicates that a significant fraction of unfolded PMP22 persists even in the absence of the denaturing detergent. However, we find the stability of PMP22 is increased by glycerol, which facilitates quantitation of thermodynamic parameters. To our knowledge, this work represents the first report of reversible unfolding of a eukaryotic multispan membrane protein. The results indicate that WT PMP22 possesses minimal conformational stability in micelles, which parallels its poor folding efficiency in the endoplasmic reticulum. Folding equilibrium measurements for PMP22 in micelles may provide an approach to assess the effects of cellular metabolites or potential therapeutic agents on its stability. Furthermore, these results pave the way for future investigation of the effects of pathogenic mutations on the conformational equilibrium of PMP22.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Schlebach
- Department of Biochemistry and ‡Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine , Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
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30
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Andersen KK, Wang H, Otzen DE. A Kinetic Analysis of the Folding and Unfolding of OmpA in Urea and Guanidinium Chloride: Single and Parallel Pathways. Biochemistry 2012; 51:8371-83. [DOI: 10.1021/bi300974y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kell K. Andersen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Centre
for Insoluble Protein Structures (inSPIN), Department of Molecular
Biology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Huabing Wang
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Centre
for Insoluble Protein Structures (inSPIN), Department of Molecular
Biology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Daniel E. Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Centre
for Insoluble Protein Structures (inSPIN), Department of Molecular
Biology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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31
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Booth PJ. A successful change of circumstance: a transition state for membrane protein folding. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2012; 22:469-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2012.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Revised: 03/09/2012] [Accepted: 03/14/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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32
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Nadeau VG, Rath A, Deber CM. Sequence Hydropathy Dominates Membrane Protein Response to Detergent Solubilization. Biochemistry 2012; 51:6228-37. [DOI: 10.1021/bi201853n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent G. Nadeau
- Division of Molecular Structure & Function, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S
1A8
| | - Arianna Rath
- Division of Molecular Structure & Function, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
| | - Charles M. Deber
- Division of Molecular Structure & Function, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S
1A8
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Huysmans GH, Radford SE, Baldwin SA, Brockwell DJ. Malleability of the folding mechanism of the outer membrane protein PagP: parallel pathways and the effect of membrane elasticity. J Mol Biol 2012; 416:453-64. [PMID: 22245579 PMCID: PMC3314998 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2011] [Revised: 12/19/2011] [Accepted: 12/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between membrane proteins and the lipid bilayer is key to increasing our ability to predict and tailor the folding mechanism, structure and stability of membrane proteins. Here, we have investigated the effects of changing the membrane composition and the relative concentrations of protein and lipid on the folding mechanism of the bacterial outer membrane protein PagP. The folding pathway, monitored by tryptophan fluorescence, was found to be characterized by a burst phase, representing PagP adsorption to the liposome surface, followed by a time course that reflects the folding and insertion of the protein into the membrane. In 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (diC(12:0)PC) liposomes, the post-adsorption time course fits well to a single exponential at high lipid-to-protein ratios (LPRs), but at low LPRs, a second exponential phase with a slower folding rate constant is observed. Interrupted refolding assays demonstrated that the two exponential phases reflect the presence of parallel folding pathways. Partitioning between these pathways was found to be modulated by the elastic properties of the membrane. Folding into mixed 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine:diC(12:0)PC liposomes resulted in a decrease in PagP adsorption to the liposomes and a switch to the slower folding pathway. By contrast, inclusion of 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine into diC(12:0)PC liposomes resulted in a decrease in the folding rate of the fast pathway. The results highlight the effect of lipid composition in tailoring the folding mechanism of a membrane protein, revealing that membrane proteins have access to multiple, competing folding routes to a unique native structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard H.M. Huysmans
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sheena E. Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Stephen A. Baldwin
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - David J. Brockwell
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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Schlebach JP, Cao Z, Bowie JU, Park C. Revisiting the folding kinetics of bacteriorhodopsin. Protein Sci 2011; 21:97-106. [PMID: 22095725 DOI: 10.1002/pro.766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2011] [Revised: 11/05/2011] [Accepted: 11/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The elucidation of the physical principles that govern the folding and stability of membrane proteins is one of the greatest challenges in protein science. Several insights into the folding of α-helical membrane proteins have come from the investigation of the conformational equilibrium of H. halobium bacteriorhodopsin (bR) in mixed micelles using SDS as a denaturant. In an effort to confirm that folded bR and SDS-denatured bR reach the same conformational equilibrium, we found that bR folding is significantly slower than has been previously known. Interrogation of the effect of the experimental variables on folding kinetics reveals that the rate of folding is dependent not only on the mole fraction of SDS but also on the molar concentrations of mixed micelle components, a variable that was not controlled in the previous study of bR folding kinetics. Moreover, when the molar concentrations of mixed micelle components are fixed at the concentrations commonly employed for bR equilibrium studies, conformational relaxation in the transition zone is slower than hydrolysis of the retinal Schiff base. As a result, the conformational equilibrium between folded bR and SDS-denatured bR cannot be achieved under the conventional condition. Our finding suggests that the molar concentrations of mixed micelle components are important experimental variables in the investigation of the kinetics and thermodynamics of bR folding and should be accounted for to ensure the accurate assessment of the conformational equilibrium of bR without the interference of retinal hydrolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Schlebach
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Pan Y, Brown L, Konermann L. Hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry of bacteriorhodopsin reveals light-induced changes in the structural dynamics of a biomolecular machine. J Am Chem Soc 2011; 133:20237-44. [PMID: 22043856 DOI: 10.1021/ja206197h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Many proteins act as molecular machines that are fuelled by a nonthermal energy source. Examples include transmembrane pumps and stator-rotor complexes. These systems undergo cyclic motions (CMs) that are being driven along a well-defined conformational trajectory. Superimposed on these CMs are thermal fluctuations (TFs) that are coupled to stochastic motions of the solvent. Here we explore whether the TFs of a molecular machine are affected by the occurrence of CMs. Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is a light-driven proton pump that serves as a model system in this study. The function of BR is based on a photocycle that involves trans/cis isomerization of a retinal chromophore, as well as motions of transmembrane helices. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) mass spectrometry was used to monitor the TFs of BR, focusing on the monomeric form of the protein. Comparative HDX studies were conducted under illumination and in the dark. The HDX kinetics of BR are dramatically accelerated in the presence of light. The isotope exchange rates and the number of backbone amides involved in EX2 opening transitions increase roughly 2-fold upon illumination. In contrast, light/dark control experiments on retinal-free protein produced no discernible differences. It can be concluded that the extent of TFs in BR strongly depends on photon-driven CMs. The light-induced differences in HDX behavior are ascribed to protein destabilization. Specifically, the thermodynamic stability of the dark-adapted protein is estimated to be 5.5 kJ mol(-1) under the conditions of our work. This value represents the free energy difference between the folded state F and a significantly unfolded conformer U. Illumination reduces the stability of F by 2.2 kJ mol(-1). Mechanical agitation caused by isomerization of the chromophore is transferred to the surrounding protein scaffold, and subsequently, the energy dissipates into the solvent. Light-induced retinal motions therefore act analogously to an internal heat source that promotes the occurrence of TFs. Overall, our data highlight the potential of HDX methods for probing the structural dynamics of molecular machines under "engine on" and "engine off" conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Pan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
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36
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Harris NJ, Booth PJ. Folding and stability of membrane transport proteins in vitro. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2011; 1818:1055-66. [PMID: 22100867 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2011.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2011] [Revised: 10/26/2011] [Accepted: 11/03/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Transmembrane transporters are responsible for maintaining a correct internal cellular environment. The inherent flexibility of transporters together with their hydrophobic environment means that they are challenging to study in vitro, but recently significant progress been made. This review will focus on in vitro stability and folding studies of transmembrane alpha helical transporters, including reversible folding systems and thermal denaturation. The successful re-assembly of a small number of ATP binding cassette transporters is also described as this is a significant step forward in terms of understanding the folding and assembly of these more complex, multi-subunit proteins. The studies on transporters discussed here represent substantial advances for membrane protein studies as well as for research into protein folding. The work demonstrates that large flexible hydrophobic proteins are within reach of in vitro folding studies, thus holding promise for furthering knowledge on the structure, function and biogenesis of ubiquitous membrane transporter families. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein Folding in Membranes.
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37
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Interaction between sodium dodecyl sulfate and membrane reconstituted aquaporins: A comparative study of spinach SoPIP2;1 and E. coli AqpZ. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2011; 1808:2600-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2011.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2011] [Revised: 05/27/2011] [Accepted: 05/31/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Cao Z, Schlebach JP, Park C, Bowie JU. Thermodynamic stability of bacteriorhodopsin mutants measured relative to the bacterioopsin unfolded state. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2011; 1818:1049-54. [PMID: 21880269 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2011.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2011] [Revised: 07/08/2011] [Accepted: 08/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The stability of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) has often been assessed using SDS unfolding assays that monitor the transition of folded bR (bR(f)) to unfolded (bR(u)). While many criteria suggest that the unfolding curves reflect thermodynamic stability, slow retinal (RET) hydrolysis during refolding makes it impossible to perform the most rigorous test for equilibrium, i.e., superimposable unfolding and refolding curves. Here we made a new equilibrium test by asking whether the refolding rate in the transition zone is faster than RET hydrolysis. We find that under conditions we have used previously, refolding is in fact slower than hydrolysis, strongly suggesting that equilibrium is not achieved. Instead, the apparent free energy values reported previously are dominated by unfolding rates. To assess how different the true equilibrium values are, we employed an alternative method by measuring the transition of bR(f) to unfolded bacterioopsin (bO(u)), the RET-free form of unfolded protein. The bR(f)-to-bO(u) transition is fully reversible, particular when we add excess RET. We compared the difference in unfolding free energies for 13 bR mutants measured by both assays. For 12 of the 13 mutants with a wide range of stabilities, the results are essentially the same within experimental error. The congruence of the results is fortuitous and suggests the energetic effects of most mutations may be focused on the folded state. The bR(f)-to-bO(u) reaction is inconvenient because many days are required to reach equilibrium, but it is the preferable measure of thermodynamic stability. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein Folding in Membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Cao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Biology Insitute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1570, USA
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Stable folding core in the folding transition state of an alpha-helical integral membrane protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:14133-8. [PMID: 21831834 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1012594108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Defining the structural features of a transition state is important in understanding a folding reaction. Here, we use Φ-value and double mutant analyses to probe the folding transition state of the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin. We focus on the final C-terminal helix, helix G, of this seven transmembrane helical protein. Φ-values could be derived for 12 amino acid residues in helix G, most of which have low or intermediate values, suggesting that native structure is disrupted at these amino acid positions in the transition state. Notably, a cluster of residues between E204 and M209 all have Φ-values close to zero. Disruption of helix G is further confirmed by a low Φ-value of 0.2 between residues T170 on helix F and S226 on helix G, suggesting the absence of a native hydrogen bond between helices F and G. Φ-values for paired mutations involved in four interhelical hydrogen bonds revealed that all but one of these bonds is absent in the transition state. The unstructured helix G contrasts with Φ-values along helix B that are generally high, implying native structure in helix B in the transition state. Thus helix B seems to constitute part of a stable folding nucleus while the consolidation of helix G is a relatively late folding event. Polarization of secondary structure correlates with sequence position, with a structured helix B near the N terminus contrasting with an unstructured C-terminal helix G.
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40
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Linear rate-equilibrium relations arising from ion channel-bilayer energetic coupling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:12717-22. [PMID: 21768343 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1103192108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Linear rate-equilibrium (RE) relations, also known as linear free energy relations, are widely observed in chemical reactions, including protein folding, enzymatic catalysis, and channel gating. Despite the widespread occurrence of linear RE relations, the principles underlying the linear relation between changes in activation and equilibrium energy in macromolecular reactions remain enigmatic. When examining amphiphile regulation of gramicidin channel gating in lipid bilayers, we noted that the gating process could be described by a linear RE relation with a simple geometric interpretation. This description is possible because the gating process provides a well-understood reaction, in which structural changes in a bilayer-embedded model protein can be studied at the single-molecule level. It is thus possible to obtain quantitative information about the energetics of the reaction transition state and its position on a spatial coordinate. It turns out that the linear RE relation for the gramicidin monomer-dimer reaction can be understood, and the quantitative relation between changes in activation energy and equilibrium energy can be interpreted, by considering the effects of amphiphiles on the changes in bilayer elastic energy associated with channel gating. We are not aware that a similar simple mechanistic explanation of a linear RE relation has been provided for a chemical reaction in a macromolecule. RE relations generally should be useful for examining how amphiphile-induced changes in bilayer properties modulate membrane protein folding and function, and for distinguishing between direct (e.g., due to binding) and indirect (bilayer-mediated) effects.
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41
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Kinetic folding mechanism of an integral membrane protein examined by pulsed oxidative labeling and mass spectrometry. J Mol Biol 2011; 410:146-58. [PMID: 21570983 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.04.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2011] [Revised: 04/26/2011] [Accepted: 04/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We report the application of pulsed oxidative labeling for deciphering the folding mechanism of a membrane protein. SDS-denatured bacteriorhodopsin (BR) was refolded by mixing with bicelles in the presence of free retinal. At various time points (20 ms to 1 day), the protein was exposed to a microsecond ·OH pulse that induces oxidative modifications at solvent-accessible methionine side chains. The extent of labeling was determined by mass spectrometry. These measurements were complemented by stopped-flow spectroscopy. Major time-dependent changes in solvent accessibility were detected for M20 (helix A) and M118 (helix D). Our kinetic data indicate a sequential folding mechanism, consistent with models previously suggested by others on the basis of optical data. Yet, ·OH labeling provides additional structural insights. An initial folding intermediate I(1) gets populated within 20 ms, concomitantly with formation of helix A. Subsequent structural consolidation leads to a transient species I(2). Noncovalent retinal binding to I(2) induces folding of helix D, thereby generating an intermediate I(R). In the absence of retinal, the latter transition does not take place. Hence, formation of helix D depends on retinal binding, whereas this is not the case for helix A. As the cofactor settles deeper into its binding pocket, a final transient species I(R) is generated. This intermediate converts into native BR within minutes by formation of the retinal-K216 Schiff base linkage. The combination of pulsed covalent labeling and optical spectroscopy employed here should also be suitable for exploring the folding mechanisms of other membrane proteins.
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42
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Otzen D. Protein–surfactant interactions: A tale of many states. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2011; 1814:562-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2011.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 362] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2010] [Revised: 02/23/2011] [Accepted: 03/04/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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43
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SDS-Facilitated In vitro Formation of a Transmembrane B-Type Cytochrome Is Mediated by Changes in Local pH. J Mol Biol 2011; 407:594-606. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2010] [Revised: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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44
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Hadi-Alijanvand H, Rouhani M, Proctor EA, Dokholyan NV, Moosavi-Movahedi AA. A folding pathway-dependent score to recognize membrane proteins. PLoS One 2011; 6:e16778. [PMID: 21390303 PMCID: PMC3046963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2010] [Accepted: 12/29/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
While various approaches exist to study protein localization, it is still a challenge to predict where proteins localize. Here, we consider a mechanistic viewpoint for membrane localization. Taking into account the steps for the folding pathway of α-helical membrane proteins and relating biophysical parameters to each of these steps, we create a score capable of predicting the propensity for membrane localization and call it FP(3)mem. This score is driven from the principal component analysis (PCA) of the biophysical parameters related to membrane localization. FP(3)mem allows us to rationalize the colocalization of a number of channel proteins with the Cav1.2 channel by their fewer propensities for membrane localization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maryam Rouhani
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elizabeth A. Proctor
- Genetics Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Nikolay V. Dokholyan
- Genetics Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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45
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Schlebach JP, Kim MS, Joh NH, Bowie JU, Park C. Probing membrane protein unfolding with pulse proteolysis. J Mol Biol 2010; 406:545-51. [PMID: 21192947 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2010.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2010] [Revised: 12/06/2010] [Accepted: 12/09/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Technical challenges have greatly impeded the investigation of membrane protein folding and unfolding. To develop a new tool that facilitates the study of membrane proteins, we tested pulse proteolysis as a probe for membrane protein unfolding. Pulse proteolysis is a method to monitor protein folding and unfolding, which exploits the significant difference in proteolytic susceptibility between folded and unfolded proteins. This method requires only a small amount of protein and, in many cases, may be used with unpurified proteins in cell lysates. To evaluate the effectiveness of pulse proteolysis as a probe for membrane protein unfolding, we chose Halobacterium halobium bacteriorhodopsin (bR) as a model system. The denaturation of bR in SDS has been investigated extensively by monitoring the change in the absorbance at 560 nm (A(560)). In this work, we demonstrate that denaturation of bR by SDS results in a significant increase in its susceptibility to proteolysis by subtilisin. When pulse proteolysis was applied to bR incubated in varying concentrations of SDS, the remaining intact protein determined by electrophoresis shows a cooperative transition. The midpoint of the cooperative transition (C(m)) shows excellent agreement with that determined by A(560). The C(m) values determined by pulse proteolysis for M56A and Y57A bRs are also consistent with the measurements made by A(560). Our results suggest that pulse proteolysis is a quantitative tool to probe membrane protein unfolding. Combining pulse proteolysis with Western blotting may allow the investigation of membrane protein unfolding in situ without overexpression or purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Schlebach
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, 575 Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2091, USA
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46
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Otzen DE. Mapping the folding pathway of the transmembrane protein DsbB by protein engineering. Protein Eng Des Sel 2010; 24:139-49. [DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzq079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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47
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Unfolding free energy of a two-domain transmembrane sugar transport protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:18451-6. [PMID: 20937906 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1005729107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how an amino acid sequence folds into a functional, three-dimensional structure has proved to be a formidable challenge in biological research, especially for transmembrane proteins with multiple alpha helical domains. Mechanistic folding studies on helical membrane proteins have been limited to unusually stable, single domain proteins such as bacteriorhodopsin. Here, we extend such work to flexible, multidomain proteins and one of the most widespread membrane transporter families, the major facilitator superfamily, thus showing that more complex membrane proteins can be successfully refolded to recover native substrate binding. We determine the unfolding free energy of the two-domain, Escherichia coli galactose transporter, GalP; a bacterial homologue of human glucose transporters. GalP is reversibly unfolded by urea. Urea causes loss of substrate binding and a significant reduction in alpha helical content. Full recovery of helical structure and substrate binding occurs in dodecylmaltoside micelles, and the unfolding free energy can be determined. A linear dependence of this free energy on urea concentration allows the free energy of unfolding in the absence of urea to be determined as +2.5 kcal·mol(-1). Urea has often been found to be a poor denaturant for transmembrane helical structures. We attribute the denaturation of GalP helices by urea to the dynamic nature of the transporter structure allowing denaturant access via the substrate binding pocket, as well as to helical structure that extends beyond the membrane. This study gives insight into the final, critical folding step involving recovery of ligand binding for a multidomain membrane transporter.
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48
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Curnow P, Booth PJ. The contribution of a covalently bound cofactor to the folding and thermodynamic stability of an integral membrane protein. J Mol Biol 2010; 403:630-42. [PMID: 20850459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2010.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2010] [Revised: 08/18/2010] [Accepted: 09/01/2010] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The factors controlling the stability, folding, and dynamics of integral membrane proteins are not fully understood. The high stability of the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR), an archetypal member of the rhodopsin photoreceptor family, has been ascribed to its covalently bound retinal cofactor. We investigate here the role of this cofactor in the thermodynamic stability and folding kinetics of bR. Multiple spectroscopic probes were used to determine the kinetics and energetics of protein folding in mixed lipid/detergent micelles in the presence and absence of retinal. The presence of retinal increases extrapolated values for the overall unfolding free energy from 6.3 ± 0.4 kcal mol(-1) to 23.4 ± 1.5 kcal mol(-1) at zero denaturant, suggesting that the cofactor contributes 17.1 kcal mol(-1) towards the overall stability of bR. In addition, the cooperativity of equilibrium unfolding curves is markedly reduced in the absence of retinal with overall m-values decreasing from 31.0 ± 2.0 kcal mol(-1) to 10.9 ± 1.0 kcal mol(-1), indicating that the folded state of the apoprotein is less compact than the equivalent for the holoprotein. This change in the denaturant response means that the difference in the unfolding free energy at a denaturant concentration midway between the two unfolding curves is only ca 3-6 kcal mol(-1). Kinetic data show that the decrease in stability upon removal of retinal is associated with an increase in the apparent intrinsic rate constant of unfolding, k(u)(H2O), from ~1 × 10(-16) s(-1) to ~1 × 10(-4) s(-1) at 25 °C. This correlates with a decrease in the unfolding activation energy by 16.3 kcal mol(-1) in the apoprotein, extrapolated to zero SDS. These results suggest that changes in bR stability induced by retinal binding are mediated solely by changes in the activation barrier for unfolding. The results are consistent with a model in which bR is kinetically stabilized via a very slow rate of unfolding arising from protein-retinal interactions that increase the rigidity and compactness of the polypeptide chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Curnow
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK.
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49
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What lessons can be learned from studying the folding of homologous proteins? Methods 2010; 52:38-50. [PMID: 20570731 PMCID: PMC2965948 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2010.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2010] [Revised: 05/25/2010] [Accepted: 06/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The studies of the folding of structurally related proteins have proved to be a very important tool for investigating protein folding. Here we review some of the insights that have been gained from such studies. Our highlighted studies show just how such an investigation should be designed and emphasise the importance of the synergy between experiment and theory. We also stress the importance of choosing the right system carefully, exploiting the excellent structural and sequence databases at our disposal.
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50
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Fiedler S, Broecker J, Keller S. Protein folding in membranes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2010; 67:1779-98. [PMID: 20101433 PMCID: PMC11115603 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-010-0259-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2009] [Revised: 01/01/2010] [Accepted: 01/06/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Separation of cells and organelles by bilayer membranes is a fundamental principle of life. Cellular membranes contain a baffling variety of proteins, which fulfil vital functions as receptors and signal transducers, channels and transporters, motors and anchors. The vast majority of membrane-bound proteins contain bundles of alpha-helical transmembrane domains. Understanding how these proteins adopt their native, biologically active structures in the complex milieu of a membrane is therefore a major challenge in today's life sciences. Here, we review recent progress in the folding, unfolding and refolding of alpha-helical membrane proteins and compare the molecular interactions that stabilise proteins in lipid bilayers. We also provide a critical discussion of a detergent denaturation assay that is increasingly used to determine membrane-protein stability but is not devoid of conceptual difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Fiedler
- Leibniz Institute of Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jana Broecker
- Leibniz Institute of Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandro Keller
- Leibniz Institute of Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Molecular Biophysics, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger-Str. 13, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
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