1
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Clayton AHA. Photobleaching FRET-FLIM-ICS for quaternary structure quantification on cells. Theory and simulations. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2024; 1868:130618. [PMID: 38621595 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2024.130618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The oligomerization of proteins is an important biological control mechanism and has several functions in activity and stability of enzymes, structural proteins, ion channels and transcription factors. The determination of the relevant oligomeric states in terms of geometry (spatial extent), oligomer size (monomer or dimer or oligomer) and affinity (amounts of monomer, dimer and oligomer) is a challenging biophysical problem. Förster resonance energy transfer and fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy are powerful tools that are sensitive to proximity and oligomerization respectively. Here it is proposed to combine image-based lifetime-detected Forster resonance energy transfer with image correlation spectroscopy and photobleaching to determine distances, oligomer sizes and oligomer distributions. Simulations for simple oligomeric forms illustrate the potential to improve the discrimination between different quaternary states in the cellular milieu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew H A Clayton
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, Optical Sciences Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Science, Computer, and Engineering Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.
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2
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Bestsennaia E, Maslov I, Balandin T, Alekseev A, Yudenko A, Abu Shamseye A, Zabelskii D, Baumann A, Catapano C, Karathanasis C, Gordeliy V, Heilemann M, Gensch T, Borshchevskiy V. Channelrhodopsin-2 Oligomerization in Cell Membrane Revealed by Photo-Activated Localization Microscopy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202307555. [PMID: 38226794 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202307555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Microbial rhodopsins are retinal membrane proteins that found a broad application in optogenetics. The oligomeric state of rhodopsins is important for their functionality and stability. Of particular interest is the oligomeric state in the cellular native membrane environment. Fluorescence microscopy provides powerful tools to determine the oligomeric state of membrane proteins directly in cells. Among these methods is quantitative photoactivated localization microscopy (qPALM) allowing the investigation of molecular organization at the level of single protein clusters. Here, we apply qPALM to investigate the oligomeric state of the first and most used optogenetic tool Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells. ChR2 appeared predominantly as a dimer in the cell membrane and did not form higher oligomers. The disulfide bonds between Cys34 and Cys36 of adjacent ChR2 monomers were not required for dimer formation and mutations disrupting these bonds resulted in only partial monomerization of ChR2. The monomeric fraction increased when the total concentration of mutant ChR2 in the membrane was low. The dissociation constant was estimated for this partially monomerized mutant ChR2 as 2.2±0.9 proteins/μm2 . Our findings are important for understanding the mechanistic basis of ChR2 activity as well as for improving existing and developing future optogenetic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Bestsennaia
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 1, IBI-1 (Molecular and Cellular Physiology), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Ivan Maslov
- Dynamic Bioimaging Lab, Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre and the Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, B3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Division for Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Taras Balandin
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, IBI-7 (Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Alexey Alekseev
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anna Yudenko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Assalla Abu Shamseye
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 1, IBI-1 (Molecular and Cellular Physiology), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, IBI-7 (Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Dmitrii Zabelskii
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, IBI-7 (Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
- European XFEL, 22869, Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Arnd Baumann
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 1, IBI-1 (Molecular and Cellular Physiology), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Claudia Catapano
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christos Karathanasis
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Valentin Gordeliy
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, IBI-7 (Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Mike Heilemann
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Gensch
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 1, IBI-1 (Molecular and Cellular Physiology), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Valentin Borshchevskiy
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, IBI-7 (Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
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3
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Geiser A, Foylan S, Tinning PW, Bryant NJ, Gould GW. GLUT4 dispersal at the plasma membrane of adipocytes: a super-resolved journey. Biosci Rep 2023; 43:BSR20230946. [PMID: 37791639 PMCID: PMC10600063 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20230946] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In adipose tissue, insulin stimulates glucose uptake by mediating the translocation of GLUT4 from intracellular vesicles to the plasma membrane. In 2010, insulin was revealed to also have a fundamental impact on the spatial distribution of GLUT4 within the plasma membrane, with the existence of two GLUT4 populations at the plasma membrane being defined: (1) as stationary clusters and (2) as diffusible monomers. In this model, in the absence of insulin, plasma membrane-fused GLUT4 are found to behave as clusters. These clusters are thought to arise from exocytic events that retain GLUT4 at their fusion sites; this has been proposed to function as an intermediate hub between GLUT4 exocytosis and re-internalisation. By contrast, insulin stimulation induces the dispersal of GLUT4 clusters into monomers and favours a distinct type of GLUT4-vesicle fusion event, known as fusion-with-release exocytosis. Here, we review how super-resolution microscopy approaches have allowed investigation of the characteristics of plasma membrane-fused GLUT4 and further discuss regulatory step(s) involved in the GLUT4 dispersal machinery, introducing the scaffold protein EFR3 which facilitates localisation of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase type IIIα (PI4KIIIα) to the cell surface. We consider how dispersal may be linked to the control of transporter activity, consider whether macro-organisation may be a widely used phenomenon to control proteins within the plasma membrane, and speculate on the origin of different forms of GLUT4-vesicle exocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angéline Geiser
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K
| | - Shannan Foylan
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K
| | - Peter W Tinning
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K
| | - Nia J Bryant
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, U.K
| | - Gwyn W Gould
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K
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4
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Buzza KM, Pluen A, Doherty C, Cheesapcharoen T, Singh G, Ledder RG, Sreenivasan PK, McBain AJ. Modulation of Biofilm Formation and Permeability in Streptococcus mutans during Exposure To Zinc Acetate. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0252722. [PMID: 36809043 PMCID: PMC10100724 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02527-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The penetration of biofilms by antimicrobials is a potential limiting factor in biofilm control. This is relevant to oral health, as compounds that are used to control microbial growth and activities could also affect the permeability of dental plaque biofilm with secondary effects on biofilm tolerance. We investigated the effects of zinc salts on the permeability of Streptococcus mutans biofilms. Biofilms were grown with low concentrations of zinc acetate (ZA), and a transwell transportation assay was applied to test biofilm permeability in an apical-basolateral direction. Crystal violet assays and total viable counts were used to quantify the biofilm formation and viability, respectively, and short time frame diffusion rates within microcolonies were determined using spatial intensity distribution analysis (SpIDA). While the diffusion rates within biofilm microcolonies were not significantly altered, exposure to ZA significantly increased the overall permeability of S. mutans biofilms (P < 0.05) through decreased biofilm formation, particularly at concentrations above 0.3 mg/mL. Transport was significantly lower through biofilms grown in high sucrose conditions. IMPORTANCE Zinc salts are added to dentifrices to improve oral hygiene through the control of dental plaque. We describe a method for determining biofilm permeability and show a moderate inhibitory effect of zinc acetate on biofilm formation, and that this inhibitory effect is associated with increases in overall biofilm permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara M. Buzza
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Alain Pluen
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Doherty
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Tanaporn Cheesapcharoen
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Gurdeep Singh
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth G. Ledder
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Prem K. Sreenivasan
- HITLAB, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Andrew J. McBain
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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5
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Balasubramanian H, Sankaran J, Pandey S, Goh CJH, Wohland T. The dependence of EGFR oligomerization on environment and structure: A camera-based N&B study. Biophys J 2022; 121:4452-4466. [PMID: 36335429 PMCID: PMC9748371 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Number and brightness (N&B) analysis is a fluorescence spectroscopy technique to quantify oligomerization of the mobile fraction of proteins. Accurate results, however, rely on a good knowledge of nonfluorescent states of the fluorescent labels, especially of fluorescent proteins, which are widely used in biology. Fluorescent proteins have been characterized for confocal, but not camera-based, N&B, which allows, in principle, faster measurements over larger areas. Here, we calibrate camera-based N&B implemented on a total internal reflection fluorescence microscope for various fluorescent proteins by determining their propensity to be fluorescent. We then apply camera-based N&B in live CHO-K1 cells to determine the oligomerization state of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that is a crucial regulator of cell proliferation and survival with implications in many cancers. EGFR oligomerization in resting cells and its regulation by the plasma membrane microenvironment are still under debate. Therefore, we investigate the effects of extrinsic factors, including membrane organization, cytoskeletal structure, and ligand stimulation, and intrinsic factors, including mutations in various EGFR domains, on the receptor's oligomerization. Our results demonstrate that EGFR oligomerization increases with removal of cholesterol or sphingolipids or the disruption of GM3-EGFR interactions, indicating raft association. However, oligomerization is not significantly influenced by the cytoskeleton. Mutations in either I706/V948 residues or E685/E687/E690 residues in the kinase and juxtamembrane domains, respectively, lead to a decrease in oligomerization, indicating their necessity for EGFR dimerization. Finally, EGFR phosphorylation is oligomerization dependent, involving the extracellular domain (550-580 residues). Coupled with biochemical investigations, camera-based N&B indicates that EGFR oligomerization and phosphorylation are the outcomes of several molecular interactions involving the lipid content and structure of the cell membrane and multiple residues in the kinase, juxtamembrane, and extracellular domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harikrushnan Balasubramanian
- Department of Biological Sciences and NUS Centre for Bio-Imaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jagadish Sankaran
- Department of Biological Sciences and NUS Centre for Bio-Imaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shambhavi Pandey
- Department of Biological Sciences and NUS Centre for Bio-Imaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Corinna Jie Hui Goh
- Department of Biological Sciences and NUS Centre for Bio-Imaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thorsten Wohland
- Department of Biological Sciences and NUS Centre for Bio-Imaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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6
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Zapata-Mercado E, Biener G, McKenzie DM, Wimley WC, Pasquale EB, Raicu V, Hristova K. The efficacy of receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 autophosphorylation increases with EphA2 oligomer size. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102370. [PMID: 35970390 PMCID: PMC9512837 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) EphA2 is expressed in epithelial and endothelial cells and controls the assembly of cell-cell junctions. EphA2 has also been implicated in many diseases, including cancer. Unlike most RTKs, which signal predominantly as dimers, EphA2 readily forms high-order oligomers upon ligand binding. Here, we investigated if a correlation exists between EphA2 signaling properties and the size of the EphA2 oligomers induced by multiple ligands, including the widely used ephrinA1-Fc ligand, the soluble monomeric m-ephrinA1, and novel engineered peptide ligands. We used fluorescence intensity fluctuation (FIF) spectrometry to characterize the EphA2 oligomer populations induced by the different ligands. Interestingly, we found that different monomeric and dimeric ligands induce EphA2 oligomers with widely different size distributions. Our comparison of FIF brightness distribution parameters and EphA2 signaling parameters reveals that the efficacy of EphA2 phosphorylation on tyrosine 588, an autophosphorylation response contributing to EphA2 activation, correlates with EphA2 mean oligomer size. However, we found that other characteristics, such as the efficacy of AKT inhibition and ligand bias coefficients, appear to be independent of EphA2 oligomer size. Taken together, this work highlights the utility of FIF in RTK signaling research and demonstrates a quantitative correlation between the architecture of EphA2 signaling complexes and signaling features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmer Zapata-Mercado
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gabriel Biener
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel M McKenzie
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - William C Wimley
- Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Elena B Pasquale
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.
| | - Valerica Raicu
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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7
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Killeen TD, Rahman S, Badu DN, Biener G, Stoneman MR, Raicu V. Fluorescence Intensity Fluctuation Analysis of Protein Oligomerization in Cell Membranes. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e384. [PMID: 35312215 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) encompasses a bevy of techniques that involve analyzing fluorescence intensity fluctuations occurring due to fluorescently labeled molecules diffusing in and out of a microscope's focal region. Statistical analysis of these fluctuations may reveal the oligomerization (i.e., association) state of said molecules. We have recently developed a new FFS-based method, termed Two-Dimensional Fluorescence Intensity Fluctuation (2D FIF) spectrometry, which provides quantitative information on the size and stability of protein oligomers as a function of receptor concentration. This article describes protocols for employing FIF spectrometry to quantify the oligomerization of a membrane protein of interest, with specific instructions regarding cell preparation, image acquisition, and analysis of images given in detail. Application of the FIF Spectrometry Suite, a software package designed for applying FIF analysis on fluorescence images, is emphasized in the protocol. Also discussed in detail is the identification, removal, and/or analysis of inhomogeneous regions of the membrane that appear as bright spots. The 2D FIF approach is particularly suited to assess the effects of agonists and antagonists on the oligomeric size of membrane receptors of interest. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Preparation of live cells expressing protein constructs Basic Protocol 2: Image acquisition and noise correction Basic Protocol 3: Drawing and segmenting regions of interest Basic Protocol 4: Calculating the molecular brightness and concentration of individual image segments Basic Protocol 5: Combining data subsets using a manual procedure (Optional) Alternate Protocol 1: Combining data subsets using the advanced FIF spectrometry suite (Optional; alternative to Basic Protocol 5) Basic Protocol 6: Performing meta-analysis of brightness spectrograms Alternate Protocol 2: Performing meta-analysis of brightness spectrograms (alternative to Basic Protocol 6) Basic Protocol 7: Spot extraction and analysis using a manual procedure or by writing a program (Optional) Alternate Protocol 3: Automated spot extraction and analysis (Optional; alternative to Protocol 7) Support Protocol: Monomeric brightness determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom D Killeen
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Sadia Rahman
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Dammar N Badu
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Gabriel Biener
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Michael R Stoneman
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Valerică Raicu
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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8
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Joseph MD, Tomas Bort E, Grose RP, McCormick PJ, Simoncelli S. Quantitative Super-Resolution Imaging for the Analysis of GPCR Oligomerization. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11101503. [PMID: 34680136 PMCID: PMC8533726 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are known to form homo- and hetero- oligomers which are considered critical to modulate their function. However, studying the existence and functional implication of these complexes is not straightforward as controversial results are obtained depending on the method of analysis employed. Here, we use a quantitative single molecule super-resolution imaging technique named qPAINT to quantify complex formation within an example GPCR. qPAINT, based upon DNA-PAINT, takes advantage of the binding kinetics between fluorescently labelled DNA imager strands to complementary DNA docking strands coupled to protein targeting antibodies to quantify the protein copy number in nanoscale dimensions. We demonstrate qPAINT analysis via a novel pipeline to study the oligomerization of the purinergic receptor Y2 (P2Y2), a rhodopsin-like GPCR, highly expressed in the pancreatic cancer cell line AsPC-1, under control, agonistic and antagonistic conditions. Results reveal that whilst the density of P2Y2 receptors remained unchanged, antagonistic conditions displayed reduced percentage of oligomers, and smaller numbers of receptors in complexes. Yet, the oligomeric state of the receptors was not affected by agonist treatment, in line with previous reports. Understanding P2Y2 oligomerization under agonistic and antagonistic conditions will contribute to unravelling P2Y2 mechanistic action and therapeutic targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan D. Joseph
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London WC1H 0AH, UK;
| | - Elena Tomas Bort
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (E.T.B.); (R.P.G.)
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK;
| | - Richard P. Grose
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (E.T.B.); (R.P.G.)
| | - Peter J. McCormick
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK;
| | - Sabrina Simoncelli
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London WC1H 0AH, UK;
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
- Correspondence:
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9
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Biener G, Stoneman MR, Raicu V. Fluorescence intensity fluctuation analysis of receptor oligomerization in membrane domains. Biophys J 2021; 120:3028-3039. [PMID: 34214533 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence micrographs of the plasma membrane of cells expressing fluorescently labeled G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) often exhibit small clusters of pixels (or puncta) with intensities that are higher than those of the surrounding pixels. Although studies of GPCR interactions in uniform membrane areas abound, understanding the details of the GPCR interactions within such puncta as well as the nature of the membrane formations underlying the puncta is hampered by the lack of adequate experimental techniques. Here, we introduce an enhancement of a recently developed method termed fluorescence intensity fluctuation spectrometry, which permits analysis of protein-protein interactions within the puncta in live cell membranes. We applied the novel fluorescence intensity fluctuation data analysis protocol to previously published data from cells expressing human secretin receptors and determined that the oligomer size increases with receptor concentration and duration of treatment with cognate ligand, not only within uniform regions of the membrane (in agreement with previous publications) but also within the puncta. In addition, we found that the number density and fractional area of the puncta increased after treatment with ligand. This method could be applied for probing the evolution in the time of the chain of events that begins with ligand binding and continues with coated pits formation and receptor internalization for other GPCRs and, indeed, other membrane receptors in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Biener
- Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Michael R Stoneman
- Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Valerică Raicu
- Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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10
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Wirth D, McCall A, Hristova K. Neural network strategies for plasma membrane selection in fluorescence microscopy images. Biophys J 2021; 120:2374-2385. [PMID: 33961865 PMCID: PMC8390876 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been an explosion of fluorescence microscopy studies of live cells in the literature. The analysis of the images obtained in these studies often requires labor-intensive manual annotation to extract meaningful information. In this study, we explore the utility of a neural network approach to recognize, classify, and select plasma membranes in high-resolution images, thus greatly speeding up data analysis and reducing the need for personnel training for highly repetitive tasks. Two different strategies are tested: 1) a semantic segmentation strategy, and 2) a sequential application of an object detector followed by a semantic segmentation network. Multiple network architectures are evaluated for each strategy, and the best performing solutions are combined and implemented in the Recognition Of Cellular Membranes software. We show that images annotated manually and with the Recognition Of Cellular Membranes software yield identical results by comparing Förster resonance energy transfer binding curves for the membrane protein fibroblast growth factor receptor 3. The approach that we describe in this work can be applied to other image selection tasks in cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Wirth
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alec McCall
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
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11
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Blunck R. Determining stoichiometry of ion channel complexes using single subunit counting. Methods Enzymol 2021; 653:377-404. [PMID: 34099180 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2022]
Abstract
Most membrane proteins, and ion channels in particular, assemble to multimeric biological complexes. This starts with the quarternary structure and continues with the recruitment of auxiliary subunits and oligomerization or clustering of the complexes. While the quarternary structure is best determined by atomic-scale structures, stoichiometry of heteromers and dynamic changes in the assembly cannot necessarily be investigated with structural methods. Here, single subunit counting has proven a powerful method to study the composition of these complexes. Single subunit counting uses the irreversible photodestruction of fluorescent tags as means to directly count a labeled subunit and thereby derive the composition of the assemblies. In this chapter, we discuss single subunit counting and its limitations. We present alternative methods and provide a detailed protocol for recording and analysis of single subunit counting data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikard Blunck
- Department of Physics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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12
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Paul MD, Rainwater R, Zuo Y, Gu L, Hristova K. Probing Membrane Protein Association Using Concentration‐Dependent Number and Brightness. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202010049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Paul
- Program in Molecular Biophysics Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
| | - Randall Rainwater
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
| | - Yi Zuo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
| | - Luo Gu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
- Program in Molecular Biophysics Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
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13
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Işbilir A, Serfling R, Möller J, Thomas R, De Faveri C, Zabel U, Scarselli M, Beck-Sickinger AG, Bock A, Coin I, Lohse MJ, Annibale P. Determination of G-protein-coupled receptor oligomerization by molecular brightness analyses in single cells. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:1419-1451. [PMID: 33514946 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-00458-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Oligomerization of membrane proteins has received intense research interest because of their importance in cellular signaling and the large pharmacological and clinical potential this offers. Fluorescence imaging methods are emerging as a valid tool to quantify membrane protein oligomerization at high spatial and temporal resolution. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for an image-based method to determine the number and oligomerization state of fluorescently labeled prototypical G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) on the basis of small out-of-equilibrium fluctuations in fluorescence (i.e., molecular brightness) in single cells. The protocol provides a step-by-step procedure that includes instructions for (i) a flexible labeling strategy for the protein of interest (using fluorescent proteins, small self-labeling tags or bio-orthogonal labeling) and the appropriate controls, (ii) performing temporal and spatial brightness image acquisition on a confocal microscope and (iii) analyzing and interpreting the data, excluding clusters and intensity hot-spots commonly observed in receptor distributions. Although specifically tailored for GPCRs, this protocol can be applied to diverse classes of membrane proteins of interest. The complete protocol can be implemented in 1 month.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Işbilir
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robert Serfling
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jan Möller
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Romy Thomas
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chiara De Faveri
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Zabel
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marco Scarselli
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Andreas Bock
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Irene Coin
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin J Lohse
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany. .,Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. .,ISAR Bioscience Institute, Munich, Germany.
| | - Paolo Annibale
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
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14
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Paul MD, Rainwater R, Zuo Y, Gu L, Hristova K. Probing Membrane Protein Association Using Concentration-Dependent Number and Brightness. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:6503-6508. [PMID: 33351993 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202010049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
We introduce concentration-dependent number and brightness (cdN&B), a fluorescence fluctuation technique that can be implemented on a standard confocal microscope and can report on the thermodynamics of membrane protein association in the native plasma membrane. It uses transient transfection to enable measurements of oligomer size as a function of receptor concentration over a broad range, yielding the association constant. We discuss artifacts in cdN&B that are concentration-dependent and can distort the oligomerization curves, and we outline procedures that can correct for them. Using cdN&B, we characterize the association of neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a protein that plays a critical role in the development of the embryonic cardiovascular and nervous systems. We show that NRP1 associates into a tetramer in a concentration-dependent manner, and we quantify the strength of the association. This work demonstrates the utility of cdN&B as a powerful tool in biophysical chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Paul
- Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Randall Rainwater
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Yi Zuo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Luo Gu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.,Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
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15
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Advanced fluorescence microscopy reveals disruption of dynamic CXCR4 dimerization by subpocket-specific inverse agonists. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:29144-29154. [PMID: 33148803 PMCID: PMC7682396 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2013319117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Class A G protein−coupled receptors (GPCRs) can form dimers and oligomers via poorly understood mechanisms. We show here that the chemokine receptor CXCR4, which is a major pharmacological target, has an oligomerization behavior modulated by its active conformation. Combining advanced, single-molecule, and single-cell optical tools with functional assays and computational approaches, we unveil three key features of CXCR4 quaternary organization: CXCR4 dimerization 1) is dynamic, 2) increases with receptor expression level, and 3) can be disrupted by stabilizing an inactive receptor conformation. Ligand binding motifs reveal a ligand binding subpocket essential to modulate both CXCR4 basal activity and dimerization. This is relevant to develop new strategies to design CXCR4-targeting drugs. Although class A G protein−coupled receptors (GPCRs) can function as monomers, many of them form dimers and oligomers, but the mechanisms and functional relevance of such oligomerization is ill understood. Here, we investigate this problem for the CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), a GPCR that regulates immune and hematopoietic cell trafficking, and a major drug target in cancer therapy. We combine single-molecule microscopy and fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy to investigate CXCR4 membrane organization in living cells at densities ranging from a few molecules to hundreds of molecules per square micrometer of the plasma membrane. We observe that CXCR4 forms dynamic, transient homodimers, and that the monomer−dimer equilibrium is governed by receptor density. CXCR4 inverse agonists that bind to the receptor minor pocket inhibit CXCR4 constitutive activity and abolish receptor dimerization. A mutation in the minor binding pocket reduced the dimer-disrupting ability of these ligands. In addition, mutating critical residues in the sixth transmembrane helix of CXCR4 markedly diminished both basal activity and dimerization, supporting the notion that CXCR4 basal activity is required for dimer formation. Together, these results link CXCR4 dimerization to its density and to its activity. They further suggest that inverse agonists binding to the minor pocket suppress both dimerization and constitutive activity and may represent a specific strategy to target CXCR4.
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16
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Stoichiometric analysis of protein complexes by cell fusion and single molecule imaging. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14866. [PMID: 32913201 PMCID: PMC7483473 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71630-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition, stoichiometry and interactions of supramolecular protein complexes are a critical determinant of biological function. Several techniques have been developed to study molecular interactions and quantify subunit stoichiometry at the single molecule level. However, these typically require artificially low expression levels or detergent isolation to achieve the low fluorophore concentrations required for single molecule imaging, both of which may bias native subunit interactions. Here we present an alternative approach where protein complexes are assembled at physiological concentrations and subsequently diluted in situ for single-molecule level observations while preserving them in a near-native cellular environment. We show that coupling this dilution strategy with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy permits quantitative assessment of cytoplasmic oligomerization, while stepwise photobleaching and single molecule colocalization may be used to study the subunit stoichiometry of membrane receptors. Single protein recovery after dilution (SPReAD) is a simple and versatile means of extending the concentration range of single molecule measurements into the cellular regime while minimizing potential artifacts and perturbations of protein complex stoichiometry.
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17
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Ferrini F, Perez-Sanchez J, Ferland S, Lorenzo LE, Godin AG, Plasencia-Fernandez I, Cottet M, Castonguay A, Wang F, Salio C, Doyon N, Merighi A, De Koninck Y. Differential chloride homeostasis in the spinal dorsal horn locally shapes synaptic metaplasticity and modality-specific sensitization. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3935. [PMID: 32769979 PMCID: PMC7414850 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17824-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
GABAA/glycine-mediated neuronal inhibition critically depends on intracellular chloride (Cl-) concentration which is mainly regulated by the K+-Cl- co-transporter 2 (KCC2) in the adult central nervous system (CNS). KCC2 heterogeneity thus affects information processing across CNS areas. Here, we uncover a gradient in Cl- extrusion capacity across the superficial dorsal horn (SDH) of the spinal cord (laminae I-II: LI-LII), which remains concealed under low Cl- load. Under high Cl- load or heightened synaptic drive, lower Cl- extrusion is unveiled in LI, as expected from the gradient in KCC2 expression found across the SDH. Blocking TrkB receptors increases KCC2 in LI, pointing to differential constitutive TrkB activation across laminae. Higher Cl- lability in LI results in rapidly collapsing inhibition, and a form of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity expressed as a continuous facilitation of excitatory responses. The higher metaplasticity in LI as compared to LII differentially affects sensitization to thermal and mechanical input. Thus, inconspicuous heterogeneity of Cl- extrusion across laminae critically shapes plasticity for selective nociceptive modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ferrini
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
| | - Jimena Perez-Sanchez
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Samuel Ferland
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | | | - Antoine G Godin
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Isabel Plasencia-Fernandez
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Feng Wang
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Chiara Salio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Nicolas Doyon
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Adalberto Merighi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Yves De Koninck
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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18
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Stoneman MR, Biener G, Raicu V. Proposal for simultaneous analysis of fluorescence intensity fluctuations and resonance energy transfer (IFRET) measurements. Methods Appl Fluoresc 2020; 8:035011. [DOI: 10.1088/2050-6120/ab9b68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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19
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Lorenzo LE, Godin AG, Ferrini F, Bachand K, Plasencia-Fernandez I, Labrecque S, Girard AA, Boudreau D, Kianicka I, Gagnon M, Doyon N, Ribeiro-da-Silva A, De Koninck Y. Enhancing neuronal chloride extrusion rescues α2/α3 GABA A-mediated analgesia in neuropathic pain. Nat Commun 2020; 11:869. [PMID: 32054836 PMCID: PMC7018745 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14154-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal disinhibition has been hypothesized to underlie pain hypersensitivity in neuropathic pain. Apparently contradictory mechanisms have been reported, raising questions on the best target to produce analgesia. Here, we show that nerve injury is associated with a reduction in the number of inhibitory synapses in the spinal dorsal horn. Paradoxically, this is accompanied by a BDNF-TrkB-mediated upregulation of synaptic GABAARs and by an α1-to-α2GABAAR subunit switch, providing a mechanistic rationale for the analgesic action of the α2,3GABAAR benzodiazepine-site ligand L838,417 after nerve injury. Yet, we demonstrate that impaired Cl- extrusion underlies the failure of L838,417 to induce analgesia at high doses due to a resulting collapse in Cl- gradient, dramatically limiting the benzodiazepine therapeutic window. In turn, enhancing KCC2 activity not only potentiated L838,417-induced analgesia, it rescued its analgesic potential at high doses, revealing a novel strategy for analgesia in pathological pain, by combined targeting of the appropriate GABAAR-subtypes and restoring Cl- homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis-Etienne Lorenzo
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Antoine G Godin
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Francesco Ferrini
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Karine Bachand
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Isabel Plasencia-Fernandez
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Simon Labrecque
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre A Girard
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
- Ecole Polytechnique, IP Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Dominic Boudreau
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Irenej Kianicka
- Chlorion Pharma, Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Laurent Pharmaceuticals Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Gagnon
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre for Innovation, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Nicolas Doyon
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada
- Finite Element Interdisciplinary Research Group (GIREF), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Alfredo Ribeiro-da-Silva
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yves De Koninck
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Quebec Mental Health Institute, Québec, QC, Canada.
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
- Graduate program in Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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20
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Spatial heterogeneity in molecular brightness. Nat Methods 2020; 17:273-275. [PMID: 32042187 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-020-0732-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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21
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Stoneman MR, Biener G, Raicu V. Reply to: Spatial heterogeneity in molecular brightness. Nat Methods 2020; 17:276-278. [DOI: 10.1038/s41592-020-0735-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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22
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Petazzi RA, Aji AK, Chiantia S. Fluorescence microscopy methods for the study of protein oligomerization. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 169:1-41. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2019.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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23
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Scales N, Swain PS. Resolving fluorescent species by their brightness and diffusion using correlated photon-counting histograms. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226063. [PMID: 31887113 PMCID: PMC6936799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) refers to techniques that analyze fluctuations in the fluorescence emitted by fluorophores diffusing in a small volume and can be used to distinguish between populations of molecules that exhibit differences in brightness or diffusion. For example, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) resolves species through their diffusion by analyzing correlations in the fluorescence over time; photon counting histograms (PCH) and related methods based on moment analysis resolve species through their brightness by analyzing fluctuations in the photon counts. Here we introduce correlated photon counting histograms (cPCH), which uses both types of information to simultaneously resolve fluorescent species by their brightness and diffusion. We define the cPCH distribution by the probability to detect both a particular number of photons at the current time and another number at a later time. FCS and moment analysis are special cases of the moments of the cPCH distribution, and PCH is obtained by summing over the photon counts in either channel. cPCH is inherently a dual channel technique, and the expressions we develop apply to the dual colour case. Using simulations, we demonstrate that two species differing in both their diffusion and brightness can be better resolved with cPCH than with either FCS or PCH. Further, we show that cPCH can be extended both to longer dwell times to improve the signal-to-noise and to the analysis of images. By better exploiting the information available in fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy, cPCH will be an enabling methodology for quantitative biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Scales
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Peter S. Swain
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
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24
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Two-Color Spatial Cumulant Analysis Detects Heteromeric Interactions between Membrane Proteins. Biophys J 2019; 117:1764-1777. [PMID: 31606123 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy can be used to measure the aggregation of fluorescently labeled molecules and is typically performed using time series data. Spatial intensity distribution analysis and fluorescence moment image analysis are established tools for measuring molecular brightnesses from single-color images collected with laser scanning microscopes. We have extended these tools for analysis of two-color images to resolve heteromeric interactions between molecules labeled with spectrally distinct chromophores. We call these new methods two-color spatial intensity distribution analysis and two-color spatial cumulant analysis (2c-SpCA). To implement these techniques on a hyperspectral imaging system, we developed a spectral shift filtering technique to remove artifacts due to intrinsic cross talk between detector bins. We determined that 2c-SpCA provides better resolution from samples containing multiple fluorescent species; hence, this technique was carried forward to study images of living cells. We used fluorescent heterodimers labeled with enhanced green fluorescent protein and mApple to quantify the effects of resonance energy transfer and incomplete maturation of mApple on brightness measurements. We show that 2c-SpCA can detect the interaction between two components of trimeric G-protein complexes. Thus, 2c-SpCA presents a robust and computationally expedient means of measuring heteromeric interactions in cellular environments.
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25
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Serfling R, Seidel L, Bock A, Lohse MJ, Annibale P, Coin I. Quantitative Single-Residue Bioorthogonal Labeling of G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Live Cells. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:1141-1149. [PMID: 31074969 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b01115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
High-end microscopy studies of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) require installing onto the receptors bright and photostable dyes. Labeling must occur in quantitative yields, to allow stoichiometric data analysis, and in a minimally invasive fashion, to avoid perturbing GPCR function. We demonstrate here that the genetic incorporation of trans-cyclooct-2-ene lysine (TCO*) allows achieving quantitative single-residue labeling of the extracellular loops of the β2-adrenergic and the muscarinic M2 class A GPCRs, as well as of the corticotropin releasing factor class B GPCR. Labeling occurs within a few minutes by reaction with dye-tetrazine conjugates on the surface of live cells and preserves the functionality of the receptors. To precisely quantify the labeling yields, we devise a method based on fluorescence fluctuation microscopy that extracts the number of labeling sites at the single-cell level. Further, we show that single-residue labeling is better suited for studies of GPCR diffusion than fluorescent-protein tags, since the latter can affect the mobility of the receptor. Finally, by performing dual-color competitive labeling on a single TCO* site, we devise a method to estimate the oligomerization state of a GPCR without the need for a biological monomeric reference, which facilitates the application of fluorescence methods to oligomerization studies. As TCO* and the dye-tetrazines used in this study are commercially available and the described microscopy techniques can be performed on a commercial microscope, we expect our approach to be widely applicable to fluorescence microscopy studies of membrane proteins in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Serfling
- University of Leipzig, Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lisa Seidel
- University of Leipzig, Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Bock
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin J. Lohse
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paolo Annibale
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Irene Coin
- University of Leipzig, Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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26
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A general method to quantify ligand-driven oligomerization from fluorescence-based images. Nat Methods 2019; 16:493-496. [PMID: 31110281 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-019-0408-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Here, we introduce fluorescence intensity fluctuation spectrometry for determining the identity, abundance and stability of protein oligomers. This approach was tested on monomers and oligomers of known sizes and was used to uncover the oligomeric states of the epidermal growth factor receptor and the secretin receptor in the presence and absence of their agonist ligands. This method is fast and is scalable for high-throughput screening of drugs targeting protein-protein interactions.
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27
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Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) play important roles in cell growth, motility, differentiation, and survival. These single-pass membrane proteins are grouped into subfamilies based on the similarity of their extracellular domains. They are generally thought to be activated by ligand binding, which promotes homodimerization and then autophosphorylation in trans. However, RTK interactions are more complicated, as RTKs can interact in the absence of ligand and heterodimerize within and across subfamilies. Here, we review the known cross-subfamily RTK heterointeractions and their possible biological implications, as well as the methodologies which have been used to study them. Moreover, we demonstrate how thermodynamic models can be used to study RTKs and to explain many of the complicated biological effects which have been described in the literature. Finally, we discuss the concept of the RTK interactome: a putative, extensive network of interactions between the RTKs. This RTK interactome can produce unique signaling outputs; can amplify, inhibit, and modify signaling; and can allow for signaling backups. The existence of the RTK interactome could provide an explanation for the irreproducibility of experimental data from different studies and for the failure of some RTK inhibitors to produce the desired therapeutic effects. We argue that a deeper knowledge of RTK interactome thermodynamics can lead to a better understanding of fundamental RTK signaling processes in health and disease. We further argue that there is a need for quantitative, thermodynamic studies that probe the strengths of the interactions between RTKs and their ligands and between different RTKs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Paul
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD 21218
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and Program in Molecular Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD 21218
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28
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Raicu V. Ab Initio Derivation of the FRET Equations Resolves Old Puzzles and Suggests Measurement Strategies. Biophys J 2019; 116:1313-1327. [PMID: 30885378 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitative imaging methods based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) rely on the determination of an apparent FRET efficiency (Eapp), as well as donor and acceptor concentrations, to uncover the identity and relative abundance of the supramolecular (or quaternary) structures of associating macromolecules. Theoretical work has provided "structure-based" relationships between Eapp distributions and the quaternary structure models that underlie them. By contrast, the body of work that predicates the "signal-based" dependence of Eapp on directly measurable quantities (i.e., fluorescence emission of donors and acceptors) relies largely on plausibility arguments, one of which is the seemingly obvious assumption that the fraction of fluorescent molecules in the ground state pretty nearly equals the total concentration of molecules. In this work, we use the kinetic models of fluorescence in the presence and absence of FRET to rigorously derive useful relationships between Eapp and measurable fluorescence signals. Analysis of these relationships reveals a few anticipated results and some unexpected explanations for known experimental FRET puzzles, and it provides theoretical foundations for optimizing measurement strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerica Raicu
- Physics Department and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Li Y, Shivnaraine RV, Huang F, Wells JW, Gradinaru CC. Ligand-Induced Coupling between Oligomers of the M 2 Receptor and the G i1 Protein in Live Cells. Biophys J 2018; 115:881-895. [PMID: 30131171 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncertainty over the mechanism of signaling via G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) relates in part to questions regarding their supramolecular structure. GPCRs and heterotrimeric G proteins are known to couple as monomers under various conditions. Many GPCRs form oligomers under many of the same conditions, however, and the biological role of those complexes is unclear. We have used dual-color fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to identify oligomers of the M2 muscarinic receptor and of Gi1 in purified preparations and live Chinese hamster ovary cells. Measurements on differently tagged receptors (i.e., eGFP-M2 and mCherry-M2) and G proteins (i.e., eGFP-Gαi1β1γ2 and mCherry-Gαi1β1γ2) detected significant cross-correlations between the two fluorophores in each case, both in detergent micelles and in live cells, indicating that both the receptor and Gi1 can exist as homo-oligomers. Oligomerization of differently tagged Gi1 decreased upon the activation of co-expressed wild-type M2 receptor by an agonist. Measurements on a tagged M2 receptor (M2-mCherry) and eGFP-Gαi1β1γ2 co-expressed in live cells detected cross-correlations only in the presence of an agonist, which therefore promoted coupling of the receptor and the G protein. The effect of the agonist was retained when a fluorophore-tagged receptor lacking the orthosteric site (i.e., M2(D103A)-mCherry) was co-expressed with the wild-type receptor and eGFP-Gαi1β1γ2, indicating that the ligand acted via an oligomeric receptor. Our results point to a model in which an agonist promotes transient coupling of otherwise independent oligomers of the M2 receptor on the one hand and of Gi1 on the other and that an activated complex leads to a reduction in the oligomeric size of the G protein. They suggest that GPCR-mediated signaling proceeds, at least in part, via oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchong Li
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rabindra V Shivnaraine
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fei Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James W Wells
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claudiu C Gradinaru
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
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Fortin GM, Ducrot C, Giguère N, Kouwenhoven WM, Bourque MJ, Pacelli C, Varaschin RK, Brill M, Singh S, Wiseman PW, Trudeau LÉ. Segregation of dopamine and glutamate release sites in dopamine neuron axons: regulation by striatal target cells. FASEB J 2018; 33:400-417. [PMID: 30011230 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201800713rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) is a key regulator of circuits controlling movement and motivation. A subset of midbrain DA neurons has been shown to express the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT)2, underlying their capacity for glutamate release. Glutamate release is found mainly by DA neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and can be detected at terminals contacting ventral, but not dorsal, striatal neurons, suggesting the possibility that target-derived signals regulate the neurotransmitter phenotype of DA neurons. Whether glutamate can be released from the same terminals that release DA or from a special subset of axon terminals is unclear. Here, we provide in vitro and in vivo data supporting the hypothesis that DA and glutamate-releasing terminals in mice are mostly segregated and that striatal neurons regulate the cophenotype of midbrain DA neurons and the segregation of release sites. Our work unveils a fundamental feature of dual neurotransmission and plasticity of the DA system.-Fortin, G. M., Ducrot, C., Giguère, N., Kouwenhoven, W. M., Bourque, M.-J., Pacelli, C., Varaschin, R. K., Brill, M., Singh, S., Wiseman, P. W., Trudeau, L.-E. Segregation of dopamine and glutamate release sites in dopamine neuron axons: regulation by striatal target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume M Fortin
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Charles Ducrot
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nicolas Giguère
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Marie-Josée Bourque
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Consiglia Pacelli
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Marion Brill
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sherdeep Singh
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and
| | - Paul W Wiseman
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and
| | - Louis-Éric Trudeau
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
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31
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Clayton AH. Fluorescence-based approaches for monitoring membrane receptor oligomerization. J Biosci 2018; 43:463-469. [PMID: 30002266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Membrane protein structures are highly under-represented relative to water-soluble protein structures in the protein databank. This is especially the case because membrane proteins represent more than 30% of proteins encoded in the human genome yet contribute to less than 10% of currently known structures (Torres et al. in Trends Biol Sci 28:137-144, 2003). Obtaining high-resolution structures of membrane proteins by traditional methods such as NMR and x-ray crystallography is challenging, because membrane proteins are difficult to solubilise, purify and crystallize. Consequently, development of methods to examine protein structure in situ is highly desirable. Fluorescence is highly sensitive to protein structure and dynamics (Lakowicz in Principles of fluorescence spectroscopy, Springer, New York, 2007). This is mainly because of the time a fluorescence probe molecule spends in the excited state. Judicious choice and placement of fluorescent molecule(s) within a protein(s) enables the experimentalist to obtain information at a specific site(s) in the protein (complex) of interest. Moreover, the inherent multi-dimensional nature of fluorescence signals across wavelength, orientation, space and time enables the design of experiments that give direct information on protein structure and dynamics in a biological setting. The purpose of this review is to introduce the reader to approaches to determine oligomeric state or quaternary structure at the cell membrane surface with the ultimate goal of linking the oligomeric state to the biological function. In the first section, we present a brief overview of available methods for determining oligomeric state and compare their advantages and disadvantages. In the second section, we highlight some of the methods developed in our laboratory to address contemporary questions in membrane protein oligomerization. In the third section, we outline our approach to determine the link between protein oligomerization and biological activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Ha Clayton
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, Centre for Micro-Photonics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia,
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32
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Fluorescence-based approaches for monitoring membrane receptor oligomerization. J Biosci 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-018-9762-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Marsango S, Ward RJ, Alvarez-Curto E, Milligan G. Muscarinic receptor oligomerization. Neuropharmacology 2018; 136:401-410. [PMID: 29146505 PMCID: PMC6078712 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been classically described as monomeric entities that function by binding in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio to both ligand and downstream signalling proteins. However, in recent years, a growing number of studies has supported the hypothesis that these receptors can interact to form dimers and higher order oligomers although the molecular basis for these interactions, the overall quaternary arrangements and the functional importance of GPCR oligomerization remain topics of intense speculation. Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors belong to class A of the GPCR family. Each muscarinic receptor subtype has its own particular distribution throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. In the central nervous system, muscarinic receptors regulate several sensory, cognitive, and motor functions while, in the peripheral nervous system, they are involved in the regulation of heart rate, stimulation of glandular secretion and smooth muscle contraction. Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors have long been used as a model for the study of GPCR structure and function and to address aspects of GPCR dimerization using a broad range of approaches. In this review, the prevailing knowledge regarding the quaternary arrangement for the various muscarinic acetylcholine receptors has been summarized by discussing work ranging from initial results obtained using more traditional biochemical approaches to those generated with more modern biophysical techniques. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Neuropharmacology on Muscarinic Receptors'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Marsango
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK.
| | - Richard J Ward
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK.
| | - Elisa Alvarez-Curto
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
| | - Graeme Milligan
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
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Raicu V. Extraction of information on macromolecular interactions from fluorescence micro-spectroscopy measurements in the presence and absence of FRET. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2018; 199:340-348. [PMID: 29631099 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2018.03.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Investigations of static or dynamic interactions between proteins or other biological macromolecules in living cells often rely on the use of fluorescent tags with two different colors in conjunction with adequate theoretical descriptions of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) and molecular-level micro-spectroscopic technology. One such method based on these general principles is FRET spectrometry, which allows determination of the quaternary structure of biomolecules from cell-level images of the distributions, or spectra of occurrence frequency of FRET efficiencies. Subsequent refinements allowed combining FRET frequency spectra with molecular concentration information, thereby providing the proportion of molecular complexes with various quaternary structures as well as their binding/dissociation energies. In this paper, we build on the mathematical principles underlying FRET spectrometry to propose two new spectrometric methods, which have distinct advantages compared to other methods. One of these methods relies on statistical analysis of color mixing in subpopulations of fluorescently tagged molecules to probe molecular association stoichiometry, while the other exploits the color shift induced by FRET to also derive geometric information in addition to stoichiometry. The appeal of the first method stems from its sheer simplicity, while the strength of the second consists in its ability to provide structural information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerică Raicu
- Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States of America.
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35
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Xue Y, Xing J, Wan Y, Lv X, Fan L, Zhang Y, Song K, Wang L, Wang X, Deng X, Baluška F, Christie JM, Lin J. Arabidopsis Blue Light Receptor Phototropin 1 Undergoes Blue Light-Induced Activation in Membrane Microdomains. MOLECULAR PLANT 2018; 11:846-859. [PMID: 29689384 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Phototropin (phot)-mediated signaling initiated by blue light (BL) plays a critical role in optimizing photosynthetic light capture at the plasma membrane (PM) in plants. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of phot activity at the PM in response to BL remain largely unclear. In this study, by single-particle tracking and stepwise photobleaching analysis of phot1-GFP proteins we demonstrated that in the dark phot1 proteins remain in an inactive state and mostly exist as monomers. Dimerization and the diffusion rate of phot1-GFP increased in a dose-dependent manner in response to BL. In contrast, BL did not affect the lateral diffusion of kinase-inactive phot1D806N-GFP but did enhance its dimerization, suggesting that phot1 dimerization is independent of phosphorylation. Förster resonance energy transfer-fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy analysis revealed that the interaction between phot1-GFP and a marker of sterol-rich lipid environments, AtRem1.3-mCherry, was enhanced with increased time of BL treatment. However, this BL-dependent interaction was not obvious in plants co-expressing phot1D806N-GFP and AtRem1.3-mCherry, indicating that BL facilitates the translocation of functional phot1-GFP into AtRem1.3-labeled microdomains to activate phot-mediated signaling. Conversely, sterol depletion attenuated phot1-GFP dynamics, dimerization, and phosphorylation. Taken together, these results indicate that membrane microdomains act as organizing platforms essential for the proper function of activated phot1 at the PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Xue
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingjing Xing
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yinglang Wan
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xueqin Lv
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Lusheng Fan
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Yongdeng Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kai Song
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Wang
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xin Deng
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - František Baluška
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Botany, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - John M Christie
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Jinxing Lin
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
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36
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Wang L, Xue Y, Xing J, Song K, Lin J. Exploring the Spatiotemporal Organization of Membrane Proteins in Living Plant Cells. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 69:525-551. [PMID: 29489393 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-042817-040233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Plasma membrane proteins have important roles in transport and signal transduction. Deciphering the spatiotemporal organization of these proteins provides crucial information for elucidating the links between the behaviors of different molecules. However, monitoring membrane proteins without disrupting their membrane environment remains difficult. Over the past decade, many studies have developed single-molecule techniques, opening avenues for probing the stoichiometry and interactions of membrane proteins in their native environment by providing nanometer-scale spatial information and nanosecond-scale temporal information. In this review, we assess recent progress in the development of labeling and imaging technology for membrane protein analysis. We focus in particular on several single-molecule techniques for quantifying the dynamics and assembly of membrane proteins. Finally, we provide examples of how these new techniques are advancing our understanding of the complex biological functions of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China;
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Yiqun Xue
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Jingjing Xing
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Kai Song
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Jinxing Lin
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China;
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
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37
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Papini C, Royer CA. Scanning number and brightness yields absolute protein concentrations in live cells: a crucial parameter controlling functional bio-molecular interaction networks. Biophys Rev 2018; 10:87-96. [PMID: 29383593 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-017-0394-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological function results from properly timed bio-molecular interactions that transduce external or internal signals, resulting in any number of cellular fates, including triggering of cell-state transitions (division, differentiation, transformation, apoptosis), metabolic homeostasis and adjustment to changing physical or nutritional environments, amongst many more. These bio-molecular interactions can be modulated by chemical modifications of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and other small molecules. They can result in bio-molecular transport from one cellular compartment to the other and often trigger specific enzyme activities involved in bio-molecular synthesis, modification or degradation. Clearly, a mechanistic understanding of any given high level biological function requires a quantitative characterization of the principal bio-molecular interactions involved and how these may change dynamically. Such information can be obtained using fluctation analysis, in particular scanning number and brightness, and used to build and test mechanistic models of the functional network to define which characteristics are the most important for its regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Papini
- Program in Biochemistry and Biophysics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Catherine A Royer
- Program in Biochemistry and Biophysics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
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38
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Briddon SJ, Kilpatrick LE, Hill SJ. Studying GPCR Pharmacology in Membrane Microdomains: Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy Comes of Age. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2017; 39:158-174. [PMID: 29277246 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are organised within the cell membrane into highly ordered macromolecular complexes along with other receptors and signalling proteins. Understanding how heterogeneity in these complexes affects the pharmacology and functional response of these receptors is crucial for developing new and more selective ligands. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and related techniques such as photon counting histogram (PCH) analysis and image-based FCS can be used to interrogate the properties of GPCRs in these membrane microdomains, as well as their interaction with fluorescent ligands. FCS analyses fluorescence fluctuations within a small-defined excitation volume to yield information about their movement, concentration and molecular brightness (aggregation). These techniques can be used on live cells with single-molecule sensitivity and high spatial resolution. Once the preserve of specialist equipment, FCS techniques can now be applied using standard confocal microscopes. This review describes how FCS and related techniques have revealed novel insights into GPCR biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Briddon
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK; Centre for Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, The Midlands, UK
| | - Laura E Kilpatrick
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK; Centre for Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, The Midlands, UK
| | - Stephen J Hill
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK; Centre for Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, The Midlands, UK.
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Pediani JD, Ward RJ, Marsango S, Milligan G. Spatial Intensity Distribution Analysis: Studies of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Oligomerisation. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2017; 39:175-186. [PMID: 29032835 PMCID: PMC5783713 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Spatial intensity distribution analysis (SpIDA) is a recently developed approach for determining quaternary structure information on fluorophore-labelled proteins of interest in situ. It can be applied to live or fixed cells and native tissue. Using confocal images, SpIDA generates fluorescence intensity histograms that are analysed by super-Poissonian distribution functions to obtain density and quantal brightness values of the fluorophore-labelled protein of interest. This allows both expression level and oligomerisation state of the protein to be determined. We describe the application of SpIDA to investigate the oligomeric state of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) at steady state and following cellular challenge, and consider how SpIDA may be used to explore GPCR quaternary organisation in pathophysiology and to stratify medicines. GPCRs may exist and function as monomers: however, abundant evidence suggests they can form dimers/oligomers. This concept has implications for drug discovery as it may offer opportunities to modulate the effects of known pharmaceuticals or identify new drug therapies. A variety of approaches have been applied to this issue from traditional biochemical techniques, via resonance energy transfer approaches to recently developed image analysis-based techniques such as SpIDA. This uses mathematical analysis of confocal microscopy images to generate quantal brightness and density information for a fluorophore-tagged receptor. SpIDA can be applied to live or fixed cells and native tissue. SpIDA has been applied to GPCRs from each of the major subfamilies to explore their oligomerisation status at steady state and their regulation by receptor density and ligand binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Pediani
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Richard J Ward
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Sara Marsango
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Graeme Milligan
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
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40
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Song K, Xue Y, Wang X, Wan Y, Deng X, Lin J. A modified GFP facilitates counting membrane protein subunits by step-wise photobleaching in Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 213:129-133. [PMID: 28380405 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Membrane proteins exert functions by forming oligomers or molecular complexes. Currently, step-wise photobleaching has been applied to count the fluorescently labelled subunits in plant cells, for which an accurate and reliable control is required to distinguish individual subunits and define the basal fluorescence. However, the common procedure using immobilized GFP molecules is obviously not applicable for analysis in living plant cells. Using the spatial intensity distribution analysis (SpIDA), we found that the A206K mutation reduced the dimerization of GFP molecules. Further ectopic expression of Myristoyl-GFPA206K driven by the endogenous AtCLC2 promoter allowed imaging of individual molecules at a low expression level. As a result, the percentage of dimers in the transgenic pCLC2::Myristoyl-mGFPA206K line was significantly reduced in comparison to that of the pCLC2::Myristoyl-GFP line, confirming its application in defining the basal fluorescence intensity of GFP. Taken together, our results demonstrated that pCLC2::Myristoyl-mGFPA206K can be used as a standard control for monomer GFP, facilitating the analysis of the step-wise photobleaching of membrane proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Song
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yiqun Xue
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yinglang Wan
- College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xin Deng
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Jinxing Lin
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
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41
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Spatial intensity distribution analysis quantifies the extent and regulation of homodimerization of the secretin receptor. Biochem J 2017; 474:1879-1895. [PMID: 28424368 PMCID: PMC5442643 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20170184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that the G-protein-coupled secretin receptor is present as a homodimer, organized through symmetrical contacts in transmembrane domain IV, and that receptor dimerization is critical for high-potency signalling by secretin. However, whether all of the receptor exists in the dimeric form or if this is regulated is unclear. We used measures of quantal brightness of the secretin receptor tagged with monomeric enhanced green fluorescent protein (mEGFP) and spatial intensity distribution analysis to assess this. Calibration using cells expressing plasma membrane-anchored forms of mEGFP initially allowed us to demonstrate that the epidermal growth factor receptor is predominantly monomeric in the absence of ligand and while wild-type receptor was rapidly converted into a dimeric form by ligand, a mutated form of this receptor remained monomeric. Equivalent studies showed that, at moderate expression levels, the secretin receptor exists as a mixture of monomeric and dimeric forms, with little evidence of higher-order complexity. However, sodium butyrate-induced up-regulation of the receptor resulted in a shift from monomeric towards oligomeric organization. In contrast, a form of the secretin receptor containing a pair of mutations on the lipid-facing side of transmembrane domain IV was almost entirely monomeric. Down-regulation of the secretin receptor-interacting G-protein Gαs did not alter receptor organization, indicating that dimerization is defined specifically by direct protein–protein interactions between copies of the receptor polypeptide, while short-term treatment with secretin had no effect on organization of the wild-type receptor but increased the dimeric proportion of the mutated receptor variant.
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Marsango S, Caltabiano G, Jiménez-Rosés M, Millan MJ, Pediani JD, Ward RJ, Milligan G. A Molecular Basis for Selective Antagonist Destabilization of Dopamine D 3 Receptor Quaternary Organization. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2134. [PMID: 28522847 PMCID: PMC5437050 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02249-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) is a molecular target for both first-generation and several recently-developed antipsychotic agents. Following stable expression of this mEGFP-tagged receptor, Spatial Intensity Distribution Analysis indicated that a substantial proportion of the receptor was present within dimeric/oligomeric complexes and that increased expression levels of the receptor favored a greater dimer to monomer ratio. Addition of the antipsychotics, spiperone or haloperidol, resulted in re-organization of D3R quaternary structure to promote monomerization. This action was dependent on ligand concentration and reversed upon drug washout. By contrast, a number of other antagonists with high affinity at the D3R, did not alter the dimer/monomer ratio. Molecular dynamics simulations following docking of each of the ligands into a model of the D3R derived from the available atomic level structure, and comparisons to the receptor in the absence of ligand, were undertaken. They showed that, in contrast to the other antagonists, spiperone and haloperidol respectively increased the atomic distance between reference α carbon atoms of transmembrane domains IV and V and I and II, both of which provide key interfaces for D3R dimerization. These results offer a molecular explanation for the distinctive ability of spiperone and haloperidol to disrupt D3R dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Marsango
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK.
| | - Gianluigi Caltabiano
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Mireia Jiménez-Rosés
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Mark J Millan
- Institut de Recherches Servier, Centre for Innovation in Neuropsychiatry, 125 Chemin de Ronde, Croissy sur Seine, France, 78290
| | - John D Pediani
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
| | - Richard J Ward
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
| | - Graeme Milligan
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK.
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Methods used to study the oligomeric structure of G-protein-coupled receptors. Biosci Rep 2017; 37:BSR20160547. [PMID: 28062602 PMCID: PMC5398257 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20160547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which constitute the largest family of cell surface receptors, were originally thought to function as monomers, but are now recognized as being able to act in a wide range of oligomeric states and indeed, it is known that the oligomerization state of a GPCR can modulate its pharmacology and function. A number of experimental techniques have been devised to study GPCR oligomerization including those based upon traditional biochemistry such as blue-native PAGE (BN-PAGE), co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and protein-fragment complementation assays (PCAs), those based upon resonance energy transfer, FRET, time-resolved FRET (TR-FRET), FRET spectrometry and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Those based upon microscopy such as FRAP, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), spatial intensity distribution analysis (SpIDA) and various single molecule imaging techniques. Finally with the solution of a growing number of crystal structures, X-ray crystallography must be acknowledged as an important source of discovery in this field. A different, but in many ways complementary approach to the use of more traditional experimental techniques, are those involving computational methods that possess obvious merit in the study of the dynamics of oligomer formation and function. Here, we summarize the latest developments that have been made in the methods used to study GPCR oligomerization and give an overview of their application.
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Oreopoulos J, Gray-Owen SD, Yip CM. High Density or Urban Sprawl: What Works Best in Biology? ACS NANO 2017; 11:1131-1135. [PMID: 28112892 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.7b00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
With new approaches in imaging-from new tools or reagents to processing algorithms-come unique opportunities and challenges to our understanding of biological processes, structures, and dynamics. Although innovations in super-resolution imaging are affording novel perspectives into how molecules structurally associate and localize in response to, or in order to initiate, specific signaling events in the cell, questions arise as to how to interpret these observations in the context of biological function. Just as each neighborhood in a city has its own unique vibe, culture, and indeed density, recent work has shown that membrane receptor behavior and action is governed by their localization and association state. There is tremendous potential in developing strategies for tracking how the populations of these molecular neighborhoods change dynamically.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Oreopoulos
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto , Toronto M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Scott D Gray-Owen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto , Toronto M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Christopher M Yip
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto , Toronto M5S 3G9, Canada
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Wang F, Bélanger E, Paquet ME, Côté DC, De Koninck Y. Probing pain pathways with light. Neuroscience 2016; 338:248-271. [PMID: 27702648 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Revised: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We have witnessed an accelerated growth of photonics technologies in recent years to enable not only monitoring the activity of specific neurons, while animals are performing certain types of behavior, but also testing whether specific cells, circuits, and regions are sufficient or necessary for initiating, maintaining, or altering this or that behavior. Compared to other sensory systems, however, such as the visual or olfactory system, photonics applications in pain research are only beginning to emerge. One reason pain studies have lagged behind is that many of the techniques originally developed cannot be directly implemented to study key relay sites within pain pathways, such as the skin, dorsal root ganglia, spinal cord, and brainstem. This is due, in part, to difficulties in accessing these structures with light. Here we review a number of recent advances in design and delivery of light-sensitive molecular probes (sensors and actuators) into pain relay circuits to help decipher their structural and functional organization. We then discuss several challenges that have hampered hardware access to specific structures including light scattering, tissue movement and geometries. We review a number of strategies to circumvent these challenges, by delivering light into, and collecting it from the different key sites to unravel how nociceptive signals are encoded at each level of the neuraxis. We conclude with an outlook on novel imaging modalities for label-free chemical detection and opportunities for multimodal interrogation in vivo. While many challenges remain, these advances offer unprecedented opportunities to bridge cellular approaches with context-relevant behavioral testing, an essential step toward improving translation of basic research findings into clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Erik Bélanger
- Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre d'optique, photonique et laser, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Eve Paquet
- Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Département de biochimie, microbiologie et bioinformatique, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel C Côté
- Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre d'optique, photonique et laser, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Département de physique, de génie physique et d'optique, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Yves De Koninck
- Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Centre d'optique, photonique et laser, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Département de psychiatrie et neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
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Paparelli L, Corthout N, Pavie B, Wakefield DL, Sannerud R, Jovanovic-Talisman T, Annaert W, Munck S. Inhomogeneity Based Characterization of Distribution Patterns on the Plasma Membrane. PLoS Comput Biol 2016; 12:e1005095. [PMID: 27603951 PMCID: PMC5014321 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell surface protein and lipid molecules are organized in various patterns: randomly, along gradients, or clustered when segregated into discrete micro- and nano-domains. Their distribution is tightly coupled to events such as polarization, endocytosis, and intracellular signaling, but challenging to quantify using traditional techniques. Here we present a novel approach to quantify the distribution of plasma membrane proteins and lipids. This approach describes spatial patterns in degrees of inhomogeneity and incorporates an intensity-based correction to analyze images with a wide range of resolutions; we have termed it Quantitative Analysis of the Spatial distributions in Images using Mosaic segmentation and Dual parameter Optimization in Histograms (QuASIMoDOH). We tested its applicability using simulated microscopy images and images acquired by widefield microscopy, total internal reflection microscopy, structured illumination microscopy, and photoactivated localization microscopy. We validated QuASIMoDOH, successfully quantifying the distribution of protein and lipid molecules detected with several labeling techniques, in different cell model systems. We also used this method to characterize the reorganization of cell surface lipids in response to disrupted endosomal trafficking and to detect dynamic changes in the global and local organization of epidermal growth factor receptors across the cell surface. Our findings demonstrate that QuASIMoDOH can be used to assess protein and lipid patterns, quantifying distribution changes and spatial reorganization at the cell surface. An ImageJ/Fiji plugin of this analysis tool is provided. Plasma membrane organization is fundamental to cellular signaling, transport of molecules, and cell adhesion. To achieve this, plasma membrane proteins and lipids are spatially organized: they form clusters, aggregate in signaling platforms, distribute into gradients on polarized cells, or randomly distribute across the membrane. It is also clear that these organizations can be affected in various contexts. For example, in aging or neurodegenerative diseases, the composition of the plasma membrane is altered and, consequently, the protein and lipid distributions in the membrane fluctuate. In addition, cancer progression is characterized by changes in cellular polarity, lipid content, and the redistribution of cell surface receptors and adhesion molecules. Here we have developed a method to quantify such alterations that, unlike current tools, is compatible with diverse types of cellular organization, including polarity. Our tool can be employed to screen for changes in a straightforward manner and to elucidate distributions of cell surface components in different disciplines, ranging from neurobiology to cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Paparelli
- VIB Bio Imaging Core, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Membrane Trafficking, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nikky Corthout
- VIB Bio Imaging Core, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, LiMoNe, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Pavie
- VIB Bio Imaging Core, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Devin L. Wakefield
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, United States of America
| | - Ragna Sannerud
- Laboratory of Membrane Trafficking, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tijana Jovanovic-Talisman
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California, United States of America
| | - Wim Annaert
- Laboratory of Membrane Trafficking, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- * E-mail: (WA); Sebastian@ (SM)
| | - Sebastian Munck
- VIB Bio Imaging Core, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, LiMoNe, Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium
- * E-mail: (WA); Sebastian@ (SM)
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47
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Vedula P, Cruz LA, Gutierrez N, Davis J, Ayee B, Abramczyk R, Rodriguez AJ. Quantifying cadherin mechanotransduction machinery assembly/disassembly dynamics using fluorescence covariance analysis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28822. [PMID: 27357130 PMCID: PMC4928050 DOI: 10.1038/srep28822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying multi-molecular complex assembly in specific cytoplasmic compartments is crucial to understand how cells use assembly/disassembly of these complexes to control function. Currently, biophysical methods like Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer and Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy provide quantitative measurements of direct protein-protein interactions, while traditional biochemical approaches such as sub-cellular fractionation and immunoprecipitation remain the main approaches used to study multi-protein complex assembly/disassembly dynamics. In this article, we validate and quantify multi-protein adherens junction complex assembly in situ using light microscopy and Fluorescence Covariance Analysis. Utilizing specific fluorescently-labeled protein pairs, we quantified various stages of adherens junction complex assembly, the multiprotein complex regulating epithelial tissue structure and function following de novo cell-cell contact. We demonstrate: minimal cadherin-catenin complex assembly in the perinuclear cytoplasm and subsequent localization to the cell-cell contact zone, assembly of adherens junction complexes, acto-myosin tension-mediated anchoring, and adherens junction maturation following de novo cell-cell contact. Finally applying Fluorescence Covariance Analysis in live cells expressing fluorescently tagged adherens junction complex proteins, we also quantified adherens junction complex assembly dynamics during epithelial monolayer formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Vedula
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Lissette A. Cruz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Natasha Gutierrez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Justin Davis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Brian Ayee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Rachel Abramczyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Alexis J. Rodriguez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
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48
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Godin AG, Rappaz B, Potvin-Trottier L, Kennedy TE, De Koninck Y, Wiseman PW. Spatial Intensity Distribution Analysis Reveals Abnormal Oligomerization of Proteins in Single Cells. Biophys J 2016; 109:710-21. [PMID: 26287623 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.06.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of membrane receptor organization is essential for understanding the initial steps in cell signaling and trafficking mechanisms, but quantitative analysis of receptor interactions at the single-cell level and in different cellular compartments has remained highly challenging. To achieve this, we apply a quantitative image analysis technique-spatial intensity distribution analysis (SpIDA)-that can measure fluorescent particle concentrations and oligomerization states within different subcellular compartments in live cells. An important technical challenge faced by fluorescence microscopy-based measurement of oligomerization is the fidelity of receptor labeling. In practice, imperfect labeling biases the distribution of oligomeric states measured within an aggregated system. We extend SpIDA to enable analysis of high-order oligomers from fluorescence microscopy images, by including a probability weighted correction algorithm for nonemitting labels. We demonstrated that this fraction of nonemitting probes could be estimated in single cells using SpIDA measurements on model systems with known oligomerization state. Previously, this artifact was measured using single-step photobleaching. This approach was validated using computer-simulated data and the imperfect labeling was quantified in cells with ion channels of known oligomer subunit count. It was then applied to quantify the oligomerization states in different cell compartments of the proteolipid protein (PLP) expressed in COS-7 cells. Expression of a mutant PLP linked to impaired trafficking resulted in the detection of PLP tetramers that persist in the endoplasmic reticulum, while no difference was measured at the membrane between the distributions of wild-type and mutated PLPs. Our results demonstrate that SpIDA allows measurement of protein oligomerization in different compartments of intact cells, even when fractional mislabeling occurs as well as photobleaching during the imaging process, and reveals insights into the mechanism underlying impaired trafficking of PLP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine G Godin
- Department of Physics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Benjamin Rappaz
- Department of Physics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Program in NeuroEngineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Timothy E Kennedy
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Program in NeuroEngineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yves De Koninck
- Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Québec, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Alan Edwards Center for Research of Pain, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Paul W Wiseman
- Department of Physics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Program in NeuroEngineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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Pediani JD, Ward RJ, Godin AG, Marsango S, Milligan G. Dynamic Regulation of Quaternary Organization of the M1 Muscarinic Receptor by Subtype-selective Antagonist Drugs. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:13132-46. [PMID: 27080256 PMCID: PMC4933229 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.712562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptors can exist as both monomers and non-covalently associated dimers/oligomers, the steady-state proportion of each form and whether this is regulated by receptor ligands are unknown. Herein we address these topics for the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, a key molecular target for novel cognition enhancers, by using spatial intensity distribution analysis. This method can measure fluorescent particle concentration and assess oligomerization states of proteins within defined regions of living cells. Imaging and analysis of the basolateral surface of cells expressing some 50 molecules·μm−2 human muscarinic M1 receptor identified a ∼75:25 mixture of receptor monomers and dimers/oligomers. Both sustained and shorter term treatment with the selective M1 antagonist pirenzepine resulted in a large shift in the distribution of receptor species to favor the dimeric/oligomeric state. Although sustained treatment with pirenzepine also resulted in marked up-regulation of the receptor, simple mass action effects were not the basis for ligand-induced stabilization of receptor dimers/oligomers. The related antagonist telenzepine also produced stabilization and enrichment of the M1 receptor dimer population, but the receptor subtype non-selective antagonists atropine and N-methylscopolamine did not. In contrast, neither pirenzepine nor telenzepine altered the quaternary organization of the related M3 muscarinic receptor. These data provide unique insights into the selective capacity of receptor ligands to promote and/or stabilize receptor dimers/oligomers and demonstrate that the dynamics of ligand regulation of the quaternary organization of G protein-coupled receptors is markedly more complex than previously appreciated. This may have major implications for receptor function and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Pediani
- From the Molecular Pharmacology Group, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom and
| | - Richard J Ward
- From the Molecular Pharmacology Group, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom and
| | - Antoine G Godin
- Institut d'Optique and CNRS, Laboratoire Photonique, Numérique et Nanosciences (LP2N) and Université de Bordeaux, LP2N, F-33405, UMR 5298, 33405 Talence Cedex, France
| | - Sara Marsango
- From the Molecular Pharmacology Group, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom and
| | - Graeme Milligan
- From the Molecular Pharmacology Group, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom and
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50
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Analyzing Protein Clusters on the Plasma Membrane: Application of Spatial Statistical Analysis Methods on Super-Resolution Microscopy Images. FOCUS ON BIO-IMAGE INFORMATICS 2016; 219:95-122. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-28549-8_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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