1
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Xin W, Huang B, Chi X, Liu Y, Xu M, Zhang Y, Li X, Su Q, Zhou Q. Structures of human γδ T cell receptor-CD3 complex. Nature 2024; 630:222-229. [PMID: 38657677 PMCID: PMC11153141 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07439-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Gamma delta (γδ) T cells, a unique T cell subgroup, are crucial in various immune responses and immunopathology1-3. The γδ T cell receptor (TCR), which is generated by γδ T cells, recognizes a diverse range of antigens independently of the major histocompatibility complex2. The γδ TCR associates with CD3 subunits, initiating T cell activation and holding great potential in immunotherapy4. Here we report the structures of two prototypical human Vγ9Vδ2 and Vγ5Vδ1 TCR-CD3 complexes5,6, revealing two distinct assembly mechanisms that depend on Vγ usage. The Vγ9Vδ2 TCR-CD3 complex is monomeric, with considerable conformational flexibility in the TCRγ-TCRδ extracellular domain and connecting peptides. The length of the connecting peptides regulates the ligand association and T cell activation. A cholesterol-like molecule wedges into the transmembrane region, exerting an inhibitory role in TCR signalling. The Vγ5Vδ1 TCR-CD3 complex displays a dimeric architecture, whereby two protomers nestle back to back through the Vγ5 domains of the TCR extracellular domains. Our biochemical and biophysical assays further corroborate the dimeric structure. Importantly, the dimeric form of the Vγ5Vδ1 TCR is essential for T cell activation. These findings reveal organizing principles of the γδ TCR-CD3 complex, providing insights into the unique properties of γδ TCR and facilitating immunotherapeutic interventions.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- CD3 Complex/chemistry
- CD3 Complex/immunology
- CD3 Complex/metabolism
- CD3 Complex/ultrastructure
- Cholesterol/metabolism
- Cholesterol/chemistry
- Cryoelectron Microscopy
- Ligands
- Lymphocyte Activation/immunology
- Models, Molecular
- Protein Domains
- Protein Multimerization
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/chemistry
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/ultrastructure
- T-Lymphocytes/chemistry
- T-Lymphocytes/cytology
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Cell Membrane/chemistry
- Cell Membrane/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhi Xin
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bangdong Huang
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ximin Chi
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yuehua Liu
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengjiao Xu
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xu Li
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Su
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Qiang Zhou
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China.
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2
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Zielinski M, Peralta Reyes FS, Gremer L, Schemmert S, Frieg B, Schäfer LU, Willuweit A, Donner L, Elvers M, Nilsson LNG, Syvänen S, Sehlin D, Ingelsson M, Willbold D, Schröder GF. Cryo-EM of Aβ fibrils from mouse models find tg-APP ArcSwe fibrils resemble those found in patients with sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:2073-2080. [PMID: 37973869 PMCID: PMC10689242 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01484-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The use of transgenic mice displaying amyloid-β (Aβ) brain pathology has been essential for the preclinical assessment of new treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease. However, the properties of Aβ in such mice have not been systematically compared to Aβ in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Here, we determined the structures of nine ex vivo Aβ fibrils from six different mouse models by cryogenic-electron microscopy. We found novel Aβ fibril structures in the APP/PS1, ARTE10 and tg-SwDI models, whereas the human type II filament fold was found in the ARTE10, tg-APPSwe and APP23 models. The tg-APPArcSwe mice showed an Aβ fibril whose structure resembles the human type I filament found in patients with sporadic Alzheimer's disease. A detailed assessment of the Aβ fibril structure is key to the selection of adequate mouse models for the preclinical development of novel plaque-targeting therapeutics and positron emission tomography imaging tracers in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Zielinski
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Lothar Gremer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Sarah Schemmert
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Benedikt Frieg
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Luisa U Schäfer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Antje Willuweit
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Medical Imaging Physics (INM-4), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Lili Donner
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Margitta Elvers
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lars N G Nilsson
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stina Syvänen
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dag Sehlin
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martin Ingelsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Departments of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Gunnar F Schröder
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- JuStruct, Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Physics Department, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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3
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Joseph AP, Malhotra S, Burnley T, Winn MD. Overview and applications of map and model validation tools in the CCP-EM software suite. Faraday Discuss 2022; 240:196-209. [PMID: 35916020 PMCID: PMC9642004 DOI: 10.1039/d2fd00103a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has recently been established as a powerful technique for solving macromolecular structures. Although the best resolutions achievable are improving, a significant majority of data are still resolved at resolutions worse than 3 Å, where it is non-trivial to build or fit atomic models. The map reconstructions and atomic models derived from the maps are also prone to errors accumulated through the different stages of data processing. Here, we highlight the need to evaluate both model geometry and fit to data at different resolutions. Assessment of cryo-EM structures from SARS-CoV-2 highlights a bias towards optimising the model geometry to agree with the most common conformations, compared to the agreement with data. We present the CoVal web service which provides multiple validation metrics to reflect the quality of atomic models derived from cryo-EM data of structures from SARS-CoV-2. We demonstrate that further refinement can lead to improvement of the agreement with data without the loss of geometric quality. We also discuss the recent CCP-EM developments aimed at addressing some of the current shortcomings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnel Praveen Joseph
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities CouncilDidcot OX11 0FAUK
| | - Sony Malhotra
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities CouncilDidcot OX11 0FAUK
| | - Tom Burnley
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities CouncilDidcot OX11 0FAUK
| | - Martyn D. Winn
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities CouncilDidcot OX11 0FAUK
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4
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Su Q, Chen M, Shi Y, Zhang X, Huang G, Huang B, Liu D, Liu Z, Shi Y. Cryo-EM structure of the human IgM B cell receptor. Science 2022; 377:875-880. [PMID: 35981043 DOI: 10.1126/science.abo3923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The B cell receptor (BCR) initiates immune responses through antigen recognition. We report a 3.3-angstrom cryo-electron microscopy structure of human immunoglobulin M (IgM)-BCR in the resting state. IgM-BCR comprises two heavy chains, two light chains, and the Igα/Igβ heterodimer. The ectodomains of the heavy chains closely stack against those of Igα/Igβ, with one heavy chain locked between Igα and Igβ in the juxtamembrane region. Extracellular interactions may determine isotype specificity of the BCR. The transmembrane helices of IgM-BCR form a four-helix bundle that appears to be conserved among all BCR isotypes. This structure contains 14 glycosylation sites on the IgM-BCR ectodomains and reveals three potential surface binding sites. Our work reveals the organizational principles of the BCR and may facilitate the design of antibody-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Su
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mengying Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yan Shi
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.,Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Province Research Center for Kidney Disease, Zhengzhou 450052, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhang
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Gaoxingyu Huang
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Bangdong Huang
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Dongwei Liu
- Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Province Research Center for Kidney Disease, Zhengzhou 450052, P. R. China
| | - Zhangsuo Liu
- Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Province Research Center for Kidney Disease, Zhengzhou 450052, P. R. China
| | - Yigong Shi
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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5
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Joseph AP, Olek M, Malhotra S, Zhang P, Cowtan K, Burnley T, Winn MD. Atomic model validation using the CCP-EM software suite. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:152-161. [PMID: 35102881 PMCID: PMC8805302 DOI: 10.1107/s205979832101278x] [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: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, there has been a dramatic improvement in the quality and quantity of data derived using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This is also associated with a large increase in the number of atomic models built. Although the best resolutions that are achievable are improving, often the local resolution is variable, and a significant majority of data are still resolved at resolutions worse than 3 Å. Model building and refinement is often challenging at these resolutions, and hence atomic model validation becomes even more crucial to identify less reliable regions of the model. Here, a graphical user interface for atomic model validation, implemented in the CCP-EM software suite, is presented. It is aimed to develop this into a platform where users can access multiple complementary validation metrics that work across a range of resolutions and obtain a summary of evaluations. Based on the validation estimates from atomic models associated with cryo-EM structures from SARS-CoV-2, it was observed that models typically favor adopting the most common conformations over fitting the observations when compared with the model agreement with data. At low resolutions, the stereochemical quality may be favored over data fit, but care should be taken to ensure that the model agrees with the data in terms of resolvable features. It is demonstrated that further re-refinement can lead to improvement of the agreement with data without the loss of geometric quality. This also highlights the need for improved resolution-dependent weight optimization in model refinement and an effective test for overfitting that would help to guide the refinement process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnel Praveen Joseph
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Mateusz Olek
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- Electron BioImaging Center, Diamond Light Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Sony Malhotra
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Electron BioImaging Center, Diamond Light Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Cowtan
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Burnley
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Martyn D. Winn
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot, United Kingdom
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6
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Predicting RNA Scaffolds with a Hybrid Method of Vfold3D and VfoldLA. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34086269 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1499-0_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The ever-increasing discoveries of noncoding RNA functions draw a strong demand for RNA structure determination from the sequence. In recently years, computational studies for RNA structures, at both the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional levels, led to several highly promising new developments. In this chapter, we describe a hybrid method, which combines the motif template-based Vfold3D model and the loop template-based VfoldLA model, to predict RNA 3D structures. The main emphasis is placed on the definition of motifs and loops, the treatment of no-template motifs, and the 3D structure assembly from templates of motifs and loops. For illustration, we use the ZIKV xrRNA1 as an example to show the template-based prediction of RNA 3D structures from the 2D structure. The web server for the hybrid model is freely accessible at http://rna.physics.missouri.edu/vfold3D2 .
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7
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van Zundert GCP, Moriarty NW, Sobolev OV, Adams PD, Borrelli KW. Macromolecular refinement of X-ray and cryoelectron microscopy structures with Phenix/OPLS3e for improved structure and ligand quality. Structure 2021; 29:913-921.e4. [PMID: 33823127 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With the advent of the resolution revolution in cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM), low-resolution refinement is common, and likewise increases the need for a reliable force field. Here, we report on the incorporation of the OPLS3e force field with the VSGB2.1 solvation model in the structure determination package Phenix. Our results show significantly improved structure quality and reduced ligand strain at lower resolution for X-ray refinement. For refinement of cryo-EM-based structures, we find comparable quality structures, goodness-of-fit, and reduced ligand strain. We also show how structure quality and ligand strain are related to the map-model cross-correlation as a function of data weight, and how that can detect overfitting. Signs of overfitting are found in over half of our cryo-EM dataset, which can be remedied by a re-refinement at a lower data weight. Finally, a start-to-end script for refining structures with Phenix/OPLS3e is available in the Schrödinger 2020-3 distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nigel W Moriarty
- Molecular Biosciences and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Oleg V Sobolev
- Molecular Biosciences and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Paul D Adams
- Molecular Biosciences and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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8
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Beckers M, Mann D, Sachse C. Structural interpretation of cryo-EM image reconstructions. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 160:26-36. [PMID: 32735944 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The productivity of single-particle cryo-EM as a structure determination method has rapidly increased as many novel biological structures are being elucidated. The ultimate result of the cryo-EM experiment is an atomic model that should faithfully represent the computed image reconstruction. Although the principal approach of atomic model building and refinement from maps resembles that of the X-ray crystallographic methods, there are important differences due to the unique properties resulting from the 3D image reconstructions. In this review, we discuss the practiced work-flow from the cryo-EM image reconstruction to the atomic model. We give an overview of (i) resolution determination methods in cryo-EM including local and directional resolution variation, (ii) cryo-EM map contrast optimization including complementary map types that can help in identifying ambiguous density features, (iii) atomic model building and (iv) refinement in various resolution regimes including (v) their validation and (vi) discuss differences between X-ray and cryo-EM maps. Based on the methods originally developed for X-ray crystallography, the path from 3D image reconstruction to atomic coordinates has become an integral and important part of the cryo-EM structure determination work-flow that routinely delivers atomic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Beckers
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany; Candidate for Joint PhD Degree from EMBL and Heidelberg University, Faculty of Biosciences, Germany; Ernst-Ruska Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C-3/Structural Biology), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany; JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Daniel Mann
- Ernst-Ruska Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C-3/Structural Biology), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany; JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Carsten Sachse
- Ernst-Ruska Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C-3/Structural Biology), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany; JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany; Chemistry Department, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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9
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Ortiz S, Stanisic L, Rodriguez BA, Rampp M, Hummer G, Cossio P. Validation tests for cryo-EM maps using an independent particle set. J Struct Biol X 2020; 4:100032. [PMID: 32743544 PMCID: PMC7385033 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjsbx.2020.100032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has revolutionized structural biology by providing 3D density maps of biomolecules at near-atomic resolution. However, map validation is still an open issue. Despite several efforts from the community, it is possible to overfit 3D maps to noisy data. Here, we develop a novel methodology that uses a small independent particle set (not used during the 3D refinement) to validate the maps. The main idea is to monitor how the map probability evolves over the control set during the 3D refinement. The method is complementary to the gold-standard procedure, which generates two reconstructions at each iteration. We low-pass filter the two reconstructions for different frequency cutoffs, and we calculate the probability of each filtered map given the control set. For high-quality maps, the probability should increase as a function of the frequency cutoff and the refinement iteration. We also compute the similarity between the densities of probability distributions of the two reconstructions. As higher frequencies are included, the distributions become more dissimilar. We optimized the BioEM package to perform these calculations, and tested it over systems ranging from quality data to pure noise. Our results show that with our methodology, it possible to discriminate datasets that are constructed from noise particles. We conclude that validation against a control particle set provides a powerful tool to assess the quality of cryo-EM maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ortiz
- Biophysics of Tropical Diseases, Max Planck Tandem Group, University of Antioquia UdeA, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Luka Stanisic
- Max Planck Computing and Data Facility, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Boris A Rodriguez
- Grupo de Fósica Atómica y Molecular, Instituto de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Markus Rampp
- Max Planck Computing and Data Facility, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Gerhard Hummer
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Pilar Cossio
- Biophysics of Tropical Diseases, Max Planck Tandem Group, University of Antioquia UdeA, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín, Colombia
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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10
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Röder C, Kupreichyk T, Gremer L, Schäfer LU, Pothula KR, Ravelli RBG, Willbold D, Hoyer W, Schröder GF. Cryo-EM structure of islet amyloid polypeptide fibrils reveals similarities with amyloid-β fibrils. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:660-667. [PMID: 32541895 DOI: 10.1101/2020.02.11.944546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid deposits consisting of fibrillar islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) in pancreatic islets are associated with beta-cell loss and have been implicated in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here, we applied cryo-EM to reconstruct densities of three dominant IAPP fibril polymorphs, formed in vitro from synthetic human IAPP. An atomic model of the main polymorph, built from a density map of 4.2-Å resolution, reveals two S-shaped, intertwined protofilaments. The segment 21-NNFGAIL-27, essential for IAPP amyloidogenicity, forms the protofilament interface together with Tyr37 and the amidated C terminus. The S-fold resembles polymorphs of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrils, which might account for the epidemiological link between T2D and AD and reports on IAPP-Aβ cross-seeding in vivo. The results structurally link the early-onset T2D IAPP genetic polymorphism (encoding Ser20Gly) with the AD Arctic mutation (Glu22Gly) of Aβ and support the design of inhibitors and imaging probes for IAPP fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Röder
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Jülich Centre for Structural Biology (JuStruct), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tatsiana Kupreichyk
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Jülich Centre for Structural Biology (JuStruct), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lothar Gremer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Jülich Centre for Structural Biology (JuStruct), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Luisa U Schäfer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Jülich Centre for Structural Biology (JuStruct), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Karunakar R Pothula
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Jülich Centre for Structural Biology (JuStruct), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Raimond B G Ravelli
- The Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Jülich Centre for Structural Biology (JuStruct), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Jülich Centre for Structural Biology (JuStruct), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Gunnar F Schröder
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Jülich Centre for Structural Biology (JuStruct), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Physics Department, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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11
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Cryo-EM structure of islet amyloid polypeptide fibrils reveals similarities with amyloid-β fibrils. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:660-667. [PMID: 32541895 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-0442-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid deposits consisting of fibrillar islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) in pancreatic islets are associated with beta-cell loss and have been implicated in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here, we applied cryo-EM to reconstruct densities of three dominant IAPP fibril polymorphs, formed in vitro from synthetic human IAPP. An atomic model of the main polymorph, built from a density map of 4.2-Å resolution, reveals two S-shaped, intertwined protofilaments. The segment 21-NNFGAIL-27, essential for IAPP amyloidogenicity, forms the protofilament interface together with Tyr37 and the amidated C terminus. The S-fold resembles polymorphs of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrils, which might account for the epidemiological link between T2D and AD and reports on IAPP-Aβ cross-seeding in vivo. The results structurally link the early-onset T2D IAPP genetic polymorphism (encoding Ser20Gly) with the AD Arctic mutation (Glu22Gly) of Aβ and support the design of inhibitors and imaging probes for IAPP fibrils.
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12
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Dodd T, Yan C, Ivanov I. Simulation-Based Methods for Model Building and Refinement in Cryoelectron Microscopy. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:2470-2483. [PMID: 32202798 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Advances in cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) have revolutionized the structural investigation of large macromolecular assemblies. In this review, we first provide a broad overview of modeling methods used for flexible fitting of molecular models into cryo-EM density maps. We give special attention to approaches rooted in molecular simulations-atomistic molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo. Concise descriptions of the methods are given along with discussion of their advantages, limitations, and most popular alternatives. We also describe recent extensions of the widely used molecular dynamics flexible fitting (MDFF) method and discuss how different model-building techniques could be incorporated into new hybrid modeling schemes and simulation workflows. Finally, we provide two illustrative examples of model-building and refinement strategies employing MDFF, cascade MDFF, and RosettaCM. These examples come from recent cryo-EM studies that elucidated transcription preinitiation complexes and shed light on the functional roles of these assemblies in gene expression and gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Dodd
- Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, United States.,Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, United States
| | - Chunli Yan
- Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, United States.,Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, United States
| | - Ivaylo Ivanov
- Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, United States.,Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, United States
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Abstract
Cross-validation is used to determine the validity of a model on unseen data by assessing if the model is overfitted to noise. It is widely used in many fields, from artificial intelligence to structural biology in X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance. Although there are concerns of map overfitting in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), cross-validation is rarely used. The problem is that establishing a performance metric of the maps over unseen data (given by 2D-projection images) is difficult due to the low signal-to-noise ratios in the individual particles. Here, I present recent advances for cryo-EM map reconstruction. I highlight that the gold-standard procedure can fail to detect map overfitting in certain cases, showing the necessity of assessing the map quality on unbiased data. Finally, I describe the challenges and advantages of developing a robust cross-validation methodology for cryo-EM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Cossio
- Biophysics of Tropical Diseases, Max Planck Tandem Group, University of Antioquia UdeA, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellin, Colombia.,Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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14
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Abstract
The biological functions of RNA range from gene regulation through catalysis and depend critically on its structure and flexibility. Conformational variations of flexible, non-base-paired components, including RNA hinges, bulges, or single-stranded tails, are well documented. Recent work has also identified variations in the structure of ubiquitous, base-paired duplexes found in almost all functional RNAs. Duplexes anchor the structures of folded RNAs, and their surface features are recognized by partner molecules. To date, no consistent picture has been obtained that describes the range of conformations assumed by RNA duplexes. Here, we apply wide angle, solution X-ray scattering (WAXS) to quantify these variations, by sampling length scales characteristic of helical geometries under different solution conditions. To identify the radius, helical rise, twist, and length of dsRNA helices, we exploit molecular dynamics generated structures, explicit solvent models, and ensemble optimization methods. Our results quantify the substantial and salt-dependent deviations of double-stranded (ds) RNA duplexes from the assumed canonical A-form conformation. Recent experiments underscore the need to properly describe the structures of RNA duplexes when interpreting the salt dependence of RNA conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Lin Chen
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Lois Pollack
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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15
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Chen PC, Shevchuk R, Strnad FM, Lorenz C, Karge L, Gilles R, Stadler AM, Hennig J, Hub JS. Combined Small-Angle X-ray and Neutron Scattering Restraints in Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Theory Comput 2019; 15:4687-4698. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Po-chia Chen
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roman Shevchuk
- Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Felix M. Strnad
- Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Charlotte Lorenz
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1) and Institute for Complex Systems ICS (ICS-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Lukas Karge
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Ralph Gilles
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Andreas M. Stadler
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1) and Institute for Complex Systems ICS (ICS-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Janosch Hennig
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jochen S. Hub
- Theoretical Physics and Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Campus E2 6, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
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16
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Cassidy CK, Himes BA, Luthey-Schulten Z, Zhang P. CryoEM-based hybrid modeling approaches for structure determination. Curr Opin Microbiol 2018; 43:14-23. [PMID: 29107896 PMCID: PMC5934336 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) have dramatically improved the resolutions at which vitrified biological specimens can be studied, revealing new structural and mechanistic insights over a broad range of spatial scales. Bolstered by these advances, much effort has been directed toward the development of hybrid modeling methodologies for the construction and refinement of high-fidelity atomistic models from cryoEM data. In this brief review, we will survey the key elements of cryoEM-based hybrid modeling, providing an overview of available computational tools and strategies as well as several recent applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Keith Cassidy
- Department of Physics, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Benjamin A Himes
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Zaida Luthey-Schulten
- Department of Chemistry, Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Sources, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK.
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17
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Interpreting solution X-ray scattering data using molecular simulations. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2018; 49:18-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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18
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Variability of Protein Structure Models from Electron Microscopy. Structure 2017; 25:592-602.e2. [PMID: 28262392 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
An increasing number of biomolecular structures are solved by electron microscopy (EM). However, the quality of structure models determined from EM maps vary substantially. To understand to what extent structure models are supported by information embedded in EM maps, we used two computational structure refinement methods to examine how much structures can be refined using a dataset of 49 maps with accompanying structure models. The extent of structure modification as well as the disagreement between refinement models produced by the two computational methods scaled inversely with the global and the local map resolutions. A general quantitative estimation of deviations of structures for particular map resolutions are provided. Our results indicate that the observed discrepancy between the deposited map and the refined models is due to the lack of structural information present in EM maps and thus these annotations must be used with caution for further applications.
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19
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Archaeal flagellin combines a bacterial type IV pilin domain with an Ig-like domain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:10352-7. [PMID: 27578865 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1607756113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial flagellar apparatus, which involves ∼40 different proteins, has been a model system for understanding motility and chemotaxis. The bacterial flagellar filament, largely composed of a single protein, flagellin, has been a model for understanding protein assembly. This system has no homology to the eukaryotic flagellum, in which the filament alone, composed of a microtubule-based axoneme, contains more than 400 different proteins. The archaeal flagellar system is simpler still, in some cases having ∼13 different proteins with a single flagellar filament protein. The archaeal flagellar system has no homology to the bacterial one and must have arisen by convergent evolution. However, it has been understood that the N-terminal domain of the archaeal flagellin is a homolog of the N-terminal domain of bacterial type IV pilin, showing once again how proteins can be repurposed in evolution for different functions. Using cryo-EM, we have been able to generate a nearly complete atomic model for a flagellar-like filament of the archaeon Ignicoccus hospitalis from a reconstruction at ∼4-Å resolution. We can now show that the archaeal flagellar filament contains a β-sandwich, previously seen in the FlaF protein that forms the anchor for the archaeal flagellar filament. In contrast to the bacterial flagellar filament, where the outer globular domains make no contact with each other and are not necessary for either assembly or motility, the archaeal flagellin outer domains make extensive contacts with each other that largely determine the interesting mechanical properties of these filaments, allowing these filaments to flex.
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20
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DiMaio F, Chiu W. Tools for Model Building and Optimization into Near-Atomic Resolution Electron Cryo-Microscopy Density Maps. Methods Enzymol 2016; 579:255-76. [PMID: 27572730 PMCID: PMC5103630 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM) has advanced dramatically to become a viable tool for high-resolution structural biology research. The ultimate outcome of a cryoEM study is an atomic model of a macromolecule or its complex with interacting partners. This chapter describes a variety of algorithms and software to build a de novo model based on the cryoEM 3D density map, to optimize the model with the best stereochemistry restraints and finally to validate the model with proper protocols. The full process of atomic structure determination from a cryoEM map is described. The tools outlined in this chapter should prove extremely valuable in revealing atomic interactions guided by cryoEM data.
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Affiliation(s)
- F DiMaio
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.
| | - W Chiu
- National Center for Macromolecular Imaging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.
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21
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Joseph AP, Malhotra S, Burnley T, Wood C, Clare DK, Winn M, Topf M. Refinement of atomic models in high resolution EM reconstructions using Flex-EM and local assessment. Methods 2016; 100:42-9. [PMID: 26988127 PMCID: PMC4854230 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2016.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Revised: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
As the resolutions of Three Dimensional Electron Microscopic reconstructions of biological macromolecules are being improved, there is a need for better fitting and refinement methods at high resolutions and robust approaches for model assessment. Flex-EM/MODELLER has been used for flexible fitting of atomic models in intermediate-to-low resolution density maps of different biological systems. Here, we demonstrate the suitability of the method to successfully refine structures at higher resolutions (2.5-4.5Å) using both simulated and experimental data, including a newly processed map of Apo-GroEL. A hierarchical refinement protocol was adopted where the rigid body definitions are relaxed and atom displacement steps are reduced progressively at successive stages of refinement. For the assessment of local fit, we used the SMOC (segment-based Manders' overlap coefficient) score, while the model quality was checked using the Qmean score. Comparison of SMOC profiles at different stages of refinement helped in detecting regions that are poorly fitted. We also show how initial model errors can have significant impact on the goodness-of-fit. Finally, we discuss the implementation of Flex-EM in the CCP-EM software suite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnel Praveen Joseph
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Sony Malhotra
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Research Complex at Harwell, Didcot OX11 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Burnley
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Research Complex at Harwell, Didcot OX11 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Wood
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Research Complex at Harwell, Didcot OX11 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel K Clare
- Electron Bio-Imaging Centre (eBIC), Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Martyn Winn
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Research Complex at Harwell, Didcot OX11 0FA, United Kingdom.
| | - Maya Topf
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom.
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22
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Multifrequency Force Microscopy of Helical Protein Assembly on a Virus. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21899. [PMID: 26915629 PMCID: PMC4768132 DOI: 10.1038/srep21899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
High-resolution microscopy techniques have been extensively used to investigate the structure of soft, biological matter at the nanoscale, from very thin membranes to small objects, like viruses. Electron microscopy techniques allow for obtaining extraordinary resolution by averaging signals from multiple identical structures. In contrast, atomic force microscopy (AFM) collects data from single entities. Here, it is possible to finely modulate the interaction with the samples, in order to be sensitive to their top surface, avoiding mechanical deformations. However, most biological surfaces are highly curved, such as fibers or tubes, and ultimate details of their surface are in the vicinity of steep height variations. This limits lateral resolution, even when sharp probes are used. We overcome this problem by using multifrequency force microscopy on a textbook example, the Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV). We achieved unprecedented resolution in local maps of amplitude and phase shift of the second excited mode, recorded together with sample topography. Our data, which combine multifrequency imaging and Fourier analysis, confirm the structure deduced from averaging techniques (XRD, cryoEM) for surface features of single virus particles, down to the helical pitch of the coat protein subunits, 2.3 nm. Remarkably, multifrequency AFM images do not require any image postprocessing.
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23
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24
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Pintilie G, Chen DH, Haase-Pettingell CA, King JA, Chiu W. Resolution and Probabilistic Models of Components in CryoEM Maps of Mature P22 Bacteriophage. Biophys J 2015; 110:827-39. [PMID: 26743049 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.11.3522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
CryoEM continues to produce density maps of larger and more complex assemblies with multiple protein components of mixed symmetries. Resolution is not always uniform throughout a cryoEM map, and it can be useful to estimate the resolution in specific molecular components of a large assembly. In this study, we present procedures to 1) estimate the resolution in subcomponents by gold-standard Fourier shell correlation (FSC); 2) validate modeling procedures, particularly at medium resolutions, which can include loop modeling and flexible fitting; and 3) build probabilistic models that combine high-accuracy priors (such as crystallographic structures) with medium-resolution cryoEM densities. As an example, we apply these methods to new cryoEM maps of the mature bacteriophage P22, reconstructed without imposing icosahedral symmetry. Resolution estimates based on gold-standard FSC show the highest resolution in the coat region (7.6 Å), whereas other components are at slightly lower resolutions: portal (9.2 Å), hub (8.5 Å), tailspike (10.9 Å), and needle (10.5 Å). These differences are indicative of inherent structural heterogeneity and/or reconstruction accuracy in different subcomponents of the map. Probabilistic models for these subcomponents provide new insights, to our knowledge, and structural information when taking into account uncertainty given the limitations of the observed density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigore Pintilie
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
| | - Dong-Hua Chen
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Jonathan A King
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Wah Chiu
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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25
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Kowal J, Chami M, Baumgartner P, Arheit M, Chiu PL, Rangl M, Scheuring S, Schröder GF, Nimigean CM, Stahlberg H. Ligand-induced structural changes in the cyclic nucleotide-modulated potassium channel MloK1. Nat Commun 2015; 5:3106. [PMID: 24469021 PMCID: PMC4086158 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic nucleotide-modulated ion channels are important for signal transduction and pacemaking in eukaryotes. The molecular determinants of ligand gating in these channels are still unknown, mainly because of a lack of direct structural information. Here we report ligand-induced conformational changes in full-length MloK1, a cyclic nucleotide-modulated potassium channel from the bacterium Mesorhizobium loti, analysed by electron crystallography and atomic force microscopy. Upon cAMP binding, the cyclic nucleotide-binding domains move vertically towards the membrane, and directly contact the S1–S4 voltage sensor domains. This is accompanied by a significant shift and tilt of the voltage sensor domain helices. In both states, the inner pore-lining helices are in an ‘open’ conformation. We propose a mechanism in which ligand binding can favour pore opening via a direct interaction between the cyclic nucleotide-binding domains and voltage sensors. This offers a simple mechanistic hypothesis for the coupling between ligand gating and voltage sensing in eukaryotic HCN channels. The molecular determinants underlying ligand gating of cyclic nucleotide-modulated ion channels remain unclear. Kowal et al. determine the conformational changes underlying cAMP binding to the bacterial channel MloK1, and propose a mechanism for coupling of ligand gating and voltage sensing in eukaryotic HCN channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kowal
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed Chami
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Paul Baumgartner
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Arheit
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Martina Rangl
- U1006 INSERM, Aix-Marseille Université, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Simon Scheuring
- U1006 INSERM, Aix-Marseille Université, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Gunnar F Schröder
- 1] Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Complex Systems, ICS-6: Structural Biochemistry, 52425 Jülich, Germany [2] Department of Physics, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Crina M Nimigean
- Departments of Anesthesiology, Physiology and Biophysics, and Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Henning Stahlberg
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
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26
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Rosenthal PB, Rubinstein JL. Validating maps from single particle electron cryomicroscopy. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2015; 34:135-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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27
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Barad BA, Echols N, Wang RYR, Cheng Y, DiMaio F, Adams PD, Fraser JS. EMRinger: side chain-directed model and map validation for 3D cryo-electron microscopy. Nat Methods 2015; 12:943-6. [PMID: 26280328 PMCID: PMC4589481 DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.3541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 605] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Advances in high resolution electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) have been accompanied by the development of validation metrics to independently assess map quality and model geometry. EMRinger assesses the precise fitting of an atomic model into the map during refinement and shows how radiation damage alters scattering from negatively charged amino acids. EMRinger will be useful for monitoring progress in resolving and modeling high-resolution features in cryo-EM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Barad
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.,Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nathaniel Echols
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Ray Yu-Ruei Wang
- Graduate Program in Biological Physics, Structure and Design, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Yifan Cheng
- Keck Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Frank DiMaio
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Institute for Protein Design, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Paul D Adams
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - James S Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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28
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Xu XP, Volkmann N. Validation methods for low-resolution fitting of atomic structures to electron microscopy data. Arch Biochem Biophys 2015; 581:49-53. [PMID: 26116787 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2015.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Fitting of atomic-resolution structures into reconstructions from electron cryo-microscopy is routinely used to understand the structure and function of macromolecular machines. Despite the fact that a plethora of fitting methods has been developed over recent years, standard protocols for quality assessment and validation of these fits have not been established. Here, we present the general concepts underlying current validation ideas as they relate to fitting of atomic-resolution models into electron cryo-microscopy reconstructions, with an emphasis on reconstructions with resolutions below the sub-nanometer range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ping Xu
- Bioinformatics and Structural Biology Program, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, 10901 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Niels Volkmann
- Bioinformatics and Structural Biology Program, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, 10901 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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29
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Potrzebowski W, André I. Automated determination of fibrillar structures by simultaneous model building and fiber diffraction refinement. Nat Methods 2015; 12:679-84. [DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.3399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2014] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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30
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Schröder GF. Hybrid methods for macromolecular structure determination: experiment with expectations. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2015; 31:20-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2015.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Revised: 02/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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31
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Abstract
Validation is a necessity to trust the structures solved by electron microscopy by single particle techniques. The impressive achievements in single particle reconstruction fuel its expansion beyond a small community of image processing experts. This poses the risk of inappropriate data processing with dubious results. Nowhere is it more clearly illustrated than in the recovery of a reference density map from pure noise aligned to that map—a phantom in the noise. Appropriate use of existing validating methods such as resolution-limited alignment and the processing of independent data sets (“gold standard”) avoid this pitfall. However, these methods can be undermined by biases introduced in various subtle ways. How can we test that a map is a coherent structure present in the images selected from the micrographs? In stead of viewing the phantom emerging from noise as a cautionary tale, it should be used as a defining baseline. Any map is always recoverable from noise images, provided a sufficient number of images are aligned and used in reconstruction. However, with smaller numbers of images, the expected coherence in the real particle images should yield better reconstructions than equivalent numbers of noise or background images, even without masking or imposing resolution limits as potential biases. The validation test proposed is therefore a simple alignment of a limited number of micrograph and noise images against the final reconstruction as reference, demonstrating that the micrograph images yield a better reconstruction. I examine synthetic cases to relate the resolution of a reconstruction to the alignment error as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio. I also administered the test to real cases of publicly available data. Adopting such a test can aid the microscopist in assessing the usefulness of the micrographs taken before committing to lengthy processing with questionable outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Bernard Heymann
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Dr, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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32
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How cryo-EM is revolutionizing structural biology. Trends Biochem Sci 2015; 40:49-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2014.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 570] [Impact Index Per Article: 63.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Revised: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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33
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Brown A, Long F, Nicholls RA, Toots J, Emsley P, Murshudov G. Tools for macromolecular model building and refinement into electron cryo-microscopy reconstructions. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2015; 71:136-53. [PMID: 25615868 PMCID: PMC4304694 DOI: 10.1107/s1399004714021683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 431] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The recent rapid development of single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) now allows structures to be solved by this method at resolutions close to 3 Å. Here, a number of tools to facilitate the interpretation of EM reconstructions with stereochemically reasonable all-atom models are described. The BALBES database has been repurposed as a tool for identifying protein folds from density maps. Modifications to Coot, including new Jiggle Fit and morphing tools and improved handling of nucleic acids, enhance its functionality for interpreting EM maps. REFMAC has been modified for optimal fitting of atomic models into EM maps. As external structural information can enhance the reliability of the derived atomic models, stabilize refinement and reduce overfitting, ProSMART has been extended to generate interatomic distance restraints from nucleic acid reference structures, and a new tool, LIBG, has been developed to generate nucleic acid base-pair and parallel-plane restraints. Furthermore, restraint generation has been integrated with visualization and editing in Coot, and these restraints have been applied to both real-space refinement in Coot and reciprocal-space refinement in REFMAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Brown
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, England
| | - Fei Long
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, England
| | - Robert A. Nicholls
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, England
| | - Jaan Toots
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, England
| | - Paul Emsley
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, England
| | - Garib Murshudov
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, England
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34
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Zheng W, Tekpinar M. High-resolution modeling of protein structures based on flexible fitting of low-resolution structural data. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2014; 96:267-84. [PMID: 25443961 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2014.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
To circumvent the difficulty of directly solving high-resolution biomolecular structures, low-resolution structural data from Cryo-electron microscopy (EM) and small angle solution X-ray scattering (SAXS) are increasingly used to explore multiple conformational states of biomolecular assemblies. One promising venue to obtain high-resolution structural models from low-resolution data is via data-constrained flexible fitting. To this end, we have developed a new method based on a coarse-grained Cα-only protein representation, and a modified form of the elastic network model (ENM) that allows large-scale conformational changes while maintaining the integrity of local structures including pseudo-bonds and secondary structures. Our method minimizes a pseudo-energy which linearly combines various terms of the modified ENM energy with an EM/SAXS-fitting score and a collision energy that penalizes steric collisions. Unlike some previous flexible fitting efforts using the lowest few normal modes, our method effectively utilizes all normal modes so that both global and local structural changes can be fully modeled with accuracy. This method is also highly efficient in computing time. We have demonstrated our method using adenylate kinase as a test case which undergoes a large open-to-close conformational change. The EM-fitting method is available at a web server (http://enm.lobos.nih.gov), and the SAXS-fitting method is available as a pre-compiled executable upon request.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Zheng
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
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35
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Lu A, Magupalli VG, Ruan J, Yin Q, Atianand MK, Vos MR, Schröder GF, Fitzgerald KA, Wu H, Egelman EH. Unified polymerization mechanism for the assembly of ASC-dependent inflammasomes. Cell 2014; 156:1193-1206. [PMID: 24630722 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 942] [Impact Index Per Article: 94.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2013] [Revised: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Inflammasomes elicit host defense inside cells by activating caspase-1 for cytokine maturation and cell death. AIM2 and NLRP3 are representative sensor proteins in two major families of inflammasomes. The adaptor protein ASC bridges the sensor proteins and caspase-1 to form ternary inflammasome complexes, achieved through pyrin domain (PYD) interactions between sensors and ASC and through caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD) interactions between ASC and caspase-1. We found that PYD and CARD both form filaments. Activated AIM2 and NLRP3 nucleate PYD filaments of ASC, which, in turn, cluster the CARD of ASC. ASC thus nucleates CARD filaments of caspase-1, leading to proximity-induced activation. Endogenous NLRP3 inflammasome is also filamentous. The cryoelectron microscopy structure of ASC(PYD) filament at near-atomic resolution provides a template for homo- and hetero-PYD/PYD associations, as confirmed by structure-guided mutagenesis. We propose that ASC-dependent inflammasomes in both families share a unified assembly mechanism that involves two successive steps of nucleation-induced polymerization. PAPERFLICK:
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvin Lu
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Venkat Giri Magupalli
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jianbin Ruan
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Qian Yin
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maninjay K Atianand
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Matthijn R Vos
- FEI Company, Nanoport Europe, 5651 GG Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Gunnar F Schröder
- Institute of Complex Systems, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Physics Department, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Katherine A Fitzgerald
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Edward H Egelman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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36
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Yu Z, Frangakis AS. M-free: scoring the reference bias in sub-tomogram averaging and template matching. J Struct Biol 2014; 187:10-19. [PMID: 24859794 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2014.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Revised: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cryo-electron tomography provides a snapshot of the cellular proteome. With template matching, the spatial positions of various macromolecular complexes within their native cellular context can be detected. However, the growing awareness of the reference bias introduced by the cross-correlation based approaches, and more importantly the lack of a reliable confidence measurement in the selection of these macromolecular complexes, has restricted the use of these applications. Here we propose a heuristic, in which the reference bias is measured in real space in an analogous way to the R-free value in X-ray crystallography. We measure the reference bias within the mask used to outline the area of the template, and do not modify the template itself. The heuristic works by splitting the mask into a working and a testing area in a volume ratio of 9:1. While the working area is used during the calculation of the cross-correlation function, the information from both areas is explored to calculate the M-free score. We show using artificial data, that the M-free score gives a reliable measure for the reference bias. The heuristic can be applied in template matching and in sub-tomogram averaging. We further test the applicability of the heuristic in tomograms of purified macromolecules, and tomograms of whole Mycoplasma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Yu
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences and Institute for Biophysics, Max-von-Laue Str.15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Achilleas S Frangakis
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences and Institute for Biophysics, Max-von-Laue Str.15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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37
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Villa E, Lasker K. Finding the right fit: chiseling structures out of cryo-electron microscopy maps. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2014; 25:118-25. [PMID: 24814094 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy is a central tool for studying the architecture of macromolecular complexes at subnanometer resolution. Interpretation of an electron microscopy map requires its computational integration with data about the structure's components from all available sources, notably atomic models. Selecting a protocol for EM density-guided integrative structural modeling depends on the resolution and quality of the EM map as well as the available complimentary datasets. Here, we review rigid, flexible, and de novo integrative fitting into EM maps and provide guidelines and considerations for the design of modeling experiments. Finally, we discuss efforts towards establishing unified criteria for map and model assessment and validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Villa
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
| | - Keren Lasker
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States.
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38
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Asymmetric perturbations of signalling oligomers. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 114:153-69. [PMID: 24650570 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2014.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on rapid and reversible noncovalent interactions for symmetric oligomers of signalling proteins. Symmetry mismatch, transient symmetry breaking and asymmetric perturbations via chemical (ligand binding) and physical (electric or mechanic) effects can initiate the signalling events. Advanced biophysical methods can reveal not only structural symmetries of stable membrane-bound signalling proteins but also asymmetric functional transition states. Relevant techniques amenable to distinguish between symmetric and asymmetric architectures are discussed including those with the capability of capturing low-populated transient conformational states. Typical examples of signalling proteins are overviewed for symmetry breaking in dimers (GPCRs, growth factor receptors, transcription factors); trimers (acid-sensing ion channels); tetramers (voltage-gated cation channels, ionotropic glutamate receptor, CNG and CHN channels); pentameric ligand-gated and mechanosensitive channels; higher order oligomers (gap junction channel, chaperonins, proteasome, virus capsid); as well as primary and secondary transporters. In conclusion, asymmetric perturbations seem to play important functional roles in a broad range of communicating networks.
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39
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Volkmann N. The joys and perils of flexible fitting. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2014; 805:137-55. [PMID: 24446360 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-02970-2_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
While performing their functions, biological macromolecules often form large, dynamically changing macromolecular assemblies. Only a relatively small number of such assemblies have been accessible to the atomic-resolution techniques X-ray crystallography and NMR. Electron microscopy in conjunction with image reconstruction has become the preferred alternative for revealing the structures of such macromolecular complexes. However, for most assemblies the achievable resolution is too low to allow accurate atomic modeling directly from the data. Yet, useful models often can be obtained by fitting atomic models of individual components into a low-resolution reconstruction of the entire assembly. Several algorithms for achieving optimal fits in this context were developed recently, many allowing considerable degrees of flexibility to account for binding-induced conformational changes of the assembly components. This chapter describes the advantages and potential pitfalls of these methods and puts them into perspective with alternative approaches such as iterative modular fitting of rigid-body domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Volkmann
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, 10901 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA,
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40
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Kulkarni K, Zhang Z, Chang L, Yang J, da Fonseca PCA, Barford D. Building a pseudo-atomic model of the anaphase-promoting complex. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2013; 69:2236-43. [PMID: 24189235 PMCID: PMC3817697 DOI: 10.1107/s0907444913018593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The anaphase-promoting complex (APC/C) is a large E3 ubiquitin ligase that regulates progression through specific stages of the cell cycle by coordinating the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of cell-cycle regulatory proteins. Depending on the species, the active form of the APC/C consists of 14-15 different proteins that assemble into a 20-subunit complex with a mass of approximately 1.3 MDa. A hybrid approach of single-particle electron microscopy and protein crystallography of individual APC/C subunits has been applied to generate pseudo-atomic models of various functional states of the complex. Three approaches for assigning regions of the EM-derived APC/C density map to specific APC/C subunits are described. This information was used to dock atomic models of APC/C subunits, determined either by protein crystallography or homology modelling, to specific regions of the APC/C EM map, allowing the generation of a pseudo-atomic model corresponding to 80% of the entire complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Kulkarni
- Division of Structural Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, England
| | - Ziguo Zhang
- Division of Structural Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, England
| | - Leifu Chang
- Division of Structural Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, England
| | - Jing Yang
- Division of Structural Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, England
| | - Paula C. A. da Fonseca
- Division of Structural Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, England
| | - David Barford
- Division of Structural Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, England
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