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Wang S, Cai Y, Li T, Wang Y, Bao Z, Wang R, Qin J, Wang Z, Liu Y, Liu Z, Chan WY, Chen X, Lu G, Chen ZJ, Huang T, Liu H. CWF19L2 is Essential for Male Fertility and Spermatogenesis by Regulating Alternative Splicing. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2403866. [PMID: 38889293 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202403866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The progression of spermatogenesis along specific developmental trajectories depends on the coordinated regulation of pre-mRNA alternative splicing (AS) at the post-transcriptional level. However, the fundamental mechanism of AS in spermatogenesis remains to be investigated. Here, it is demonstrated that CWF19L2 plays a pivotal role in spermatogenesis and male fertility. In germline conditional Cwf19l2 knockout mice exhibiting male sterility, impaired spermatogenesis characterized by increased apoptosis and decreased differentiated spermatogonia and spermatocytes is observed. That CWF19L2 interacted with several spliceosome proteins to participate in the proper assembly and stability of the spliceosome is discovered. By integrating RNA-seq and LACE-seq data, it is further confirmed CWF19L2 directly bound and regulated the splicing of genes related to spermatogenesis (Znhit1, Btrc, and Fbxw7) and RNA splicing (Rbfox1, Celf1, and Rbm10). Additionally, CWF19L2 can indirectly amplify its effect on splicing regulation through modulating RBFOX1. Collectively, this research establishes that CWF19L2 orchestrates a splicing factor network to ensure accurate pre-mRNA splicing during the early steps of spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Yuling Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Tongtong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Yan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Ziyou Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Renxue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Junchao Qin
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Teratology, Ministry of Education, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Ziqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Yining Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Zhaojian Liu
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Wai-Yee Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- CUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Xiangfeng Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200000, China
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200000, China
| | - Gang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- CUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Zi-Jiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- CUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200000, China
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200000, China
| | - Tao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Hongbin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- Research Unit of Gametogenesis and Health of ART-Offspring, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
- CUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
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Guidarelli Mattioli F, Saltalamacchia A, Magistrato A. Tracing Allostery in the Spliceosome Ski2-like RNA Helicase Brr2. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:3502-3508. [PMID: 38517341 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c03538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
RNA ATPases/helicases remodel substrate RNA-protein complexes in distinct ways. The different RNA ATPases/helicases, taking part in the spliceosome complex, reshape the RNA/RNA-protein contacts to enable premature-mRNA splicing. Among them, the bad response to refrigeration 2 (Brr2) helicase promotes U4/U6 small nuclear (sn)RNA unwinding via ATP-driven translocation of the U4 snRNA strand, thus playing a pivotal role during the activation, catalytic, and disassembly phases of splicing. The plastic Brr2 architecture consists of an enzymatically active N-terminal cassette (N-cassette) and a structurally similar but inactive C-terminal cassette (C-cassette). The C-cassette, along with other allosteric effectors and regulators, tightly and timely controls Brr2's function via an elusive mechanism. Here, microsecond-long molecular dynamics simulations, dynamical network theory, and community network analysis are combined to elucidate how allosteric effectors/regulators modulate the Brr2 function. We unexpectedly reveal that U4 snRNA itself acts as an allosteric regulator, amplifying the cross-talk of distal Brr2 domains and triggering a conformational reorganization of the protein. Our findings offer fundamental understanding into Brr2's mechanism of action and broaden our knowledge on the sophisticated regulatory mechanisms by which spliceosome ATPases/helicases control gene expression. This includes their allosteric regulation exerted by client RNA strands, a mechanism that may be broadly applicable to other RNA-dependent ATPases/helicases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Saltalamacchia
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Material Foundry at International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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Parise A, Magistrato A. Assessing the mechanism of fast-cycling cancer-associated mutations of Rac1 small Rho GTPase. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4939. [PMID: 38501467 PMCID: PMC10949326 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4939] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Rho-GTPases proteins function as molecular switches alternating from an active to an inactive state upon Guanosine triphosphate (GTP) binding and hydrolysis to Guanosine diphosphate (GDP). Among them, Rac subfamily regulates cell dynamics, being overexpressed in distinct cancer types. Notably, these proteins are object of frequent cancer-associated mutations at Pro29 (P29S, P29L, and P29Q). To assess the impact of these mutations on Rac1 structure and function, we performed extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations on wild-type (wt) and oncogenic isoforms of this protein in GDP- and GTP-bound states. Our results unprecedentedly elucidate that P29Q/S-induced structural and dynamical perturbations of Rac1 core domain weaken the binding of the catalytic site Mg2+ ion, and reduce the GDP residence time within protein, enhancing the GDP/GTP exchange rate and Rac1 activity. This broadens our knowledge of the role of cancer-associated mutations on small GTPases mechanism supplying valuable information for future drug discovery efforts targeting specific Rac1 isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Parise
- Consiglio Nazionale delle ricerche (CNR)‐IOM c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS)TriesteItaly
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- Consiglio Nazionale delle ricerche (CNR)‐IOM c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS)TriesteItaly
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Rinaldi S, Moroni E, Rozza R, Magistrato A. Frontiers and Challenges of Computing ncRNAs Biogenesis, Function and Modulation. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:993-1018. [PMID: 38287883 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c01239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), generated from nonprotein coding DNA sequences, constitute 98-99% of the human genome. Non-coding RNAs encompass diverse functional classes, including microRNAs, small interfering RNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs, small nuclear RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs, and long non-coding RNAs. With critical involvement in gene expression and regulation across various biological and physiopathological contexts, such as neuronal disorders, immune responses, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, non-coding RNAs are emerging as disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In this review, after providing an overview of non-coding RNAs' role in cell homeostasis, we illustrate the potential and the challenges of state-of-the-art computational methods exploited to study non-coding RNAs biogenesis, function, and modulation. This can be done by directly targeting them with small molecules or by altering their expression by targeting the cellular engines underlying their biosynthesis. Drawing from applications, also taken from our work, we showcase the significance and role of computer simulations in uncovering fundamental facets of ncRNA mechanisms and modulation. This information may set the basis to advance gene modulation tools and therapeutic strategies to address unmet medical needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Rinaldi
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR) - Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds (ICCOM), c/o Area di Ricerca CNR di Firenze Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Moroni
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR) - Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies (SCITEC), via Mario Bianco 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Riccardo Rozza
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR) - Institute of Material Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR) - Institute of Material Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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Aupič J, Borišek J, Fica SM, Galej WP, Magistrato A. Monovalent metal ion binding promotes the first transesterification reaction in the spliceosome. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8482. [PMID: 38123540 PMCID: PMC10733407 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44174-2] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cleavage and formation of phosphodiester bonds in nucleic acids is accomplished by large cellular machineries composed of both protein and RNA. Long thought to rely on a two-metal-ion mechanism for catalysis, structure comparisons revealed many contain highly spatially conserved second-shell monovalent cations, whose precise function remains elusive. A recent high-resolution structure of the spliceosome, essential for pre-mRNA splicing in eukaryotes, revealed a potassium ion in the active site. Here, we employ biased quantum mechanics/ molecular mechanics molecular dynamics to elucidate the function of this monovalent ion in splicing. We discover that the K+ ion regulates the kinetics and thermodynamics of the first splicing step by rigidifying the active site and stabilizing the substrate in the pre- and post-catalytic state via formation of key hydrogen bonds. Our work supports a direct role for the K+ ion during catalysis and provides a mechanistic hypothesis likely shared by other nucleic acid processing enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Aupič
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-Materials Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Jure Borišek
- Theory department, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-Materials Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.
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Rozza R, Janoš P, Magistrato A. Assessing the Binding Mode of a Splicing Modulator Stimulating Pre-mRNA Binding to the Plastic U2AF2 Splicing Factor. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:7508-7517. [PMID: 37967032 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) play a pivotal role in RNA metabolism and the regulation of gene expression. Owing to their plasticity and fuzziness, targeting RRM/RNA interfaces with small molecules is a daunting challenge for drug discovery campaigns. The U2AF2 splicing factor, which recognizes the polypyrimidine (polyPy) sequence of premature messenger (pre-m)RNA, exhibits a dynamic architecture consisting of two RRMs joined by a disordered linker. An inhibitor, NSC-194308, was shown to enhance the binding of pre-mRNA to U2AF2, selectively triggering cell death in leukemia cell lines containing spliceosome mutations. The NSC-194308 binding mode remains elusive; yet, unraveling its knowledge may offer intriguing insights for effectively targeting U2AF2 and other flexible protein/protein/RNA interfaces with small molecules. To infer plausible NSC-194308 binding poses to U2AF2, here, we applied and benchmarked the performance of static and dynamic docking approaches, elucidating the molecular basis of the NSC-194308-induced pre-mRNA stabilization on U2AF2. We demonstrate that introducing dynamic effects is mandatory to assess the binding mode of the inhibitors when they target plastic and modular architectures, such as those formed by interacting RRMs. The latter are widespread across RNA binding proteins; therefore, this mechanism may be broadly applicable to discover new therapeutics aimed at selectively modulating the RNA function by targeting protein/protein/RNA interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Rozza
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-Institute of Material Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Pavel Janoš
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-Institute of Material Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-Institute of Material Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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Agrò SN, Rozza R, Movilla S, Aupič J, Magistrato A. Molecular Dynamics Simulations Elucidate the Molecular Basis of Pre-mRNA Translocation by the Prp2 Spliceosomal Helicase. J Chem Inf Model 2023. [PMID: 37379492 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
The spliceosome machinery catalyzes precursor-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) splicing by undergoing at each splicing cycle assembly, activation, catalysis, and disassembly processes, thanks to the concerted action of specific RNA-dependent ATPases/helicases. Prp2, a member of the DExH-box ATPase/helicase family, harnesses the energy of ATP hydrolysis to translocate a single pre-mRNA strand in the 5' to 3' direction, thus promoting spliceosome remodeling to its catalytic-competent state. Here, we established the functional coupling between ATPase and helicase activities of Prp2. Namely, extensive multi-μs molecular dynamics simulations allowed us to unlock how, after pre-mRNA selection, ATP binding, hydrolysis, and dissociation induce a functional typewriter-like rotation of the Prp2 C-terminal domain. This movement, endorsed by an iterative swing of interactions established between specific Prp2 residues with the nucleobases at 5'- and 3'-ends of pre-mRNA, promotes pre-mRNA translocation. Notably, some of these Prp2 residues are conserved in the DExH-box family, suggesting that the translocation mechanism elucidated here may be applicable to all DExH-box helicases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sefora Naomi Agrò
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)─Institute of Material (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Riccardo Rozza
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)─Institute of Material (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Santiago Movilla
- BioComp Group, Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM), Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Jana Aupič
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)─Institute of Material (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)─Institute of Material (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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Baltrukevich H, Bartos P. RNA-protein complexes and force field polarizability. Front Chem 2023; 11:1217506. [PMID: 37426330 PMCID: PMC10323139 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1217506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations offer a way to study biomolecular interactions and their dynamics at the atomistic level. There are only a few studies of RNA-protein complexes in MD simulations, and here we wanted to study how force fields differ when simulating RNA-protein complexes: 1) argonaute 2 with bound guide RNA and a target RNA, 2) CasPhi-2 bound to CRISPR RNA and 3) Retinoic acid-inducible gene I C268F variant in complex with double-stranded RNA. We tested three non-polarizable force fields: Amber protein force fields ff14SB and ff19SB with RNA force field OL3, and the all-atom OPLS4 force field. Due to the highly charged and polar nature of RNA, we also tested the polarizable AMOEBA force field and the ff19SB and OL3 force fields with a polarizable water model O3P. Our results show that the non-polarizable force fields lead to compact and stable complexes. The polarizability in the force field or in the water model allows significantly more movement from the complex, but in some cases, this results in the disintegration of the complex structure, especially if the protein contains longer loop regions. Thus, one should be cautious when running long-scale simulations with polarizability. As a conclusion, all the tested force fields can be used to simulate RNA-protein complexes and the choice of the optimal force field depends on the studied system and research question.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Piia Bartos
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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9
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Ljubič M, Prašnikar E, Perdih A, Borišek J. All-Atom Simulations Reveal the Intricacies of Signal Transduction upon Binding of the HLA-E Ligand to the Transmembrane Inhibitory CD94/NKG2A Receptor. J Chem Inf Model 2023. [PMID: 37207294 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in the innate immune response against tumors and various pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. Their function is controlled by a wide array of activating and inhibitory receptors, which are expressed on their cell surface. Among them is a dimeric NKG2A/CD94 inhibitory transmembrane (TM) receptor which specifically binds to the non-classical MHC I molecule HLA-E, which is often overexpressed on the surface of senescent and tumor cells. Using the Alphafold 2 artificial intelligence system, we constructed the missing segments of the NKG2A/CD94 receptor and generated its complete 3D structure comprising extracellular (EC), TM, and intracellular regions, which served as a starting point for the multi-microsecond all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the receptor with and without the bound HLA-E ligand and its nonameric peptide. The simulated models revealed that an intricate interplay of events is taking place between the EC and TM regions ultimately affecting the intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) regions that host the point at which the signal is transmitted further down the inhibitory signaling cascade. Signal transduction through the lipid bilayer was also coupled with the changes in the relative orientation of the NKG2A/CD94 TM helices in response to linker reorganization, mediated by fine-tuned interactions in the EC region of the receptor, taking place after HLA-E binding. This research provides atomistic details of the cells' protection mechanism against NK cells and broadens the knowledge regarding the TM signaling of ITIM-bearing receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Ljubič
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Eva Prašnikar
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andrej Perdih
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jure Borišek
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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10
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Sinha S, Pindi C, Ahsan M, Arantes PR, Palermo G. Machines on Genes through the Computational Microscope. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:1945-1964. [PMID: 36947696 PMCID: PMC10104023 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular machines acting on genes are at the core of life's fundamental processes, including DNA replication and repair, gene transcription and regulation, chromatin packaging, RNA splicing, and genome editing. Here, we report the increasing role of computational biophysics in characterizing the mechanisms of "machines on genes", focusing on innovative applications of computational methods and their integration with structural and biophysical experiments. We showcase how state-of-the-art computational methods, including classical and ab initio molecular dynamics to enhanced sampling techniques, and coarse-grained approaches are used for understanding and exploring gene machines for real-world applications. As this review unfolds, advanced computational methods describe the biophysical function that is unseen through experimental techniques, accomplishing the power of the "computational microscope", an expression coined by Klaus Schulten to highlight the extraordinary capability of computer simulations. Pushing the frontiers of computational biophysics toward a pragmatic representation of large multimegadalton biomolecular complexes is instrumental in bridging the gap between experimentally obtained macroscopic observables and the molecular principles playing at the microscopic level. This understanding will help harness molecular machines for medical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological purposes.
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11
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Rodrigues KS, Petroski LP, Utumi PH, Ferrasa A, Herai RH. IARA: a complete and curated atlas of the biogenesis of spliceosome machinery during RNA splicing. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201593. [PMID: 36609432 PMCID: PMC9834665 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Splicing is one of the most important post-transcriptional processing systems and is responsible for the generation of transcriptome diversity in all living eukaryotes. Splicing is regulated by the spliceosome machinery, which is responsible for each step of primary RNA processing. However, current molecules and stages involved in RNA splicing are still spread over different studies. Thus, a curated atlas of spliceosome-related molecules and all involved stages during RNA processing can provide all researchers with a reliable resource to better investigate this important mechanism. Here, we present IARA (website access: https://pucpr-bioinformatics.github.io/atlas/), an extensively curated and constantly updated catalog of molecules involved in spliceosome machinery. IARA has a map of the steps involved in the human splicing mechanism, and it allows a detailed overview of the molecules involved throughout the distinct steps of splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelren S Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Neurogenetics, Graduate Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS), School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Luiz P Petroski
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Neurogenetics, Graduate Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS), School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Paulo H Utumi
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Neurogenetics, Graduate Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS), School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Adriano Ferrasa
- Informatics Department, Universidade Estadual de Ponta GrossaPonta Grossa, Brazil
| | - Roberto H Herai
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Neurogenetics, Graduate Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS), School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Research Division, Buko Kaesemodel Institute, Curitiba, Brazil
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12
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Rozza R, Saltalamacchia A, Orrico C, Janoš P, Magistrato A. All-Atom Simulations Elucidate the Impact of U2AF2 Cancer-Associated Mutations on Pre-mRNA Recognition. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:6691-6703. [PMID: 36040856 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The U2AF2 splicing factor, made of two tandem RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) joined by a flexible linker, selects the intronic polypyrimidine sequence of premature mRNA, thus ensuring splicing fidelity. Increasing evidence links mutations of key splicing factors, including U2AF2, to a variety of cancers. Nevertheless, the impact of U2AF2 cancer-associated mutations on polypyrimidine recognition remains unclear. Here, we combined extensive (18 μs-long) all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and dynamical network theory analysis (NWA) of U2AF2, in its wild-type form and in the presence of the six most frequent cancer-associated mutations, bound to a poly-U strand. Our results reveal that the selected mutations affect the pre-mRNA binding at two hot spot regions, irrespectively of where these mutants are placed on the distinct U2AF2 domains. Complementarily, NWA traced the existence of cross-communication pathways, connecting each mutation site to these recognition hot spots, whose strength is altered by the mutations. Our outcomes suggest the existence of a structural/dynamical interplay of the two U2AF2's RRMs underlying the recognition of the polypyrimidine tract and reveal that the cancer-associated mutations affect the polypyrimidine selection by altering the RRMs' cooperativity. This mechanism may be shared by other RNA binding proteins hallmarked, like U2AF2, by multidomain architecture and high plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Rozza
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-IOM c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Andrea Saltalamacchia
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Clarissa Orrico
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Pavel Janoš
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-IOM c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-IOM c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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13
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Pokorná P, Krepl M, Campagne S, Šponer J. Conformational Heterogeneity of RNA Stem-Loop Hairpins Bound to FUS-RNA Recognition Motif with Disordered RGG Tail Revealed by Unbiased Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:9207-9221. [PMID: 36348631 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c06168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
RNA-protein complexes use diverse binding strategies, ranging from structurally well-defined interfaces to completely disordered regions. Experimental characterization of flexible segments is challenging and can be aided by atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Here, we used an extended set of microsecond-scale MD trajectories (400 μs in total) to study two FUS-RNA constructs previously characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The FUS protein contains a well-structured RNA recognition motif domain followed by a presumably disordered RGG tail that binds RNA stem-loop hairpins. Our simulations not only provide several suggestions complementing the experiments but also reveal major methodological difficulties in studies of such complex RNA-protein interfaces. Despite efforts to stabilize the binding via system-specific force-field adjustments, we have observed progressive distortions of the RNA-protein interface inconsistent with experimental data. We propose that the dynamics is so rich that its converged description is not achievable even upon stabilizing the system. Still, after careful analysis of the trajectories, we have made several suggestions regarding the binding. We identify substates in the RNA loops, which can explain the NMR data. The RGG tail localized in the minor groove remains disordered, sampling countless transient interactions with the RNA. There are long-range couplings among the different elements contributing to the recognition, which can lead to allosteric communication throughout the system. Overall, the RNA-FUS systems form dynamical ensembles that cannot be fully represented by single static structures. Thus, albeit imperfect, MD simulations represent a viable tool to investigate dynamic RNA-protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavlína Pokorná
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.,National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Krepl
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Sébastien Campagne
- INSERM U1212, CNRS UMR 5320, ARNA Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
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Borišek J, Aupič J, Magistrato A. Establishing the catalytic and regulatory mechanism of
RNA
‐based machineries. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jure Borišek
- Theory Department National Institute of Chemistry Ljubljana Slovenia
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15
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Rozza R, Janoš P, Spinello A, Magistrato A. Role of computational and structural biology in the development of small-molecule modulators of the spliceosome. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2022; 17:1095-1109. [PMID: 35983696 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.2114452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION RNA splicing is a pivotal step of eukaryotic gene expression during which the introns are excised from the precursor (pre-)RNA and the exons are joined together to form mature RNA products (i.e a protein-coding mRNA or long non-coding (lnc)RNAs). The spliceosome, a complex ribonucleoprotein machine, performs pre-RNA splicing with extreme precision. Deregulated splicing is linked to cancer, genetic, and neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, the discovery of small-molecules targeting core spliceosome components represents an appealing therapeutic opportunity. AREA COVERED Several atomic-level structures of the spliceosome and distinct splicing-modulators bound to its protein/RNA components have been solved. Here, we review recent advances in the discovery of small-molecule splicing-modulators, discuss opportunities and challenges for their therapeutic applicability, and showcase how structural data and/or all-atom simulations can illuminate key facets of their mechanism, thus contributing to future drug-discovery campaigns. EXPERT OPINION This review highlights the potential of modulating pre-RNA splicing with small-molecules, and anticipates how the synergy of computer and wet-lab experiments will enrich our understanding of splicing regulation/deregulation mechanisms. This information will aid future structure-based drug-discovery efforts aimed to expand the currently limited portfolio of selective splicing-modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Rozza
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Materials-foundry (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Trieste, Italy
| | - Pavel Janoš
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Materials-foundry (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Trieste, Italy
| | - Angelo Spinello
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Materials-foundry (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Trieste, Italy
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16
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Emerging Methods and Applications to Decrypt Allostery in Proteins and Nucleic Acids. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167518. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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17
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Spinello A, Borišek J, Malcovati L, Magistrato A. Investigating the Molecular Mechanism of H3B-8800: A Splicing Modulator Inducing Preferential Lethality in Spliceosome-Mutant Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222011222. [PMID: 34681880 PMCID: PMC8540225 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222011222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The SF3B1 protein, part of the SF3b complex, recognizes the intron branch point sequence of precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA), thus contributing to splicing fidelity. SF3B1 is frequently mutated in cancer and is the target of distinct families of splicing modulators (SMs). Among these, H3B-8800 is of particular interest, as it induces preferential lethality in cancer cells bearing the frequent and highly pathogenic K700E SF3B1 mutation. Despite the potential of H3B-8800 to treat myeloid leukemia and other cancer types hallmarked by SF3B1 mutations, the molecular mechanism underlying its preferential lethality towards spliceosome-mutant cancer cells remains elusive. Here, microsecond-long all-atom simulations addressed the binding/dissociation mechanism of H3B-8800 to wild type and K700E SF3B1-containing SF3b (K700ESB3b) complexes at the atomic level, unlocking that the K700E mutation little affects the thermodynamics and kinetic traits of H3B-8800 binding. This supports the hypothesis that the selectivity of H3B-8800 towards mutant cancer cells is unrelated to its preferential targeting of K700ESB3b. Nevertheless, this set of simulations discloses that the K700E mutation and H3B-8800 binding affect the overall SF3b internal motion, which in turn may influence the way SF3b interacts with other spliceosome components. Finally, we unveil the existence of a putative druggable SF3b pocket in the vicinity of K700E that could be harnessed in future rational drug-discovery efforts to specifically target mutant SF3b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Materials Foundry (CNR-IOM) c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Jure Borišek
- National Institute of Chemistry, Theory Department, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Luca Malcovati
- Department of Hematology, IRCCS S. Matteo Hospital Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Materials Foundry (CNR-IOM) c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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18
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Caciolla J, Martini S, Spinello A, Pavlin M, Turrini E, Simonelli F, Belluti F, Rampa A, Bisi A, Fimognari C, Zaffaroni N, Gobbi S, Magistrato A. Balanced dual acting compounds targeting aromatase and estrogen receptor α as an emerging therapeutic opportunity to counteract estrogen responsive breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 224:113733. [PMID: 34364162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Breast Cancer (BC) is a leading cause of death in women, currently affecting 13% of female population worldwide. First-line clinical treatments against Estrogen Receptor positive (ER+) BC rely on suppressing estrogen production, by inhibiting the aromatase (AR) enzyme, or on blocking estrogen-dependent pro-oncogenic signaling, by targeting Estrogen Receptor (ER) α with selective Modulators/Degraders (SERMs/SERDs). The development of dual acting molecules targeting AR and ERα represents a tantalizing alternative strategy to fight ER + BC, reducing the incidence of adverse effects and resistance onset that limit the effectiveness of these gold-standard therapies. Here, in silico design, synthesis, biological evaluation and an atomic-level characterization of the binding and inhibition mechanism of twelve structurally related drug-candidates enable the discovery of multiple compounds active on both AR and ERα in the sub-μM range. The best drug-candidate 3a displayed a balanced low-nanomolar IC50 towards the two targets, SERM activity and moderate selectivity towards a BC cell line. Moreover, most of the studied compounds reduced ERα levels, suggesting a potential SERD activity. This study dissects the key structural traits needed to obtain optimal dual acting drug-candidates, showing that multitarget compounds may be a viable therapeutic option to counteract ER + BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Caciolla
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Silvia Martini
- Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20113, Milano, Italy
| | - Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Matic Pavlin
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy; Laboratory of Microsensor Structures and Electronics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška Cesta 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Eleonora Turrini
- Department for Life Quality Studies, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Corso D'Augusto 237, 47921, Rimini, Italy
| | - Federica Simonelli
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Federica Belluti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Angela Rampa
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bisi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Carmela Fimognari
- Department for Life Quality Studies, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Corso D'Augusto 237, 47921, Rimini, Italy
| | - Nadia Zaffaroni
- Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20113, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Gobbi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy.
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19
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Prašnikar E, Perdih A, Borišek J. All-Atom Simulations Reveal a Key Interaction Network in the HLA-E/NKG2A/CD94 Immune Complex Fine-Tuned by the Nonameric Peptide. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:3593-3603. [PMID: 34196180 PMCID: PMC8389527 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells, an important part of the innate immune system, can clear a wide variety of pathological challenges, including tumor, senescent, and virally infected cells. They express various activating and inhibitory receptors on their surface, and the balance of interactions between them and specific ligands displayed on the surface of target cells is critical for NK cell cytolytic function and target cell protection. The CD94/NKG2A heterodimer is one of the inhibitory receptors that interacts with its trimeric ligand consisting of HLA-E, β2m, and a nonameric peptide. Here, multi-microsecond-long all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of eight immune complexes elucidate the subtleties of receptor (NKG2A/CD94)-ligand (HLA-E/β2m/peptide) molecular recognition that mediate the NK cell protection from a geometric and energetic perspective. We identify key differences in the interactions between the receptor and ligand complexes, which are via an entangled network of hydrogen bonds fine-tuned by the ligand-specific nonameric peptide. We further reveal that the receptor protein NKG2A regulates the NK cell activity, while its CD94 partner forms the majority of the energetically important interactions with the ligand. This knowledge rationalizes the atomistic details of the fundamental NK cell protection mechanism and may enable a variety of opportunities in rational-based drug discovery for diverse pathologies including viral infections and cancer and elimination of senescent cells associated with potential treatment of many age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Prašnikar
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Graduate
School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andrej Perdih
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jure Borišek
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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20
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Sztain T, Amaro R, McCammon JA. Elucidation of Cryptic and Allosteric Pockets within the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:3495-3501. [PMID: 33939913 PMCID: PMC8117783 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has rapidly spread across the globe, posing an urgent health concern. Many quests to computationally identify treatments against the virus rely on in silico small molecule docking to experimentally determined structures of viral proteins. One limit to these approaches is that protein dynamics are often unaccounted for, leading to overlooking transient, druggable conformational states. Using Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics to enhance sampling of conformational space, we identified cryptic pockets within the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, including some within regions far from the active site. These simulations sampled comparable dynamics and pocket volumes to conventional brute force simulations carried out on two orders of magnitude greater timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rommie Amaro
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - J. Andrew McCammon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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21
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Spinello A, Saltalamacchia A, Borišek J, Magistrato A. Allosteric Cross-Talk among Spike's Receptor-Binding Domain Mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 South African Variant Triggers an Effective Hijacking of Human Cell Receptor. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:5987-5993. [PMID: 34161095 PMCID: PMC8247780 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c01415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The rapid and relentless emergence of novel highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants, possibly decreasing vaccine efficacy, currently represents a formidable medical and societal challenge. These variants frequently hold mutations on the Spike protein's receptor-binding domain (RBD), which, binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, mediates viral entry into host cells. Here, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and dynamical network theory of the wild-type and mutant RBD/ACE2 adducts disclose that while the N501Y mutation (UK variant) enhances the Spike's binding affinity toward ACE2, the concomitant N501Y, E484K, and K417N mutations (South African variant) aptly adapt to increase SARS-CoV-2 propagation via a two-pronged strategy: (i) effectively grasping ACE2 through an allosteric signaling between pivotal RBD structural elements and (ii) impairing the binding of antibodies elicited by infected or vaccinated patients. This information unlocks the molecular terms and evolutionary strategies underlying the increased virulence of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, setting the basis for developing the next-generation anti-COVID-19 therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Saltalamacchia
- International
School for Advanced Studies SISSA, via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Jure Borišek
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova ulica 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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22
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Prašnikar E, Perdih A, Borišek J. Nonameric Peptide Orchestrates Signal Transduction in the Activating HLA-E/NKG2C/CD94 Immune Complex as Revealed by All-Atom Simulations. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6670. [PMID: 34206395 PMCID: PMC8268078 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system's natural killer (NK) cells exert their cytolytic function against a variety of pathological challenges, including tumors and virally infected cells. Their activation depends on net signaling mediated via inhibitory and activating receptors that interact with specific ligands displayed on the surfaces of target cells. The CD94/NKG2C heterodimer is one of the NK activating receptors and performs its function by interacting with the trimeric ligand comprised of the HLA-E/β2m/nonameric peptide complex. Here, simulations of the all-atom multi-microsecond molecular dynamics in five immune complexes provide atomistic insights into the receptor-ligand molecular recognition, as well as the molecular events that facilitate the NK cell activation. We identify NKG2C, the HLA-Eα2 domain, and the nonameric peptide as the key elements involved in the molecular machinery of signal transduction via an intertwined hydrogen bond network. Overall, the study addresses the complex intricacies that are necessary to understand the mechanisms of the innate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Prašnikar
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
- Graduate School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov Trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andrej Perdih
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jure Borišek
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
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23
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Nierzwicki Ł, Arantes PR, Saha A, Palermo G. Establishing the allosteric mechanism in CRISPR-Cas9. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2021; 11:e1503. [PMID: 34322166 PMCID: PMC8315640 DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Allostery is a fundamental property of proteins, which regulates biochemical information transfer between spatially distant sites. Here, we report on the critical role of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in discovering the mechanism of allosteric communication within CRISPR-Cas9, a leading genome editing machinery with enormous promises for medicine and biotechnology. MD revealed how allostery intervenes during at least three steps of the CRISPR-Cas9 function: affecting DNA recognition, mediating the cleavage and interfering with the off-target activity. An allosteric communication that activates concerted DNA cleavages was found to led through the L1/L2 loops, which connect the HNH and RuvC catalytic domains. The identification of these "allosteric transducers" inspired the development of novel variants of the Cas9 protein with improved specificity, opening a new avenue for controlling the CRISPR-Cas9 activity. Discussed studies also highlight the critical role of the recognition lobe in the conformational activation of the catalytic HNH domain. Specifically, the REC3 region was found to modulate the dynamics of HNH by sensing the formation of the RNA:DNA hybrid. The role of REC3 was revealed to be particularly relevant in the presence of DNA mismatches. Indeed, interference of REC3 with the RNA:DNA hybrid containing mismatched pairs at specific positions resulted in locking HNH in an inactive "conformational checkpoint" conformation, thereby hampering off-target cleavages. Overall, MD simulations established the fundamental mechanisms underlying the allosterism of CRISPR-Cas9, aiding engineering strategies to develop new CRISPR-Cas9 variants for improved genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Nierzwicki
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
| | - Pablo Ricardo Arantes
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
| | - Aakash Saha
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering and Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California
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24
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Spinello A, Borišek J, Pavlin M, Janoš P, Magistrato A. Computing Metal-Binding Proteins for Therapeutic Benefit. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:2034-2049. [PMID: 33740297 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Over one third of biomolecules rely on metal ions to exert their cellular functions. Metal ions can play a structural role by stabilizing the structure of biomolecules, a functional role by promoting a wide variety of biochemical reactions, and a regulatory role by acting as messengers upon binding to proteins regulating cellular metal-homeostasis. These diverse roles in biology ascribe critical implications to metal-binding proteins in the onset of many diseases. Hence, it is of utmost importance to exhaustively unlock the different mechanistic facets of metal-binding proteins and to harness this knowledge to rationally devise novel therapeutic strategies to prevent or cure pathological states associated with metal-dependent cellular dysfunctions. In this compendium, we illustrate how the use of a computational arsenal based on docking, classical, and quantum-classical molecular dynamics simulations can contribute to extricate the minutiae of the catalytic, transport, and inhibition mechanisms of metal-binding proteins at the atomic level. This knowledge represents a fertile ground and an essential prerequisite for selectively targeting metal-binding proteins with small-molecule inhibitors aiming to (i) abrogate deregulated metal-dependent (mis)functions or (ii) leverage metal-dyshomeostasis to selectively trigger harmful cells death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-, Institute of Materials (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Jure Borišek
- National Institute of Chemistry Institution Hajdrihova ulica 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matic Pavlin
- Laboratory of Microsensor Structures and Electronics Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana Tržaška cesta 25, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Pavel Janoš
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-, Institute of Materials (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-, Institute of Materials (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
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25
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Krepl M, Dendooven T, Luisi BF, Sponer J. MD simulations reveal the basis for dynamic assembly of Hfq-RNA complexes. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100656. [PMID: 33857481 PMCID: PMC8121710 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The conserved protein Hfq is a key factor in the RNA-mediated control of gene expression in most known bacteria. The transient intermediates Hfq forms with RNA support intricate and robust regulatory networks. In Pseudomonas, Hfq recognizes repeats of adenine–purine–any nucleotide (ARN) in target mRNAs via its distal binding side, and together with the catabolite repression control (Crc) protein, assembles into a translation–repression complex. Earlier experiments yielded static, ensemble-averaged structures of the complex, but details of its interface dynamics and assembly pathway remained elusive. Using explicit solvent atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we modeled the extensive dynamics of the Hfq–RNA interface and found implications for the assembly of the complex. We predict that syn/anti flips of the adenine nucleotides in each ARN repeat contribute to a dynamic recognition mechanism between the Hfq distal side and mRNA targets. We identify a previously unknown binding pocket that can accept any nucleotide and propose that it may serve as a ‘status quo’ staging point, providing nonspecific binding affinity, until Crc engages the Hfq–RNA binary complex. The dynamical components of the Hfq–RNA recognition can speed up screening of the pool of the surrounding RNAs, participate in rapid accommodation of the RNA on the protein surface, and facilitate competition among different RNAs. The register of Crc in the ternary assembly could be defined by the recognition of a guanine-specific base–phosphate interaction between the first and last ARN repeats of the bound RNA. This dynamic substrate recognition provides structural rationale for the stepwise assembly of multicomponent ribonucleoprotein complexes nucleated by Hfq–RNA binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Krepl
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Tom Dendooven
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; MRC-LMB, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ben F Luisi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jiri Sponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
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26
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Xu J, Simonelli F, Li X, Spinello A, Laporte S, Torre V, Magistrato A. Molecular Mechanisms of the Blockage of Glioblastoma Motility. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:2967-2980. [PMID: 33861592 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal brain tumor. GBM has a remarkable degree of motility and is able to infiltrate the healthy brain. In order to perform a rationale-based drug-repositioning study, we have used known inhibitors of two small Rho GTPases, Rac1 and Cdc42, which are upregulated in GBM and are involved in the signaling processes underlying the orchestration of the cytoskeleton and cellular motility. The selected inhibitors (R-ketorolac and ML141 for Cdc42 and R-ketorolac and EHT 1864 for Rac1) have been successfully employed to reduce the infiltration propensity of GBM in live cell imaging studies. Complementarily, all-atom simulations have elucidated the molecular basis of their inhibition mechanism, identifying the binding sites targeted by the inhibitors and dissecting their impact on the small Rho GTPases' function. Our results demonstrate the potential of targeting the Rac1 and Cdc42 proteins with small molecules to contrast GBM infiltration growth and supply precious information for future drug discovery studies aiming to fight GBM and other infiltrative cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xu
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy.,Institute for Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P. R. China
| | - Federica Simonelli
- National Research Council of Italy - Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Xiaoyun Li
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council of Italy - Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Sara Laporte
- National Research Council of Italy - Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Vincent Torre
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy - Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
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27
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Borišek J, Magistrato A. An Expanded Two-Zn2+-Ion Motif Orchestrates Pre-mRNA Maturation in the 3′-End Processing Endonuclease Machinery. ACS Catal 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c05594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jure Borišek
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- CNR-IOM-Democritos National Simulation Center c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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28
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Borišek J, Casalino L, Saltalamacchia A, Mays SG, Malcovati L, Magistrato A. Atomic-Level Mechanism of Pre-mRNA Splicing in Health and Disease. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:144-154. [PMID: 33317262 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Intron removal from premature-mRNA (pre-mRNA splicing) is an essential part of gene expression and regulation that is required for the production of mature, protein-coding mRNA. The spliceosome (SPL), a majestic machine composed of five small nuclear RNAs and hundreds of proteins, behaves as an eminent transcriptome tailor, efficiently performing splicing as a protein-directed metallo-ribozyme. To select and excise long and diverse intronic sequences with single-nucleotide precision, the SPL undergoes a continuous compositional and conformational remodeling, forming eight distinct complexes throughout each splicing cycle. Splicing fidelity is of paramount importance to preserve the integrity of the proteome. Mutations in splicing factors can severely compromise the accuracy of this machinery, leading to aberrant splicing and altered gene expression. Decades of biochemical and genetic studies have provided insights into the SPL's composition and function, but its complexity and plasticity have prevented an in-depth mechanistic understanding. Single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy techniques have ushered in a new era for comprehending eukaryotic gene regulation, providing several near-atomic resolution structures of the SPL from yeast and humans. Nevertheless, these structures represent isolated snapshots of the splicing process and are insufficient to exhaustively assess the function of each SPL component and to unravel particular facets of the splicing mechanism in a dynamic environment.In this Account, building upon our contributions in this field, we discuss the role of biomolecular simulations in uncovering the mechanistic intricacies of eukaryotic splicing in health and disease. Specifically, we showcase previous applications to illustrate the role of atomic-level simulations in elucidating the function of specific proteins involved in the architectural reorganization of the SPL along the splicing cycle. Moreover, molecular dynamics applications have uniquely contributed to decrypting the channels of communication required for critical functional transitions of the SPL assemblies. They have also shed light on the role of carcinogenic mutations in the faithful selection of key intronic regions and the molecular mechanism of splicing modulators. Additionally, we emphasize the role of quantum-classical molecular dynamics in unraveling the chemical details of pre-mRNA cleavage in the SPL and in its evolutionary ancestors, group II intron ribozymes. We discuss methodological pitfalls of multiscale calculations currently used to dissect the splicing mechanism, presenting future challenges in this field. The results highlight how atomic-level simulations can enrich the interpretation of experimental results. We envision that the synergy between computational and experimental approaches will aid in developing innovative therapeutic strategies and revolutionary gene modulation tools to fight the over 200 human diseases associated with splicing misregulation, including cancer and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jure Borišek
- Theory Department, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana 1001, Slovenia
| | - Lorenzo Casalino
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | | | | | - Luca Malcovati
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia 27100, Italy
- Department of Hematology, IRCCS S. Matteo Hospital Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy
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29
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Saha A, Arantes PR, Hsu RV, Narkhede YB, Jinek M, Palermo G. Molecular Dynamics Reveals a DNA-Induced Dynamic Switch Triggering Activation of CRISPR-Cas12a. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:6427-6437. [PMID: 33107304 PMCID: PMC7605327 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas12a is a genome-editing system, recently also harnessed for nucleic acid detection, which is promising for the diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus through the DETECTR technology. Here, a collective ensemble of multimicrosecond molecular dynamics characterizes the key dynamic determinants allowing nucleic acid processing in CRISPR-Cas12a. We show that DNA binding induces a switch in the conformational dynamics of Cas12a, which results in the activation of the peripheral REC2 and Nuc domains to enable cleavage of nucleic acids. The simulations reveal that large-amplitude motions of the Nuc domain could favor the conformational activation of the system toward DNA cleavages. In this process, the REC lobe plays a critical role. Accordingly, the joint dynamics of REC and Nuc shows the tendency to prime the conformational transition of the DNA target strand toward the catalytic site. Most notably, the highly coupled dynamics of the REC2 region and Nuc domain suggests that REC2 could act as a regulator of the Nuc function, similar to what was observed previously for the HNH domain in the CRISPR-associated nuclease Cas9. These mutual domain dynamics could be critical for the nonspecific binding of DNA and thereby for the underlying mechanistic functioning of the DETECTR technology. Considering that REC is a key determinant in the system's specificity, our findings provide a rational basis for future biophysical studies aimed at characterizing its function in CRISPR-Cas12a. Overall, our outcomes advance our mechanistic understanding of CRISPR-Cas12a and provide grounds for novel engineering efforts to improve genome editing and viral detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakash Saha
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Pablo R. Arantes
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Rohaine V. Hsu
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Yogesh B. Narkhede
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Martin Jinek
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California,
Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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30
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Palermo G, Spinello A, Saha A, Magistrato A. Frontiers of metal-coordinating drug design. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 16:497-511. [PMID: 33874825 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1851188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: The occurrence of metal ions in biomolecules is required to exert vital cellular functions. Metal-containing biomolecules can be modulated by small-molecule inhibitors targeting their metal-moiety. As well, the discovery of cisplatin ushered the rational discovery of metal-containing-drugs. The use of both drug types exploiting metal-ligand interactions is well established to treat distinct pathologies. Therefore, characterizing and leveraging metal-coordinating drugs is a pivotal, yet challenging, part of medicinal chemistry.Area covered: Atomic-level simulations are increasingly employed to overcome the challenges met by traditional drug-discovery approaches and to complement wet-lab experiments in elucidating the mechanisms of drugs' action. Multiscale simulations, allow deciphering the mechanism of metal-binding inhibitors and metallo-containing-drugs, enabling a reliable description of metal-complexes in their biological environment. In this compendium, the authors review selected applications exploiting the metal-ligand interactions by focusing on understanding the mechanism and design of (i) inhibitors targeting iron and zinc-enzymes, and (ii) ruthenium and gold-based anticancer agents targeting the nucleosome and aquaporin protein, respectively.Expert opinion: The showcased applications exemplify the current role and the potential of atomic-level simulations and reveal how their synergic use with experiments can contribute to uncover fundamental mechanistic facets and exploit metal-ligand interactions in medicinal chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering and Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, United States
| | - Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council (CNR) of Italy, Institute of Material (IOM) @ International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Aakash Saha
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, United States
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council (CNR) of Italy, Institute of Material (IOM) @ International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
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31
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Vidossich P, Castañeda Moreno LE, Mota C, de Sanctis D, Miscione GP, De Vivo M. Functional Implications of Second-Shell Basic Residues for dUTPase DR2231 Enzymatic Specificity. ACS Catal 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c04148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Vidossich
- COBO Computational Bio-Organic Chemistry Bogotá, Chemistry Department, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 No 18A-12, 111711 Bogotá, Colombia
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Luis Eduardo Castañeda Moreno
- COBO Computational Bio-Organic Chemistry Bogotá, Chemistry Department, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 No 18A-12, 111711 Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Cristiano Mota
- ESRF The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Daniele de Sanctis
- ESRF The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Gian Pietro Miscione
- COBO Computational Bio-Organic Chemistry Bogotá, Chemistry Department, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 No 18A-12, 111711 Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marco De Vivo
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
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32
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Mardirossian M, Sola R, Beckert B, Valencic E, Collis DWP, Borišek J, Armas F, Di Stasi A, Buchmann J, Syroegin EA, Polikanov YS, Magistrato A, Hilpert K, Wilson DN, Scocchi M. Peptide Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis with Broad Spectrum and SbmA-Independent Bactericidal Activity against Clinical Pathogens. J Med Chem 2020; 63:9590-9602. [PMID: 32787108 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) are promising lead compounds for developing new antimicrobials; however, their narrow spectrum of action is limiting. PrAMPs kill bacteria binding to their ribosomes and inhibiting protein synthesis. In this study, 133 derivatives of the PrAMP Bac7(1-16) were synthesized to identify the crucial residues for ribosome inactivation and antimicrobial activity. Then, five new Bac7(1-16) derivatives were conceived and characterized by antibacterial and membrane permeabilization assays, X-ray crystallography, and molecular dynamics simulations. Some derivatives displayed broad spectrum activity, encompassing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Two peptides out of five acquired a weak membrane-perturbing activity while maintaining the ability to inhibit protein synthesis. These derivatives became independent of the SbmA transporter, commonly used by native PrAMPs, suggesting that they obtained a novel route to enter bacterial cells. PrAMP-derived compounds could become new-generation antimicrobials to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Mardirossian
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34125 Trieste, Italy
| | - Riccardo Sola
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Bertrand Beckert
- Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Erica Valencic
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", 30137 Trieste, Italy
| | | | | | - Federica Armas
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Adriana Di Stasi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Jan Buchmann
- Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Egor A Syroegin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Yury S Polikanov
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | | | - Kai Hilpert
- Institute of Infection and Immunology, St. George's, University of London, SW 17 0RE London, U.K
| | - Daniel N Wilson
- Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marco Scocchi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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33
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Sztain T, Amaro R, McCammon JA. Elucidation of cryptic and allosteric pockets within the SARS-CoV-2 protease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020:2020.07.23.218784. [PMID: 32743587 PMCID: PMC7386507 DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.23.218784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has rapidly spread across the globe, posing an urgent health concern. Many quests to computationally identify treatments against the virus rely on in silico small molecule docking to experimentally determined structures of viral proteins. One limit to these approaches is that protein dynamics are often unaccounted for, leading to overlooking transient, druggable conformational states. Using Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics to enhance sampling of conformational space, we identified cryptic pockets within the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, including some within regions far from the active site and assed their druggability. These pockets can aid in virtual screening efforts to identify a protease inhibitor for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J. Andrew McCammon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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34
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Spinello A, Saltalamacchia A, Magistrato A. Is the Rigidity of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Receptor-Binding Motif the Hallmark for Its Enhanced Infectivity? Insights from All-Atom Simulations. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:4785-4790. [PMID: 32463239 PMCID: PMC7274147 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is setting the global health crisis of our time, causing a devastating societal and economic burden. An idiosyncratic trait of coronaviruses is the presence of spike glycoproteins on the viral envelope, which mediate the virus binding to specific host receptor, enabling its entry into the human cells. In spite of the high sequence identity of SARS-CoV-2 with its closely related SARS-CoV emerged in 2002, the atomic-level determinants underlining the molecular recognition of SARS-CoV-2 to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and, thus, the rapid virus spread into human body, remain unresolved. Here, multi-microsecond-long molecular dynamics simulations enabled us to unprecedentedly dissect the key molecular traits liable of the higher affinity/specificity of SARS-CoV-2 toward ACE2 as compared to SARS-CoV. This supplies a minute per-residue contact map underlining its stunningly high infectivity. Harnessing this knowledge is pivotal for urgently developing effective medical countermeasures to face the ongoing global health crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Saltalamacchia
- International School for
Advanced Studies SISSA, via Bonomea 265, 34136
Trieste, Italy
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35
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Saltalamacchia A, Casalino L, Borišek J, Batista VS, Rivalta I, Magistrato A. Decrypting the Information Exchange Pathways across the Spliceosome Machinery. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:8403-8411. [PMID: 32275149 PMCID: PMC7339022 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c02036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Intron splicing of a nascent mRNA transcript by spliceosome (SPL) is a hallmark of gene regulation in eukaryotes. SPL is a majestic molecular machine composed of an entangled network of proteins and RNAs that meticulously promotes intron splicing through the formation of eight intermediate complexes. Cross-communication among the critical distal proteins of the SPL assembly is pivotal for fast and accurate directing of the compositional and conformational readjustments necessary to achieve high splicing fidelity. Here, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of an 800 000 atom model of SPL C complex from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and community network analysis enabled us to decrypt the complexity of this huge molecular machine, by identifying the key channels of information transfer across long distances separating key protein components. The reported study represents an unprecedented attempt in dissecting cross-communication pathways within one of the most complex machines of eukaryotic cells, supporting the critical role of Clf1 and Cwc2 splicing cofactors and specific domains of the Prp8 protein as signal conveyors for pre-mRNA maturation. Our findings provide fundamental advances into mechanistic aspects of SPL, providing a conceptual basis for controlling the SPL via small-molecule modulators able to tackle splicing-associated diseases by altering/obstructing information-exchange paths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Saltalamacchia
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Casalino
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jure Borišek
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Victor S Batista
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Ivan Rivalta
- Dipartimento di Chimica Industriale "Toso Montanari", University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Univ Lyon, Ens de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5182, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Laboratoire de Chimie, F69342, Lyon, France
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto Officina dei Materiali, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34135 Trieste, Italy
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36
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Borišek J, Magistrato A. All-Atom Simulations Decrypt the Molecular Terms of RNA Catalysis in the Exon-Ligation Step of the Spliceosome. ACS Catal 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c00390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jure Borišek
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- CNR-IOM-Democritos national Simulation Center c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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37
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Donati E, Genna V, De Vivo M. Recruiting Mechanism and Functional Role of a Third Metal Ion in the Enzymatic Activity of 5' Structure-Specific Nucleases. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:2823-2834. [PMID: 31939291 PMCID: PMC7993637 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b10656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Enzymes of the 5′ structure-specific
nuclease family are crucial for DNA repair, replication, and recombination.
One such enzyme is the human exonuclease 1 (hExo1) metalloenzyme,
which cleaves DNA strands, acting primarily as a processive 5′-3′
exonuclease and secondarily as a 5′-flap endonuclease. Recently,
in crystallo reaction intermediates have elucidated how hExo1 exerts
hydrolysis of DNA phosphodiester bonds. These hExo1 structures show
a third metal ion intermittently bound close to the two-metal-ion
active site, to which recessed ends or 5′-flap substrates bind.
Evidence of this third ion has been observed in several nucleic-acid-processing
metalloenzymes. However, there is still debate over what triggers
the (un)binding of this transient third ion during catalysis and whether
this ion has a catalytic function. Using extended molecular dynamics
and enhanced sampling free-energy simulations, we observed that the
carboxyl side chain of Glu89 (located along the arch motif in hExo1)
flips frequently from the reactant state to the product state. The
conformational flipping of Glu89 allows one metal ion to be recruited
from the bulk and promptly positioned near the catalytic center. This
is in line with the structural evidence. Additionally, our simulations
show that the third metal ion assists the departure, through the mobile
arch, of the nucleotide monophosphate product from the catalytic site.
Structural comparisons of nuclease enzymes suggest that this Glu(Asp)-mediated
mechanism for third ion recruitment and nucleic acid hydrolysis may
be shared by other 5′ structure-specific nucleases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Donati
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling & Drug Discovery , Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Morego 30 , 16163 Genoa , Italy
| | - Vito Genna
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling & Drug Discovery , Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Morego 30 , 16163 Genoa , Italy
| | - Marco De Vivo
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling & Drug Discovery , Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Morego 30 , 16163 Genoa , Italy
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38
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Zou A, Lee S, Li J, Zhou R. Retained Stability of the RNA Structure in DNA Packaging Motor with a Single Mg2+ Ion Bound at the Double Mg-Clamp Structure. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:701-707. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b06428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aodong Zou
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- Institute of Quantitative Biology and Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Sangyun Lee
- Computational Biological Center, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, United States
| | - Jingyuan Li
- Institute of Quantitative Biology and Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Ruhong Zhou
- Institute of Quantitative Biology and Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- Computational Biological Center, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
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39
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Aldukhi F, Deb A, Zhao C, Moffett AS, Shukla D. Molecular Mechanism of Brassinosteroid Perception by the Plant Growth Receptor BRI1. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:355-365. [PMID: 31873025 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b09377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are essential phytohormones, which bind to the plant receptor, BRI1, to regulate various physiological processes. The molecular mechanism of the perception of BRs by the ectodomain of BRI1 remains not fully understood. It also remains elusive why a substantial difference in biological activity exists between the BRs. In this work, we study the binding mechanisms of the two most bioactive BRs, brassinolide (BLD) and castasterone (CAT), using molecular dynamics simulations. We report free-energy landscapes of the binding processes of both ligands, as well as detailed ligand binding pathways. Our results suggest that CAT has a lower binding affinity compared to BLD due to its inability to form hydrogen-bonding interactions with a tyrosine residue in the island domain of BRI1. We uncover a conserved nonproductive binding state for both BLD and CAT, which is more stable for CAT and may further contribute to the bioactivity difference. Finally, we validate past observations about the conformational restructuring and ordering of the island domain upon BLD binding. Overall, this study provides new insights into the fundamental mechanism of the perception of the two most bioactive BRs, which may create new avenues for genetic and agrochemical control of their signaling cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aniket Deb
- Department of Food Technology and Biochemical Engineering , Jadavpur University , Kolkata , West Bengal 700032 , India
| | | | | | - Diwakar Shukla
- National Center for Supercomputing Applications , Urbana , Illinois 61801 , United States
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40
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Manna B, Ghosh A. Structure and dynamics of ionic liquid tolerant hyperthermophilic endoglucanase Cel12A from Rhodothermus marinus. RSC Adv 2020; 10:7933-7947. [PMID: 35492170 PMCID: PMC9049953 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra09612d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Economic deconstruction of lignocellulose remains a challenge due to the complex architecture of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Advancements in pretreatment processes have introduced ionic liquids (ILs) as promising non-derivatizing solvents for reducing biomass recalcitrance and for promoting enzymatic hydrolysis. However, available commercial cellulases are destabilized or inactivated even in low concentration of residual ILs. Thus, a molecular understanding of IL-enzyme interactions is crucial for developing IL-tolerant enzymes with high catalytic activity. In this study, molecular insight behind the IL tolerance of hyperthermophilic endoglucanase Cel12A from Rhodothermus marinus (RmCel12A) has been investigated in 20%, 40%, and 60% 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EmimAc) through molecular dynamic simulations at 368 K. Though the enzyme retained its stability in all EmimAc concentrations, the activity was affected due to the loss of essential dynamic motions. A protein structure network was constructed using the snapshots of protein structures from the simulation trajectories and the hub properties of residues R20, Y59, W68, W197, E203, and F220 were found to be lost in 60% EmimAc. Emim cations were observed to intrude the active site tunnel and interact with more number of catalytic residues with higher cumulative fractional occupancy in 60% EmimAc than in 20% or 40% EmimAc. Some non-catalytic residues have also been identified at the active site, which can be probable mutation targets for improving the IL tolerance. Our findings reveal the molecular understanding behind the origin of activity loss of RmCel12A and proposed insights for the further improvement of IL sensitivity. Understanding the behavior of ionic liquid tolerant hyperthermophilic endoglucanase Cel12A from Rhodothermus marinus in different concentrations of EmimAc.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharat Manna
- School of Energy Science and Engineering
- Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
- Kharagpur 721302
- India
| | - Amit Ghosh
- School of Energy Science and Engineering
- Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
- Kharagpur 721302
- India
- P.K. Sinha Centre for Bioenergy and Renewables
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41
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Zewde NT. Multiscale Solutions to Quantitative Systems Biology Models. Front Mol Biosci 2019; 6:119. [PMID: 31737643 PMCID: PMC6831518 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2019.00119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nehemiah T Zewde
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
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42
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Borišek J, Saltalamacchia A, Gallì A, Palermo G, Molteni E, Malcovati L, Magistrato A. Disclosing the Impact of Carcinogenic SF3b Mutations on Pre-mRNA Recognition Via All-Atom Simulations. Biomolecules 2019; 9:E633. [PMID: 31640290 PMCID: PMC6843770 DOI: 10.3390/biom9100633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The spliceosome accurately promotes precursor messenger-RNA splicing by recognizing specific noncoding intronic tracts including the branch point sequence (BPS) and the 3'-splice-site (3'SS). Mutations of Hsh155 (yeast)/SF3B1 (human), which is a protein of the SF3b factor involved in BPS recognition and induces altered BPS binding and 3'SS selection, lead to mis-spliced mRNA transcripts. Although these mutations recur in hematologic malignancies, the mechanism by which they change gene expression remains unclear. In this study, multi-microsecond-long molecular-dynamics simulations of eighth distinct ∼700,000 atom models of the spliceosome Bact complex, and gene sequencing of SF3B1, disclose that these carcinogenic isoforms destabilize intron binding and/or affect the functional dynamics of Hsh155/SF3B1 only when binding non-consensus BPSs, as opposed to the non-pathogenic variants newly annotated here. This pinpoints a cross-talk between the distal Hsh155 mutation and BPS recognition sites. Our outcomes unprecedentedly contribute to elucidating the principles of pre-mRNA recognition, which provides critical insights on the mechanism underlying constitutive/alternative/aberrant splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jure Borišek
- CNR-IOM-Democritos National Simulation Center c/o SISSA, 34136 Trieste, Italy.
- National Institute of Chemistry, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | | | - Anna Gallì
- Department of Hematology, IRCCS S. Matteo Hospital Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside CA 92521, USA.
| | - Elisabetta Molteni
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Luca Malcovati
- Department of Hematology, IRCCS S. Matteo Hospital Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
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43
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Borišek J, Saltalamacchia A, Spinello A, Magistrato A. Exploiting Cryo-EM Structural Information and All-Atom Simulations To Decrypt the Molecular Mechanism of Splicing Modulators. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 60:2510-2521. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jure Borišek
- National Research Council (CNR)-IOM c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andrea Saltalamacchia
- International School for Advanced studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council (CNR)-IOM c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council (CNR)-IOM c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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44
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Pavlin M, Gelsomino L, Barone I, Spinello A, Catalano S, Andò S, Magistrato A. Structural, Thermodynamic, and Kinetic Traits of Antiestrogen-Compounds Selectively Targeting the Y537S Mutant Estrogen Receptor α Transcriptional Activity in Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Front Chem 2019; 7:602. [PMID: 31552220 PMCID: PMC6737084 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The most frequently diagnosed cancers in women are the estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer subtypes, which are characterized by estrogen dependency for their growth. The mainstay of clinical treatment for this tumor relies on the modulation of ERα action or on the suppression of estrogen biosynthesis via the administration of Selective ERα Modulators/Down-regulators (SERMs/SERDs) or aromatase inhibitors, respectively. Nevertheless, de novo and acquired resistance to these therapies frequently occurs and represents a major clinical concern for patient survival. Recently, somatic mutations affecting the hormone-binding domain of ERα (i.e., Y537S, Y537N, D538G) have been associated with endocrine resistance, disease relapse and increased mortality rates. Hence, devising novel therapies against these ERα isoforms represents a daunting challenge. Here, we identified five molecules active on recurrent Y537S ERα polymorphism by employing in silico virtual screening on commercial databases of molecules, complemented by ER-transactivation and MTT assays in MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells expressing wild type or mutated ERα. Among them, one molecule selectively targets Y537S ERα without inducing any cytotoxicity in breast cell lines. Multi-microseconds (4.5 μs) of biased and unbiased molecular dynamics provided an atomic-level picture of the structural, thermodynamics (i.e., binding free energies) and the kinetic (i.e., dissociation free energy barriers) of these active ligands as compared to clinically used SERM/SERDs upon binding to wild type and distinct ERα variants (Y537S, Y537N, D538G). This study contributes to a dissection of the key molecular traits needed by drug-candidates to hamper the agonist (active)-like conformation of ERα, normally selected by those polymorphic variants. This information can be useful to discover mutant specific drug-candidates, enabling to move a step forward toward tailored approaches for breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matic Pavlin
- National Research Council - Institute of Materials (IOM) at International School for Advanced Studies (ISAS), Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Luca Gelsomino
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Ines Barone
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council - Institute of Materials (IOM) at International School for Advanced Studies (ISAS), Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefania Catalano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Andò
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutrition Sciences, Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council - Institute of Materials (IOM) at International School for Advanced Studies (ISAS), Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
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45
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Lenarčič T, Pirc K, Hodnik V, Albert I, Borišek J, Magistrato A, Nürnberger T, Podobnik M, Anderluh G. Molecular basis for functional diversity among microbial Nep1-like proteins. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007951. [PMID: 31479498 PMCID: PMC6743777 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Necrosis and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)-like proteins (NLPs) are secreted by several phytopathogenic microorganisms. They trigger necrosis in various eudicot plants upon binding to plant sphingolipid glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides (GIPC). Interestingly, HaNLP3 from the obligate biotroph oomycete Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis does not induce necrosis. We determined the crystal structure of HaNLP3 and showed that it adopts the NLP fold. However, the conformations of the loops surrounding the GIPC headgroup-binding cavity differ from those of cytotoxic Pythium aphanidermatum NLPPya. Essential dynamics extracted from μs-long molecular dynamics (MD) simulations reveals a limited conformational plasticity of the GIPC-binding cavity in HaNLP3 relative to toxic NLPs. This likely precludes HaNLP3 binding to GIPCs, which is the underlying reason for the lack of toxicity. This study reveals that mutations at key protein regions cause a switch between non-toxic and toxic phenotypes within the same protein scaffold. Altogether, these data provide evidence that protein flexibility is a distinguishing trait of toxic NLPs and highlight structural determinants for a potential functional diversification of non-toxic NLPs utilized by biotrophic plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tea Lenarčič
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Katja Pirc
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Vesna Hodnik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Isabell Albert
- Center of Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jure Borišek
- CNR-IOM-Democritos at International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- CNR-IOM-Democritos at International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Thorsten Nürnberger
- Center of Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South Africa
| | - Marjetka Podobnik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- * E-mail: (MP); (GA)
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- * E-mail: (MP); (GA)
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46
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Casalino L, Magistrato A. Unraveling the Molecular Mechanism of Pre-mRNA Splicing From Multi-Scale Simulations. Front Mol Biosci 2019; 6:62. [PMID: 31448284 PMCID: PMC6691188 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2019.00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Casalino
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche–Istituto Officina dei Materiali, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
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47
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering , University of California Riverside , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Yuji Sugita
- Theoretical Molecular Science Laboratory , RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research , 2-1 Hirosawa , Wako , Saitama 351-0198 , Japan.,Computational Biophysics Research Team , RIKEN Center for Computational Science , 7-1-26 Minatojima-Minamimachi , Chuo-ku, Kobe , Hyogo 650-0047 , Japan.,Laboratory for Biomolecular Function Simulation , RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research , 1-6-5 Minatojima-Minamimachi , Chuo-ku, Kobe , Hyogo 650-0047 , Japan
| | - Willy Wriggers
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , Old Dominion University , Norfolk , Virginia 23529 , United States
| | - Rommie E Amaro
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California San Diego , San Diego , California 92093-0340 , United States
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48
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Palermo G, Casalino L, Magistrato A, Andrew McCammon J. Understanding the mechanistic basis of non-coding RNA through molecular dynamics simulations. J Struct Biol 2019; 206:267-279. [PMID: 30880083 PMCID: PMC6637970 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Noncoding RNA (ncRNA) has a key role in regulating gene expression, mediating fundamental processes and diseases via a variety of yet unknown mechanisms. Here, we review recent applications of conventional and enhanced Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations methods to address the mechanistic function of large biomolecular systems that are tightly involved in the ncRNA function and that are of key importance in life sciences. This compendium focuses of three biomolecular systems, namely the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing machinery, group II intron ribozyme and the ribonucleoprotein complex of the spliceosome, which edit and process ncRNA. We show how the application of a novel accelerated MD simulations method has been key in disclosing the conformational transitions underlying RNA binding in the CRISPR-Cas9 complex, suggesting a mechanism for RNA recruitment and clarifying the conformational changes required for attaining genome editing. As well, we discuss the use of mixed quantum-classical MD simulations in deciphering the catalytic mechanism of RNA splicing as operated by group II intron ribozyme, one of the largest ncRNA structures crystallized so far. Finally, we debate the future challenges and opportunities in the field, discussing the recent application of MD simulations for unraveling the functional biophysics of the spliceosome, a multi-mega Dalton complex of proteins and small nuclear RNAs that performs RNA splicing in humans. This showcase of applications highlights the current talent of MD simulations to dissect atomic-level details of complex biomolecular systems instrumental for the design of finely engineered genome editing machines. As well, this review aims at inspiring future investigations of several other ncRNA regulatory systems, such as micro and small interfering RNAs, which achieve their function and specificity using RNA-based recognition and targeting strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, United States.
| | - Lorenzo Casalino
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto Officina dei Materiali, Democritos National Simulation Center c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - J Andrew McCammon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; National Biomedical Computation Resource, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
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Can multiscale simulations unravel the function of metallo-enzymes to improve knowledge-based drug discovery? Future Med Chem 2019; 11:771-791. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2018-0495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Metallo-enzymes are a large class of biomolecules promoting specialized chemical reactions. Quantum-classical quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics molecular dynamics, describing the metal site at quantum mechanics level, while accounting for the rest of system at molecular mechanics level, has an accessible time-scale limited by its computational cost. Hence, it must be integrated with classical molecular dynamics and enhanced sampling simulations to disentangle the functions of metallo-enzymes. In this review, we provide an overview of these computational methods and their capabilities. In particular, we will focus on some systems such as CYP19A1 a Fe-dependent enzyme involved in estrogen biosynthesis, and on Mg2+-dependent DNA/RNA processing enzymes/ribozymes and the spliceosome, a protein-directed ribozyme. This information may guide the discovery of drug-like molecules and genetic manipulation tools.
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Structures of the human spliceosomes before and after release of the ligated exon. Cell Res 2019; 29:274-285. [PMID: 30728453 PMCID: PMC6461851 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-019-0143-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-mRNA splicing is executed by the spliceosome, which has eight major functional states each with distinct composition. Five of these eight human spliceosomal complexes, all preceding exon ligation, have been structurally characterized. In this study, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the human post-catalytic spliceosome (P complex) and intron lariat spliceosome (ILS) at average resolutions of 3.0 and 2.9 Å, respectively. In the P complex, the ligated exon remains anchored to loop I of U5 small nuclear RNA, and the 3′-splice site is recognized by the junction between the 5′-splice site and the branch point sequence. The ATPase/helicase Prp22, along with the ligated exon and eight other proteins, are dissociated in the P-to-ILS transition. Intriguingly, the ILS complex exists in two distinct conformations, one with the ATPase/helicase Prp43 and one without. Comparison of these three late-stage human spliceosomes reveals mechanistic insights into exon release and spliceosome disassembly.
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