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Gou Y, Li D, Zhao M, Li M, Zhang J, Zhou Y, Xiao F, Liu G, Ding H, Sun C, Ye C, Dong C, Gao J, Gao D, Bao Z, Huang L, Xu Z, Lian J. Intein-mediated temperature control for complete biosynthesis of sanguinarine and its halogenated derivatives in yeast. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5238. [PMID: 38898098 PMCID: PMC11186835 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49554-w] [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: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
While sanguinarine has gained recognition for antimicrobial and antineoplastic activities, its complex conjugated structure and low abundance in plants impede broad applications. Here, we demonstrate the complete biosynthesis of sanguinarine and halogenated derivatives using highly engineered yeast strains. To overcome sanguinarine cytotoxicity, we establish a splicing intein-mediated temperature-responsive gene expression system (SIMTeGES), a simple strategy that decouples cell growth from product synthesis without sacrificing protein activity. To debottleneck sanguinarine biosynthesis, we identify two reticuline oxidases and facilitated functional expression of flavoproteins and cytochrome P450 enzymes via protein molecular engineering. After comprehensive metabolic engineering, we report the production of sanguinarine at a titer of 448.64 mg L-1. Additionally, our engineered strain enables the biosynthesis of fluorinated sanguinarine, showcasing the biotransformation of halogenated derivatives through more than 15 biocatalytic steps. This work serves as a blueprint for utilizing yeast as a scalable platform for biomanufacturing diverse benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanwei Gou
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dongfang Li
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Minghui Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengxin Li
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaojiao Zhang
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yilian Zhou
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Xiao
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gaofei Liu
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haote Ding
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenfan Sun
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cuifang Ye
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chang Dong
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jucan Gao
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Di Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zehua Bao
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhinan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiazhang Lian
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education & National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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2
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Foo GW, Leichthammer CD, Saita IM, Lukas ND, Batko IZ, Heinrichs DE, Edgell DR. Intein-based thermoregulated meganucleases for containment of genetic material. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2066-2077. [PMID: 38180814 PMCID: PMC10899782 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Limiting the spread of synthetic genetic information outside of the intended use is essential for applications where biocontainment is critical. In particular, biocontainment of engineered probiotics and plasmids that are excreted from the mammalian gastrointestinal tract is needed to prevent escape and acquisition of genetic material that could confer a selective advantage to microbial communities. Here, we built a simple and lightweight biocontainment system that post-translationally activates a site-specific DNA endonuclease to degrade DNA at 18°C and not at higher temperatures. We constructed an orthogonal set of temperature-sensitive meganucleases (TSMs) by inserting the yeast VMA1 L212P temperature-sensitive intein into the coding regions of LAGLIDADG homing endonucleases. We showed that the TSMs eliminated plasmids carrying the cognate TSM target site from laboratory strains of Escherichia coli at the permissive 18°C but not at higher restrictive temperatures. Plasmid elimination is dependent on both TSM endonuclease activity and intein splicing. TSMs eliminated plasmids from E. coli Nissle 1917 after passage through the mouse gut when fecal resuspensions were incubated at 18°C but not at 37°C. Collectively, our data demonstrates the potential of thermoregulated meganucleases as a means of restricting engineered plasmids and probiotics to the mammalian gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary W Foo
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | | | - Ibrahim M Saita
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Nicholas D Lukas
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Izabela Z Batko
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - David E Heinrichs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - David R Edgell
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
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3
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Chiba K, Matsui T, Chatake T, Ohhara T, Tanaka I, Yutani K, Niimura N. Site-specific relaxation of peptide bond planarity induced by electrically attracted proton/deuteron observed by neutron crystallography. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4765. [PMID: 37624071 PMCID: PMC10510461 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
In structural biology, peptide bonds, fundamental linkages between hundreds of amino acids, of which a protein molecule is composed, have been commonly treated as a plane structure just as Linus Pauling et al. proposed. In this paper, a site-specific peptide bond relaxation mechanism by deuterons whose localization has been suggested by neutron crystallography is proposed. Such deuteron was observed as an arm of neutron scattering length density protruding from the carbonyl oxygen atoms in the main chain in the omit map drawn by neutron crystallography of human lysozyme. Our comprehensive study using x-ray and neutron diffraction and 15 N chemical shifts of individual amide nitrogen atoms within the same peptide bond strongly suggests the relaxation of the electronic resonance structure because of site-specific modulation by protons/deuterons localized on the electron orbital of the carbonyl oxygen. All experimental data used in this examination were obtained at room temperature, which is preferable for enzymatic activity. Such a close interaction between the electron resonance structure of a peptide bond and the exchangeable protons/deuterons well agreed with that observed in an intermediate state in an amide hydrolytic reaction simulated by the ab-initio calculation including water molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Chiba
- Advanced Science Research Centre, JAERITokaiIbarakiJapan
- Department of Industrial EngineeringNational Institute of Technology, Ibaraki CollegeHitachinakaIbarakiJapan
| | - Takuro Matsui
- Advanced Science Research Centre, JAERITokaiIbarakiJapan
| | - Toshiyuki Chatake
- Advanced Science Research Centre, JAERITokaiIbarakiJapan
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear ScienceKyoto UniversitySennanOsakaJapan
| | - Takashi Ohhara
- Advanced Science Research Centre, JAERITokaiIbarakiJapan
- Neutron Science Section, J‐PARC CenterJapan Atomic Energy AgencyTokaiIbarakiJapan
| | - Ichiro Tanaka
- Advanced Science Research Centre, JAERITokaiIbarakiJapan
- Graduate School of Science and EngineeringIbaraki UniversityHitachiIbarakiJapan
- Frontier Research Center for Applied Atomic SciencesIbaraki UniversityHitachiIbarakiJapan
| | | | - Nobuo Niimura
- Advanced Science Research Centre, JAERITokaiIbarakiJapan
- Frontier Research Center for Applied Atomic SciencesIbaraki UniversityHitachiIbarakiJapan
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Lungu CN, Mangalagiu V, Mangalagiu II, Mehedinti MC. Benzoquinoline Chemical Space: A Helpful Approach in Antibacterial and Anticancer Drug Design. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031069. [PMID: 36770739 PMCID: PMC9921191 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Benzoquinolines are used in many drug design projects as starting molecules subject to derivatization. This computational study aims to characterize e benzoquinone drug space to ease future drug design processes based on these molecules. The drug space is composed of all benzoquinones, which are active on topoisomerase II and ATP synthase. Topological, chemical, and bioactivity spaces are explored using computational methodologies based on virtual screening and scaffold hopping and molecular docking, respectively. Topological space is a geometrical space in which the elements composing it can be defined as a set of neighbors (which satisfy a particular axiom). In such space, a chemical space can be defined as the property space spanned by all possible molecules and chemical compounds adhering to a given set of construction principles and boundary conditions. In this chemical space, the potentially pharmacologically active molecules form the bioactivity space. Results show a poly-morphological chemical space that suggests distinct characteristics. The chemical space is correlated with properties such as steric energy, the number of hydrogen bonds, the presence of halogen atoms, and membrane permeability-related properties. Lastly, novel chemical compounds (such as oxadiazole methybenzamide and floro methylcyclohexane diene) with drug-like potential, active on TOPO II and ATP synthase have been identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudiu N. Lungu
- Department of Surgery, Emergency Country Clinical Hospital, 800010 Galati, Romania
- Faculty of Chemistry, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, 11 Carol 1st Bvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Morphological and Functional Science, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dunarea de Jos, 800017 Galati, Romania
- Correspondence: (C.N.L.); (I.I.M.)
| | - Violeta Mangalagiu
- Faculty of Chemistry, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, 11 Carol 1st Bvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania
- Faculty of Food Engineering, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, 13 Universitatii Str., 720229 Suceava, Romania
| | - Ionel I. Mangalagiu
- Faculty of Chemistry, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, 11 Carol 1st Bvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research-CERNESIM Centre, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, 11 Carol I, 700506 Iasi, Romania
- Correspondence: (C.N.L.); (I.I.M.)
| | - Mihaela C. Mehedinti
- Faculty of Chemistry, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, 11 Carol 1st Bvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Morphological and Functional Science, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dunarea de Jos, 800017 Galati, Romania
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5
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Zhao Q, Li G, Nareddy P, Jordan F, Lalancette R, Szostak R, Szostak M. Structures of the Most Twisted Thioamide and Selenoamide: Effect of Higher Chalcogens of Twisted Amides on N-C(X) Resonance. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202207346. [PMID: 35776856 PMCID: PMC9398953 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202207346] [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: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Amide bond replacement with planar isosteric chalcogen analogues has an important implication for the properties of the N-C(X) linkage in structural chemistry, biochemistry and organic synthesis. Herein, we report the first higher chalcogen derivatives of non-planar twisted amides. The synthesis of twisted thioamide in a versatile system has been accomplished by direct thionation without cleavage of the σ N-C bond. The synthesis of twisted selenoamide has been accomplished by selenation with Woollins' reagent. The structures of higher chalcogen analogues of non-planar amides were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Reactivity studies were conducted to determine the effect of isologous N-C(O) to N-C(X) replacement on the properties of the amide linkage. Computational studies were employed to evaluate structural and energetic parameters of amide bond alteration in higher chalcogen amides. The study provides the first experimental evidence on the effect of chalcogen isologues on the structural and electronic properties of the non-planar amide N-C(X) linkage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Guangchen Li
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Pradeep Nareddy
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Frank Jordan
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Roger Lalancette
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Roman Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University, F. Joliot-Curie 14, Wroclaw, 50-383, Poland
| | - Michal Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
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6
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Zhao Q, Li G, Nareddy P, Jordan F, Lalancette R, Szostak R, Szostak M. Structures of the Most Twisted Thioamide and Selenoamide: Effect of Higher Chalcogens of Twisted Amides on N–C(X) Resonance. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202207346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qun Zhao
- Rutgers University: Rutgers The State University of New Jersey Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Guangchen Li
- Rutgers University: Rutgers The State University of New Jersey Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Pradeep Nareddy
- Rutgers University: Rutgers The State University of New Jersey Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Frank Jordan
- Rutgers University System: Rutgers The State University of New Jersey Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Roger Lalancette
- Rutgers University System: Rutgers The State University of New Jersey Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Roman Szostak
- Uniwersytet Wroclawski Wydzial Chemii Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Michal Szostak
- Rutgers University Department of Chemistry 73 Warren St. 07102 Newark UNITED STATES
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7
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Nanda A, Nasker SS, Kushwaha AK, Ojha DK, Dearden AK, Nayak SK, Nayak S. Gold Nanoparticles Augment N-Terminal Cleavage and Splicing Reactions in Mycobacterium tuberculosis SufB. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:773303. [PMID: 35004641 PMCID: PMC8735848 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.773303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein splicing is a self-catalyzed event where the intervening sequence intein cleaves off, joining the flanking exteins together to generate a functional protein. Attempts have been made to regulate the splicing rate through variations in temperature, pH, and metals. Although metal-regulated protein splicing has been more captivating to researchers, metals were shown to only inhibit splicing reactions that confine their application. This is the first study to show the effect of nanoparticles (NPs) on protein splicing. We found that gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of various sizes can increase the splicing efficiency by more than 50% and the N-terminal cleavage efficiency by more than 45% in Mycobacterium tuberculosis SufB precursor protein. This study provides an effective strategy for engineering splicing-enhanced intein platforms. UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed AuNP interaction with the native protein. Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) analysis suggested a significant reduction in the energy barrier at the N-terminal cleavage site in the presence of gold atom, strengthening our experimental evidence on heightened the N-terminal cleavage reaction. The encouraging observation of enhanced N-terminal cleavage and splicing reaction can have potential implementations from developing a rapid drug delivery system to designing a contemporary protein purification system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Nanda
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sourya Subhra Nasker
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Anoop K. Kushwaha
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Deepak Kumar Ojha
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Albert K. Dearden
- Departments of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Saroj K. Nayak
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sasmita Nayak
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
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8
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Abstract
In this contribution, we provide a comprehensive overview of acyclic twisted amides, covering the literature since 1993 (the year of the first recognized report on acyclic twisted amides) through June 2020. The review focuses on classes of acyclic twisted amides and their key structural properties, such as amide bond twist and nitrogen pyramidalization, which are primarily responsible for disrupting nN to π*C═O conjugation. Through discussing acyclic twisted amides in comparison with the classic bridged lactams and conformationally restricted cyclic fused amides, the reader is provided with an overview of amidic distortion that results in novel conformational features of acyclic amides that can be exploited in various fields of chemistry ranging from organic synthesis and polymers to biochemistry and structural chemistry and the current position of acyclic twisted amides in modern chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangrong Meng
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States.,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for China National Light Industry, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Michal Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
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9
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Wall DA, Tarrant SP, Wang C, Mills KV, Lennon CW. Intein Inhibitors as Novel Antimicrobials: Protein Splicing in Human Pathogens, Screening Methods, and Off-Target Considerations. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:752824. [PMID: 34692773 PMCID: PMC8529194 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.752824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein splicing is a post-translational process by which an intervening polypeptide, or intein, catalyzes its own removal from the flanking polypeptides, or exteins, concomitant with extein ligation. Although inteins are highly abundant in the microbial world, including within several human pathogens, they are absent in the genomes of metazoans. As protein splicing is required to permit function of essential proteins within pathogens, inteins represent attractive antimicrobial targets. Here we review key proteins interrupted by inteins in pathogenic mycobacteria and fungi, exciting discoveries that provide proof of concept that intein activity can be inhibited and that this inhibition has an effect on the host organism's fitness, and bioanalytical methods that have been used to screen for intein activity. We also consider potential off-target inhibition of hedgehog signaling, given the similarity in structure and function of inteins and hedgehog autoprocessing domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana A Wall
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Seanan P Tarrant
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Kenneth V Mills
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Christopher W Lennon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, United States
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10
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Panda S, Nanda A, Nasker SS, Sen D, Mehra A, Nayak S. Metal effect on intein splicing: A review. Biochimie 2021; 185:53-67. [PMID: 33727137 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Inteins are intervening polypeptides that interrupt the functional domains of several important proteins across the three domains of life. Inteins excise themselves from the precursor protein, ligating concomitant extein residues in a process called protein splicing. Post-translational auto-removal of inteins remain critical for the generation of active proteins. The perspective of inteins in science is a robust field of research, however fundamental studies centralized upon splicing regulatory mechanism are imperative for addressing more intricate issues. Controlled engineering of intein splicing has many applications; intein inhibition can facilitate novel drug design, while activation of intein splicing is exploited in protein purification. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the past and recent advances in the splicing regulation via metal-intein interaction. We compare the behavior of different metal ions on diverse intein systems. Though metals such as Zn, Cu, Pt, Cd, Co, Ni exhibit intein inhibitory effect heterogeneously on different inteins, divalent metal ions such as Ca and Mg fail to do so. The observed diversity in the metal-intein interaction arises mostly due to intein polymorphism and variations in atomic structure of metals. A mechanistic understanding of intein regulation by metals in native as well as synthetically engineered intein systems may yield potent intein inhibitors via direct or indirect approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunita Panda
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Ananya Nanda
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Sourya Subhra Nasker
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Debjani Sen
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Ashwaria Mehra
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Sasmita Nayak
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India.
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11
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Chiarini V, Fiorillo A, Camerini S, Crescenzi M, Nakamura S, Battista T, Guidoni L, Colotti G, Ilari A. Structural basis of ubiquitination mediated by protein splicing in early Eukarya. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2021; 1865:129844. [PMID: 33444728 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.129844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inteins are intervening proteins, which are known to perform protein splicing. The reaction results in the production of an intein domain and an inteinless protein, which shows no trace of the insertion. BIL2 is part of the polyubiquitin locus of Tetrahymena thermophila (BUBL), where two bacterial-intein-like (BIL) domains lacking the C + 1 nucleophile, are flanked by two independent ubiquitin-like domains (ubl4/ubl5). METHODS We solved the X-ray structures of BIL2 in both the inactive and unprecedented, zinc-induced active, forms. Then, we characterized by mass spectrometry the BUBL splicing products in the absence and in the presence of T.thRas-GTPase. Finally, we investigated the effect of ubiquitination on T.thRas-GTPase by molecular dynamics simulations. RESULTS The structural analysis demonstrated that zinc-induced conformational change activates protein splicing. Moreover, mass spectrometry characterization of the splicing products shed light on the possible function of BIL2, which operates as a "single-ubiquitin-dispensing-platform", allowing the conjugation, via isopeptide bond formation (K(εNH2)-C-ter), of ubl4 to either ubl5 or T.thRas-GTPase. Lastly, we demonstrated that T.thRas-GTPase ubiquitination occurs in proximity of the nucleotide binding pocket and stabilizes the protein active state. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that BIL2 is activated by zinc and that protein splicing induced by this intein does not take place through classical or aminolysis mechanisms but via formation of a covalent isopeptide bond, causing the ubiquitination of endogenous substrates such as T.thRas-GTPase. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE In this "enzyme-free" ubiquitination mechanism the isopeptide formation, which canonically requires E1-E2-E3 enzymatic cascade and constitutes the alphabet of ubiquitin biology, is achieved in a single, concerted step without energy consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Chiarini
- Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Annarita Fiorillo
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Camerini
- Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Crescenzi
- Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Shin Nakamura
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Theo Battista
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Leonardo Guidoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Fisiche, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, Italy
| | - Gianni Colotti
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology of The National Research Council of Italy (CNR), P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Andrea Ilari
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology of The National Research Council of Italy (CNR), P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
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12
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Boral S, Maiti S, Basak AJ, Lee W, De S. Structural, Dynamic, and Functional Characterization of a DnaX Mini-intein Derived from Spirulina platensis Provides Important Insights into Intein-Mediated Catalysis of Protein Splicing. Biochemistry 2020; 59:4711-4724. [PMID: 33289560 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Protein splicing is a self-catalyzed post-translational modification in which the intein enzyme excises itself from a precursor protein and ligates the flanking sequences to produce a mature protein. We report the solution structure of a 136-residue DnaX mini-intein enzyme derived from the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis. This sequence adopts a well-defined globular structure and forms a horseshoe-shaped fold commonly found in the HINT (hedgehog intein) topology. Backbone dynamics and hydrogen exchange experiments revealed conserved motions on various time scales, which is proposed to be a characteristic of the intein fold. Interestingly, several dynamic motions were found in symmetrically equivalent positions within the protein structure, which might be a consequence of the symmetrical intein fold. In cell splicing activity showed that Spl DnaX mini-intein is a highly active enzyme. The precursor protein was not detected at any timepoint of the assay. Apart from the splicing reaction, catalytic cleavage at the N- and C-termini of the precursor protein was also observed. To determine the roles of the catalytic residues in splicing and cleavage reactions, all combinations of alanine mutations of these residues were generated and functionally characterized. This in-depth analysis revealed cooperativity between these catalytic residues, which suppresses the N- and C-terminal cleavage reactions and enhances the yield of the spliced product. Overall, this study provides a thorough structural, dynamic, and functional characterization of a new intein sequence and adds to the collection of these unique enzymes that have found tremendous applications in biochemistry and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumendu Boral
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Snigdha Maiti
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Aditya J Basak
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Woonghee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
| | - Soumya De
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
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13
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Inteins in Science: Evolution to Application. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8122004. [PMID: 33339089 PMCID: PMC7765530 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8122004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Inteins are mobile genetic elements that apply standard enzymatic strategies to excise themselves post-translationally from the precursor protein via protein splicing. Since their discovery in the 1990s, recent advances in intein technology allow for them to be implemented as a modern biotechnological contrivance. Radical improvement in the structure and catalytic framework of cis- and trans-splicing inteins devised the development of engineered inteins that contribute to various efficient downstream techniques. Previous literature indicates that implementation of intein-mediated splicing has been extended to in vivo systems. Besides, the homing endonuclease domain also acts as a versatile biotechnological tool involving genetic manipulation and control of monogenic diseases. This review orients the understanding of inteins by sequentially studying the distribution and evolution pattern of intein, thereby highlighting a role in genetic mobility. Further, we include an in-depth summary of specific applications branching from protein purification using self-cleaving tags to protein modification, post-translational processing and labelling, followed by the development of intein-based biosensors. These engineered inteins offer a disruptive approach towards research avenues like biomaterial construction, metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. Therefore, this linear perspective allows for a more comprehensive understanding of intein function and its diverse applications.
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14
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Beyer HM, Virtanen SI, Aranko AS, Mikula KM, Lountos GT, Wlodawer A, Ollila OHS, Iwaï H. The Convergence of the Hedgehog/Intein Fold in Different Protein Splicing Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218367. [PMID: 33171880 PMCID: PMC7664689 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein splicing catalyzed by inteins utilizes many different combinations of amino-acid types at active sites. Inteins have been classified into three classes based on their characteristic sequences. We investigated the structural basis of the protein splicing mechanism of class 3 inteins by determining crystal structures of variants of a class 3 intein from Mycobacterium chimaera and molecular dynamics simulations, which suggested that the class 3 intein utilizes a different splicing mechanism from that of class 1 and 2 inteins. The class 3 intein uses a bond cleavage strategy reminiscent of proteases but share the same Hedgehog/INTein (HINT) fold of other intein classes. Engineering of class 3 inteins from a class 1 intein indicated that a class 3 intein would unlikely evolve directly from a class 1 or 2 intein. The HINT fold appears as structural and functional solution for trans-peptidyl and trans-esterification reactions commonly exploited by diverse mechanisms using different combinations of amino-acid types for the active-site residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes M. Beyer
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; (H.M.B.); (S.I.V.); (A.S.A.); (K.M.M.); (O.H.S.O.)
| | - Salla I. Virtanen
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; (H.M.B.); (S.I.V.); (A.S.A.); (K.M.M.); (O.H.S.O.)
| | - A. Sesilja Aranko
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; (H.M.B.); (S.I.V.); (A.S.A.); (K.M.M.); (O.H.S.O.)
| | - Kornelia M. Mikula
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; (H.M.B.); (S.I.V.); (A.S.A.); (K.M.M.); (O.H.S.O.)
| | - George T. Lountos
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA;
| | - Alexander Wlodawer
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA;
| | - O. H. Samuli Ollila
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; (H.M.B.); (S.I.V.); (A.S.A.); (K.M.M.); (O.H.S.O.)
| | - Hideo Iwaï
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; (H.M.B.); (S.I.V.); (A.S.A.); (K.M.M.); (O.H.S.O.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +358-2941-59752
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15
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Zhao Q, Lalancette R, Szostak R, Szostak M. Ring-Opening Olefin Metathesis of Twisted Amides: Activation of Amide Bonds by C═C Cleavage. ACS Catal 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.9b04033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Qun Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Roger Lalancette
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Roman Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University, F. Joliot-Curie 14, Wroclaw 50-383, Poland
| | - Michal Szostak
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Auxiliary Chemistry and Technology for Chemical Industry, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021, China
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
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16
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Abstract
A modular and efficient synthesis of highly twisted N-acylimidazoles is reported. These twist amides were characterized via X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. Modification of the substituent proximal to the amide revealed a maximum torsional angle of 88.6° in the solid state, which may be the most twisted amide reported for a nonbicyclic system to date. Reactivity and stability studies indicate that these twisted N-acylimidazoles may be valuable, namely as acyl transfer reagents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Stone
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | - Brandon Q. Mercado
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | - Scott J. Miller
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
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17
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Szostak R, Szostak M. Tröger's Base Twisted Amides: High Amide Bond Twist and N-/O-Protonation Aptitude. J Org Chem 2019; 84:1510-1516. [PMID: 30571109 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.8b02937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Tröger's base twisted amides have emerged as attractive scaffolds to readily achieve substantial nonplanarity of the amide bond in a bicyclic lactam framework. Herein, we report structures and proton affinities of a diverse set of Tröger's base twisted amides and compare them with related nonplanar bridged lactams. The data demonstrate that Tröger's base twisted amides embedded in a [3.3.1] scaffold are among the most twisted bridged lactams prepared to date. Intriguingly, while these amides also favor N-protonation, our data show that the best model for probing N-protonation aptitude in the series of nonplanar amides are less twisted benzofused 1-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-2-one derivatives. This work (1) provides the understanding for future design of nonplanar bridged lactams to directly access N-protonated amide bonds, (2) validates the use of the additive Winkler-Dunitz distortion parameter, and (3) emphasizes the importance of peripheral modification to modulate properties of nonplanar amides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Szostak
- Department of Chemistry , Wroclaw University , F. Joliot-Curie 14 , Wroclaw 50-383 , Poland
| | - Michal Szostak
- Department of Chemistry , Rutgers University , 73 Warren Street , Newark , New Jersey 07102 , United States
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18
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Chemistry of Bridged Lactams: Recent Developments. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24020274. [PMID: 30642094 PMCID: PMC6359620 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24020274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bridged lactams represent the most effective and wide-ranging method of constraining the amide bond in a non-planar conformation. A previous comprehensive review on this topic was published in 2013 (Chem. Rev.2013, 113, 5701–5765). In the present review, which is published as a part of the Special Issue on Amide Bond Activation, we present an overview of the recent developments in the field of bridged lactams that have taken place in the last five years and present a critical assessment of the current status of bridged lactams in synthetic and physical organic chemistry. This review covers the period from 2014 until the end of 2018 and is intended as an update to Chem. Rev.2013, 113, 5701–5765. In addition to bridged lactams, the review covers recent advances in the chemistry of bridged sultams, bridged enamines and related non-planar structures.
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19
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Liu C, Shi S, Liu Y, Liu R, Lalancette R, Szostak R, Szostak M. The Most Twisted Acyclic Amides: Structures and Reactivity. Org Lett 2018; 20:7771-7774. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.8b03175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chengwei Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Shicheng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Yongmei Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, 180 Siwangting Road, Yangzhou 225002, China
| | - Ruzhang Liu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, 180 Siwangting Road, Yangzhou 225002, China
| | - Roger Lalancette
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Roman Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University, F. Joliot-Curie 14, Wroclaw 50-383, Poland
| | - Michal Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
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20
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Pearson CS, Nemati R, Liu B, Zhang J, Scalabrin M, Li Z, Li H, Fabris D, Belfort M, Belfort G. Structure of an engineered intein reveals thiazoline ring and provides mechanistic insight. Biotechnol Bioeng 2018; 116:709-721. [PMID: 30450538 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We have engineered an intein which spontaneously and reversibly forms a thiazoline ring at the native N-terminal Lys-Cys splice junction. We identified conditions to stablize the thiazoline ring and provided the first crystallographic evidence, at 1.54 Å resolution, for its existence at an intein active site. The finding bolsters evidence for a tetrahedral oxythiazolidine splicing intermediate. In addition, the pivotal mutation maps to a highly conserved B-block threonine, which is now seen to play a causative role not only in ground-state destabilization of the scissile N-terminal peptide bond, but also in steering the tetrahedral intermediate toward thioester formation, giving new insight into the splicing mechanism. We demonstrated the stability of the thiazoline ring at neutral pH as well as sensitivity to hydrolytic ring opening under acidic conditions. A pH cycling strategy to control N-terminal cleavage is proposed, which may be of interest for biotechnological applications requiring a splicing activity switch, such as for protein recovery in bioprocessing.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Seth Pearson
- Howard P Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
| | - Reza Nemati
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Albany, New York
| | - Binbin Liu
- Laboratory of Computational & Structural Biology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
| | - Jing Zhang
- Laboratory of Computational & Structural Biology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
| | - Matteo Scalabrin
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Albany, New York
| | - Zhong Li
- Laboratory of Computational & Structural Biology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
| | - Hongmin Li
- Laboratory of Computational & Structural Biology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York
| | - Dan Fabris
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Albany, New York
| | - Marlene Belfort
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York.,Department of Biological Sciences, Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York
| | - Georges Belfort
- Howard P Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
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21
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Stevens AJ, Sekar G, Gramespacher JA, Cowburn D, Muir TW. An Atypical Mechanism of Split Intein Molecular Recognition and Folding. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:11791-11799. [PMID: 30156841 PMCID: PMC7232844 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b07334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Split inteins associate to trigger protein splicing in trans, a post-translational modification in which protein sequences fused to the intein pair are ligated together in a traceless manner. Recently, a family of naturally split inteins has been identified that is split at a noncanonical location in the primary sequence. These atypically split inteins show considerable promise in protein engineering applications; however, the mechanism by which they associate is unclear and must be different from that of previously characterized canonically split inteins due to unique topological restrictions. Here, we use a consensus design strategy to generate an atypical split intein pair (Cat) that has greatly improved activity and is amenable to detailed biochemical and biophysical analysis. Guided by the solution structure of Cat, we show that the association of the fragments involves a disorder-to-order structural transition driven by hydrophobic interactions. This molecular recognition mechanism satisfies the topological constraints of the intein fold and, importantly, ensures that premature chemistry does not occur prior to fragment complementation. Our data lead a common blueprint for split intein complementation in which localized structural rearrangements are used to drive folding and regulate protein-splicing activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. Stevens
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Frick Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Giridhar Sekar
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, United States
| | - Josef A. Gramespacher
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Frick Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - David Cowburn
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, United States
| | - Tom W. Muir
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Frick Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
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22
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Gordo V, Aparicio D, Pérez-Luque R, Benito A, Vilanova M, Usón I, Fita I, Ribó M. Structural Insights into Subunits Assembly and the Oxyester Splicing Mechanism of Neq pol Split Intein. Cell Chem Biol 2018; 25:871-879.e2. [PMID: 29754955 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Split inteins are expressed as two separated subunits (N-intein and C-intein) fused to the corresponding exteins. The specific association of both intein subunits precedes protein splicing, which results in excision of the intein subunits and in ligation, by a peptide bond, of the concomitant exteins. Catalytically active intein precursors are typically too reactive for crystallization or even isolation. Neq pol is the trans-intein of the B-type DNA polymerase I split gene from hyperthermophile Nanoarchaeum equitans. We have determined the crystal structures of both the isolated NeqN and the complex of NeqN and NeqC subunits carrying the wild-type sequences, including the essential catalytic residues Ser1 and Thr+1, in addition to seven and three residues of the N- and C-exteins, respectively. These structures provide detailed information on the unique oxyester chemistry of the splicing mechanism of Neq pol and of the extensive rearrangements that occur in NeqN during the association step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Gordo
- Laboratori d'Enginyeria de Proteïnes, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 40, 17003 Girona, Spain; IdIBGi Hospital Universitari Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - David Aparicio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Baldiri i Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Pérez-Luque
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Baldiri i Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Benito
- Laboratori d'Enginyeria de Proteïnes, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 40, 17003 Girona, Spain; IdIBGi Hospital Universitari Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Maria Vilanova
- Laboratori d'Enginyeria de Proteïnes, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 40, 17003 Girona, Spain; IdIBGi Hospital Universitari Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
| | - Isabel Usón
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Baldiri i Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; ICREA Lluís Companys 23, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Fita
- Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Baldiri i Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marc Ribó
- Laboratori d'Enginyeria de Proteïnes, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 40, 17003 Girona, Spain; IdIBGi Hospital Universitari Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain.
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23
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Green CM, Novikova O, Belfort M. The dynamic intein landscape of eukaryotes. Mob DNA 2018; 9:4. [PMID: 29416568 PMCID: PMC5784728 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-018-0111-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inteins are mobile, self-splicing sequences that interrupt proteins and occur across all three domains of life. Scrutiny of the intein landscape in prokaryotes led to the hypothesis that some inteins are functionally important. Our focus shifts to eukaryotic inteins to assess their diversity, distribution, and dissemination, with the aim to comprehensively evaluate the eukaryotic intein landscape, understand intein maintenance, and dissect evolutionary relationships. RESULTS This bioinformatics study reveals that eukaryotic inteins are scarce, but present in nuclear genomes of fungi, chloroplast genomes of algae, and within some eukaryotic viruses. There is a preponderance of inteins in several fungal pathogens of humans and plants. Inteins are pervasive in certain proteins, including the nuclear RNA splicing factor, Prp8, and the chloroplast DNA helicase, DnaB. We find that eukaryotic inteins frequently localize to unstructured loops of the host protein, often at highly conserved sites. More broadly, a sequence similarity network analysis of all eukaryotic inteins uncovered several routes of intein mobility. Some eukaryotic inteins appear to have been acquired through horizontal transfer with dsDNA viruses, yet other inteins are spread through intragenomic transfer. Remarkably, endosymbiosis can explain patterns of DnaB intein inheritance across several algal phyla, a novel mechanism for intein acquisition and distribution. CONCLUSIONS Overall, an intriguing picture emerges for how the eukaryotic intein landscape arose, with many evolutionary forces having contributed to its current state. Our collective results provide a framework for exploring inteins as novel regulatory elements and innovative drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathleen M. Green
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 USA
| | - Olga Novikova
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 USA
| | - Marlene Belfort
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 USA
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24
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Meng G, Shi S, Lalancette R, Szostak R, Szostak M. Reversible Twisting of Primary Amides via Ground State N-C(O) Destabilization: Highly Twisted Rotationally Inverted Acyclic Amides. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:727-734. [PMID: 29240413 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b11309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Since the seminal studies by Pauling in 1930s, planarity has become the defining characteristic of the amide bond. Planarity of amides has central implications for the reactivity and chemical properties of amides of relevance to a range of chemical disciplines. While the vast majority of amides are planar, nonplanarity has a profound effect on the properties of the amide bond, with the most common method to restrict the amide bond relying on the incorporation of the amide function into a rigid cyclic ring system. In a major departure from this concept, here, we report the first class of acyclic twisted amides that can be prepared, reversibly, from common primary amides in a single, operationally trivial step. Di-tert-butoxycarbonylation of the amide nitrogen atom yields twisted amides in which the amide bond exhibits nearly perpendicular twist. Full structural characterization of a range of electronically diverse compounds from this new class of twisted amides is reported. Through reactivity studies we demonstrate unusual properties of the amide bond, wherein selective cleavage of the amide bond can be achieved by a judicious choice of the reaction conditions. Through computational studies we evaluate structural and energetic details pertaining to the amide bond deformation. The ability to selectively twist common primary amides, in a reversible manner, has important implications for the design and application of the amide bond nonplanarity in structural chemistry, biochemistry and organic synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangrong Meng
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University , 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Shicheng Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University , 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Roger Lalancette
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University , 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Roman Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University , F. Joliot-Curie 14, Wroclaw 50-383, Poland
| | - Michal Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University , 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
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25
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Mujika JI, Lopez X. Unveiling the Catalytic Role of B-Block Histidine in the N–S Acyl Shift Step of Protein Splicing. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:7786-7796. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b04276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. I. Mujika
- Kimika Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) and Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), P.K. 1072, 20080 Donostia, Euskadi Spain
| | - X. Lopez
- Kimika Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) and Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), P.K. 1072, 20080 Donostia, Euskadi Spain
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26
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Hu F, Lalancette R, Szostak M. Structural Characterization of N-Alkylated Twisted Amides: Consequences for Amide Bond Resonance and N−C Cleavage. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:5062-6. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201600919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Hu
- Department of Chemistry; Rutgers University; 73 Warren Street Newark NJ 07102 USA
| | - Roger Lalancette
- Department of Chemistry; Rutgers University; 73 Warren Street Newark NJ 07102 USA
| | - Michal Szostak
- Department of Chemistry; Rutgers University; 73 Warren Street Newark NJ 07102 USA
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27
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Hu F, Lalancette R, Szostak M. Structural Characterization of N-Alkylated Twisted Amides: Consequences for Amide Bond Resonance and N−C Cleavage. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201600919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Hu
- Department of Chemistry; Rutgers University; 73 Warren Street Newark NJ 07102 USA
| | - Roger Lalancette
- Department of Chemistry; Rutgers University; 73 Warren Street Newark NJ 07102 USA
| | - Michal Szostak
- Department of Chemistry; Rutgers University; 73 Warren Street Newark NJ 07102 USA
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28
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Pandey KK. Does hydrohalic acid HX (X = F, Cl) form true N-protonated twisted amide salts? Effects of anions on the ion-pair interactions and on the amide moiety in N-protonated tricyclic twisted amide salts. NEW J CHEM 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6nj01342b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The [BF4]− and [RSO3]− anions interact with N-protonated amide cations through N–H⋯F and N–H⋯O strong hydrogen bonds and hydrohalic acids form very weak N⋯H–X hydrogen bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna K. Pandey
- School of Chemical Sciences
- Devi Ahilya University Indore
- Indore-452017
- India
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29
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Callahan BP, Wang C. Hedgehog Cholesterolysis: Specialized Gatekeeper to Oncogenic Signaling. Cancers (Basel) 2015; 7:2037-53. [PMID: 26473928 PMCID: PMC4695875 DOI: 10.3390/cancers7040875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Revised: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Discussions of therapeutic suppression of hedgehog (Hh) signaling almost exclusively focus on receptor antagonism; however, hedgehog's biosynthesis represents a unique and potentially targetable aspect of this oncogenic signaling pathway. Here, we review a key biosynthetic step called cholesterolysis from the perspectives of structure/function and small molecule inhibition. Cholesterolysis, also called cholesteroylation, generates cholesterol-modified Hh ligand via autoprocessing of a hedgehog precursor protein. Post-translational modification by cholesterol appears to be restricted to proteins in the hedgehog family. The transformation is essential for Hh biological activity and upstream of signaling events. Despite its decisive role in generating ligand, cholesterolysis remains conspicuously unexplored as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P Callahan
- Chemistry Department, Binghamton University 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Biology Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
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30
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Szostak R, Aubé J, Szostak M. Determination of Structures and Energetics of Small- and Medium-Sized One-Carbon-Bridged Twisted Amides using ab Initio Molecular Orbital Methods: Implications for Amidic Resonance along the C–N Rotational Pathway. J Org Chem 2015; 80:7905-27. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b00881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roman Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Wroclaw University, F. Joliot-Curie 14, Wroclaw 50-383, Poland
| | - Jeffrey Aubé
- Division of Chemical
Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Michal Szostak
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, 73 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
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31
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Komarov IV, Yanik S, Ishchenko AY, Davies JE, Goodman JM, Kirby AJ. The most reactive amide as a transition-state mimic for cis-trans interconversion. J Am Chem Soc 2015; 137:926-30. [PMID: 25533746 DOI: 10.1021/ja511460a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
1-Azatricyclo[3.3.1.1(3,7)]decan-2-one (3), the parent compound of a rare class of 90°-twisted amides, has finally been synthesized, using an unprecedented transformation. These compounds are of special interest as transition-state mimics for the enzyme-catalyzed cis-trans rotamer interconversion of amides involved in peptide and protein folding and function. The stabilization of the amide group in its high energy, perpendicular conformation common to both systems is shown for the rigid tricyclic system to depend, as predicted by calculation, on its methyl group substitution pattern, making 3 by some way the most reactive known "amide".
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor V Komarov
- Institute of High Technologies and ‡Chemistry Department, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv , Volodymyrska 60 and 64, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine
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32
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Pandey KK. Theoretical insights into structure, bonding, reactivity and importance of ion-pair interactions in Kirby's tetrafluoroboric acid salts of twisted amides. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra22792e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The hydrolysis of amide 1 is more exothermic and is more favorable than amides 2 and 3 with bridgehead methyl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna K. Pandey
- School of Chemical Sciences
- D. A. University Indore
- Indore 452 017
- India
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33
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Branching out of the intein active site in protein splicing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:8323-4. [PMID: 24872446 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1407116111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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34
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Lizak C, Gerber S, Michaud G, Schubert M, Fan YY, Bucher M, Darbre T, Aebi M, Reymond JL, Locher KP. Unexpected reactivity and mechanism of carboxamide activation in bacterial N-linked protein glycosylation. Nat Commun 2014; 4:2627. [PMID: 24149797 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The initial glycan transfer in asparagine-linked protein glycosylation is catalysed by the integral membrane enzyme oligosaccharyltransferase (OST). Here we study the mechanism of the bacterial PglB protein, a single-subunit OST, using chemically synthesized acceptor peptide analogues. We find that PglB can glycosylate not only asparagine but also glutamine, homoserine and the hydroxamate Asp(NHOH), although at much lower rates. In contrast, N-methylated asparagine or 2,4-diaminobutanoic acid (Dab) are not glycosylated. We find that of the various peptide analogues, only asparagine- or Dab-containing peptides bind tightly to PglB. Glycopeptide products are unable to bind, providing the driving force of product release. We find no suitably positioned residues near the active site of PglB that can activate the acceptor asparagine by deprotonation, making a general base mechanism unlikely and leaving carboxamide twisting as the most likely mechanistic proposal for asparagine activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Lizak
- 1] Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland [2]
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35
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Eryilmaz E, Shah NH, Muir TW, Cowburn D. Structural and dynamical features of inteins and implications on protein splicing. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:14506-11. [PMID: 24695731 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r113.540302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein splicing is a posttranslational modification where intervening proteins (inteins) cleave themselves from larger precursor proteins and ligate their flanking polypeptides (exteins) through a multistep chemical reaction. First thought to be an anomaly found in only a few organisms, protein splicing by inteins has since been observed in microorganisms from all domains of life. Despite this broad phylogenetic distribution, all inteins share common structural features such as a horseshoe-like pseudo two-fold symmetric fold, several canonical sequence motifs, and similar splicing mechanisms. Intriguingly, the splicing efficiencies and substrate specificity of different inteins vary considerably, reflecting subtle changes in the chemical mechanism of splicing, linked to their local structure and dynamics. As intein chemistry has widespread use in protein chemistry, understanding the structural and dynamical aspects of inteins is crucial for intein engineering and the improvement of intein-based technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ertan Eryilmaz
- From the Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461 and
| | - Neel H Shah
- the Department of Chemistry, Frick Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
| | - Tom W Muir
- the Department of Chemistry, Frick Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
| | - David Cowburn
- From the Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461 and
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36
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Abstract
Inteins are nature's escape artists; they facilitate their excision from flanking polypeptides (exteins) concomitant with extein ligation to produce a mature host protein. Splicing requires sequential nucleophilic displacement reactions catalyzed by strategies similar to proteases and asparagine lyases. Inteins require precise reaction coordination rather than rapid turnover or tight substrate binding because they are single turnover enzymes with covalently linked substrates. This has allowed inteins to explore alternative mechanisms with different steps or to use different methods for activation and coordination of the steps. Pressing issues include understanding the underlying details of catalysis and how the splicing steps are controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth V Mills
- From the Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610
| | - Margaret A Johnson
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, and
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37
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Mihaylov TT, Parac-Vogt TN, Pierloot K. A computational study of the glycylserine hydrolysis at physiological pH: a zwitterionic versus anionic mechanism. Org Biomol Chem 2014; 12:1395-404. [PMID: 24430931 DOI: 10.1039/c3ob42372g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The hydrolysis of GlySer at physiological pH was investigated by modeling the most feasible reaction mechanisms in aqueous phase at the MP2/6-311+(2df,2p)//SMD-M06/6-311+(2df,2p) level of the theory. To refine the energies of the most relevant transition states along the reaction paths the cluster-continuum concept was adopted. The hydrolytic process could proceed through two competitive mechanisms involving either the zwitterionic or the anionic form of GlySer. The calculations suggest that at physiological pH the actual mechanism is most probably mixed, anionic-zwitterionic. In this reaction scheme the first stage of N→O acyl transfer involves the anionic form whereas the second stage, during which the resultant ester is hydrolyzed, most likely involves the zwitterionic ester form of GlySer. The energy requirement for the first reaction stage is estimated to be slightly lower than for the second one. The calculated activation parameters (e.g. ΔG(#) = 27.8 kcal mol(-1)) for the nucleophilic addition of a water molecule to the ester carbonyl group of the zwitterionic ester are in good agreement with the experimentally determined values at pD 7.4 (ΔG(#) = 28.7 kcal mol(-1)).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzvetan T Mihaylov
- KU Leuven, Department of Chemistry, Celestijnenlaan 200F, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium.
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38
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Mihaylov TT, Parac-Vogt TN, Pierloot K. A Mechanistic Study of the Spontaneous Hydrolysis of Glycylserine as the Simplest Model for Protein Self-Cleavage. Chemistry 2013; 20:456-66. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201303564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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39
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Szostak
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Delbert M. Shankel Structural Biology Center, 2034 Becker Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66047
| | - Jeffrey Aubé
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Delbert M. Shankel Structural Biology Center, 2034 Becker Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66047
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40
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Analysis of inteins in the Candida parapsilosis complex for simple and accurate species identification. J Clin Microbiol 2013; 51:2830-6. [PMID: 23784117 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00981-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Inteins are coding sequences that are transcribed and translated with flanking sequences and then are excised by an autocatalytic process. There are two types of inteins in fungi, mini-inteins and full-length inteins, both of which present a splicing domain containing well-conserved amino acid sequences. Full-length inteins also present a homing endonuclease domain that makes the intein a mobile genetic element. These parasitic genetic elements are located in highly conserved genes and may allow for the differentiation of closely related species of the Candida parapsilosis (psilosis) complex. The correct identification of the three psilosis complex species C. parapsilosis, Candida metapsilosis, and Candida orthopsilosis is very important in the clinical setting for improving antifungal therapy and patient care. In this work, we analyzed inteins that are present in the vacuolar ATPase gene VMA and in the threonyl-tRNA synthetase gene ThrRS in 85 strains of the Candida psilosis complex (46 C. parapsilosis, 17 C. metapsilosis, and 22 C. orthopsilosis). Here, we describe an accessible and accurate technique based on a single PCR that is able to differentiate the psilosis complex based on the VMA intein. Although the ThrRS intein does not distinguish the three species of the psilosis complex by PCR product size, it can differentiate them by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Furthermore, this intein is unusually present as both mini- and full-length forms in C. orthopsilosis. Additional population studies should be performed to address whether this represents a common intraspecific variability or the presence of subspecies within C. orthopsilosis.
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41
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Volkmann G, Mootz HD. Recent progress in intein research: from mechanism to directed evolution and applications. Cell Mol Life Sci 2013; 70:1185-206. [PMID: 22926412 PMCID: PMC11113529 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-012-1120-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Revised: 07/23/2012] [Accepted: 08/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Inteins catalyze a post-translational modification known as protein splicing, where the intein removes itself from a precursor protein and concomitantly ligates the flanking protein sequences with a peptide bond. Over the past two decades, inteins have risen from a peculiarity to a rich source of applications in biotechnology, biomedicine, and protein chemistry. In this review, we focus on developments of intein-related research spanning the last 5 years, including the three different splicing mechanisms and their molecular underpinnings, the directed evolution of inteins towards improved splicing in exogenous protein contexts, as well as novel applications of inteins for cell biology and protein engineering, which were made possible by a clearer understanding of the protein splicing mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerrit Volkmann
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Henning D. Mootz
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
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42
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Dearden AK, Callahan B, Roey PV, Li Z, Kumar U, Belfort M, Nayak SK. A conserved threonine spring-loads precursor for intein splicing. Protein Sci 2013; 22:557-63. [PMID: 23423655 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2012] [Revised: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein splicing is an autocatalytic process where an "intein" self-cleaves from a precursor and ligates the flanking N- and C-"extein" polypeptides. Inteins occur in all domains of life and have myriad uses in biotechnology. Although the reaction steps of protein splicing are known, mechanistic details remain incomplete, particularly the initial peptide rearrangement at the N-terminal extein/intein junction. Recently, we proposed that this transformation, an N-S acyl shift, is accelerated by a localized conformational strain, between the intein's catalytic cysteine (Cys1) and the neighboring glycine (Gly-1) in the N-extein. That proposal was based on the crystal structure of a catalytically competent trapped precursor. Here, we define the structural origins and mechanistic relevance of the conformational strain using a combination of quantum mechanical simulations, mutational analysis, and X-ray crystallography. Our results implicate a conserved, but largely unstudied, threonine residue of the Ssp DnaE intein (Thr69) as the mediator of conformational strain through hydrogen bonding. Further, the strain imposed by this residue is shown to position the splice junction in a manner that enhances the rate of the N-S acyl shift substantially. Taken together, our results not only provide fundamental understanding of the control of the first step of protein splicing but also have important implications in various biotechnological applications that require precursor manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert K Dearden
- Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA
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43
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Binschik J, Mootz HD. Chemical bypass of intein-catalyzed N-S acyl shift in protein splicing. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013; 52:4260-4. [PMID: 23468274 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201208863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2012] [Revised: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jens Binschik
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Muenster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
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44
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Binschik J, Mootz HD. Chemischer “Bypass” des Intein-katalysierten N-S-Acyltransfers im Proteinspleißen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201208863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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45
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Oeemig JS, Zhou D, Kajander T, Wlodawer A, Iwaï H. NMR and crystal structures of the Pyrococcus horikoshii RadA intein guide a strategy for engineering a highly efficient and promiscuous intein. J Mol Biol 2012; 421:85-99. [PMID: 22560994 PMCID: PMC3392434 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2012] [Revised: 04/25/2012] [Accepted: 04/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In protein splicing, an intervening protein sequence (intein) in the host protein excises itself out and ligates two split host protein sequences (exteins) to produce a mature host protein. Inteins require the involvement for the splicing of the first residue of the extein that follows the intein (which is Cys, Ser, or Thr). Other extein residues near the splicing junctions could modulate splicing efficiency even when they are not directly involved in catalysis. Mutual interdependence between this molecular parasite (intein) and its host protein (exteins) is not beneficial for intein spread but could be advantageous for intein survival during evolution. Elucidating extein-intein dependency has increasingly become important since inteins are recognized as useful biotechnological tools for protein ligation. We determined the structures of one of inteins with high splicing efficiency, the RadA intein from Pyrococcus horikoshii (PhoRadA). The solution NMR structure and the crystal structures elucidated the structural basis for its high efficiency and directed our efforts of engineering that led to rational design of a functional minimized RadA intein. The crystal structure of the minimized RadA intein also revealed the precise interactions between N-extein and the intein. We systematically analyzed the effects at the -1 position of N-extein and were able to significantly improve the splicing efficiency of a less robust splicing variant by eliminating the unfavorable extein-intein interactions observed in the structure. This work provides an example of how unveiling structure-function relationships of inteins offer a promising way of improving their properties as better tools for protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper S. Oeemig
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki. P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, FIN-00014, Finland
| | - Dongwen Zhou
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Tommi Kajander
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki. P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, FIN-00014, Finland
| | - Alexander Wlodawer
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Hideo Iwaï
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki. P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, FIN-00014, Finland
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46
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Apgar J, Ross M, Zuo X, Dohle S, Sturtevant D, Shen B, de la Vega H, Lessard P, Lazar G, Raab RM. A predictive model of intein insertion site for use in the engineering of molecular switches. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37355. [PMID: 22649521 PMCID: PMC3359363 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2011] [Accepted: 04/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Inteins are intervening protein domains with self-splicing ability that can be used as molecular switches to control activity of their host protein. Successfully engineering an intein into a host protein requires identifying an insertion site that permits intein insertion and splicing while allowing for proper folding of the mature protein post-splicing. By analyzing sequence and structure based properties of native intein insertion sites we have identified four features that showed significant correlation with the location of the intein insertion sites, and therefore may be useful in predicting insertion sites in other proteins that provide native-like intein function. Three of these properties, the distance to the active site and dimer interface site, the SVM score of the splice site cassette, and the sequence conservation of the site showed statistically significant correlation and strong predictive power, with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.79, 0.76, and 0.73 respectively, while the distance to secondary structure/loop junction showed significance but with less predictive power (AUC of 0.54). In a case study of 20 insertion sites in the XynB xylanase, two features of native insertion sites showed correlation with the splice sites and demonstrated predictive value in selecting non-native splice sites. Structural modeling of intein insertions at two sites highlighted the role that the insertion site location could play on the ability of the intein to modulate activity of the host protein. These findings can be used to enrich the selection of insertion sites capable of supporting intein splicing and hosting an intein switch.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Apgar
- Agrivida Inc., Medford, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Mary Ross
- Agrivida Inc., Medford, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Xiao Zuo
- Agrivida Inc., Medford, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sarah Dohle
- Agrivida Inc., Medford, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Binzhang Shen
- Agrivida Inc., Medford, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Philip Lessard
- Agrivida Inc., Medford, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Gabor Lazar
- Agrivida Inc., Medford, Maryland, United States of America
| | - R. Michael Raab
- Agrivida Inc., Medford, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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47
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Tori K, Cheriyan M, Pedamallu CS, Contreras MA, Perler FB. The Thermococcus kodakaraensis Tko CDC21-1 intein activates its N-terminal splice junction in the absence of a conserved histidine by a compensatory mechanism. Biochemistry 2012; 51:2496-505. [PMID: 22380677 DOI: 10.1021/bi201840k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Inteins and other self-catalytic enzymes, such as glycosylasparaginases and hedgehog precursors, initiate autocleavage by converting a peptide bond to a (thio)ester bond when Ser, Thr, or Cys undergoes an N-[S/O] acyl migration assisted by residues within the precursor. Previous studies have shown that a His at position 10 in intein Block B is essential for this initial acyl migration and N-terminal splice junction cleavage. This His is present in all inteins identified to date except the Thermococcus kodakaraensis Tko CDC21-1 intein orthologs and the inactive Arthrobacter species FB24 Arth_1007 intein. This study demonstrates that the Tko CDC21-1 intein is fully active and has replaced the lost catalytic function normally provided by the Block B His using a compensatory mechanism involving a conserved ortholog-specific basic residue (Lys(58)) present outside the standard intein conserved motifs. We propose that Lys(58) catalyzes the initial N-S acyl migration by stabilizing the thiazolidine-tetrahedral intermediate, allowing it to be resolved by water-mediated hydrolysis rather than by protonating the leaving group as His is theorized to do in many other inteins. Autoprocessing enzymes may have more flexibility in evolving catalytic variations because high reaction rates are not required when performing single-turnover reactions on "substrates" that are covalently attached to the enzyme. Consequently, inteins have more flexibility to sample catalytic mechanisms, providing insight into various strategies that enzymes use to accomplish catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuo Tori
- New England BioLabs, Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, United States
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48
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Chen W, Li L, Du Z, Liu J, Reitter JN, Mills KV, Linhardt RJ, Wang C. Intramolecular disulfide bond between catalytic cysteines in an intein precursor. J Am Chem Soc 2012; 134:2500-3. [PMID: 22280304 DOI: 10.1021/ja211010g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein splicing is a self-catalyzed and spontaneous post-translational process in which inteins excise themselves out of precursor proteins while the exteins are ligated together. We report the first discovery of an intramolecular disulfide bond between the two active-site cysteines, Cys1 and Cys+1, in an intein precursor composed of the hyperthermophilic Pyrococcus abyssi PolII intein and extein. The existence of this intramolecular disulfide bond is demonstrated by the effect of reducing agents on the precursor, mutagenesis, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with tandem MS (MS/MS) of the tryptic peptide containing the intramolecular disulfide bond. The disulfide bond inhibits protein splicing, and splicing can be induced by reducing agents such as tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP). The stability of the intramolecular disulfide bond is enhanced by electrostatic interactions between the N- and C-exteins but is reduced by elevated temperature. The presence of this intramolecular disulfide bond may contribute to the redox control of splicing activity in hypoxia and at low temperature and point to the intriguing possibility that inteins may act as switches to control extein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Chen
- Department of Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA
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Nanubolu JB, Sridhar B, Ravikumar K. Resonance-assisted amide protonation in dutasteride hydrochloride salt. CrystEngComm 2012. [DOI: 10.1039/c2ce06421a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Mujika JI, Lopez X, Mulholland AJ. Mechanism of C-terminal intein cleavage in protein splicing from QM/MM molecular dynamics simulations. Org Biomol Chem 2011; 10:1207-18. [PMID: 22179261 DOI: 10.1039/c1ob06444d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Protein splicing is a post-translational process in which a biologically inactive protein is activated by the release of a segment denoted as an intein. The process involves four steps. In the third, the scission of the intein takes place after the cyclization of the last amino acid of the segment, an asparagine. Little is known about the chemical reaction necessary for this cyclization. Experiments demonstrate that two histidines (the penultimate amino acid of the intein, and a histidine located 10 amino acids upstream) are relevant in the cyclization of the asparagine. We have investigated the mechanism and determinants of reaction in the GyrA intein focusing on the requirements for asparagine activation for its cyclization. First, the influence that the protonation states of these two histidines have on the orientation of the asparagine side chain is investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulation. Molecular dynamics simulations using the CHARMM27 force field were carried out on the three possible protonation states for each of these two histidines. The results indicate that the only protonation state in which the conformation of the system is suitable for cyclization is when the penultimate histidine is fully protonated (positively charged), and the upstream histidine is in the His(ε) neutral tautomeric form. The free energy profile for the reaction in which the asparagine is activated by a proton transfer to the upstream histidine is presented, computed by hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) umbrella sampling molecular dynamics at the SCCDFTB/CHARMM27 level of theory. The calculated free energy barrier for the reaction is 19.0 kcal mol(-1). B3LYP/6-31+G(d) QM/MM single-point calculations give a qualitatively a similar energy profile, although with somewhat higher energy barriers, in good agreement with the value derived from experiment of 25 kcal mol(-1) at 60 °C. QM/MM molecular dynamics simulations of the reactant, activated reactant and intermediate states highlight the importance of the Arg181-Val182-Asp183 segment in catalysing the reaction. Overall, the results indicate that nucleophilic activation of the asparagine for its cyclization by the upstream histidine acting as the base is a plausible mechanism for the C-terminal cleavage in protein splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon I Mujika
- Kimika Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea and Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC, P. K. 1072, 20080, Donostia, Euskadi, Spain.
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