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van der Sluijs P, Hoelen H, Schmidt A, Braakman I. The Folding Pathway of ABC Transporter CFTR: Effective and Robust. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168591. [PMID: 38677493 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168591] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
De novo protein folding into a native three-dimensional structure is indispensable for biological function, is instructed by its amino acid sequence, and occurs along a vectorial trajectory. The human proteome contains thousands of membrane-spanning proteins, whose biosynthesis begins on endoplasmic reticulum-associated ribosomes. Nearly half of all membrane proteins traverse the membrane more than once, including therapeutically important protein families such as solute carriers, G-protein-coupled receptors, and ABC transporters. These mediate a variety of functions like signal transduction and solute transport and are often of vital importance for cell function and tissue homeostasis. Missense mutations in multispan membrane proteins can lead to misfolding and cause disease; an example is the ABC transporter Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR). Even though our understanding of multispan membrane-protein folding still is rather rudimental, the cumulative knowledge of 20 years of basic research on CFTR folding has led to development of drugs that modulate the misfolded protein. This has provided the prospect of a life without CF to the vast majority of patients. In this review we describe our understanding of the folding pathway of CFTR in cells, which is modular and tolerates many defects, making it effective and robust. We address how modulator drugs affect folding and function of CFTR, and distinguish protein stability from its folding process. Since the domain architecture of (mammalian) ABC transporters are highly conserved, we anticipate that the insights we discuss here for folding of CFTR may lay the groundwork for understanding the general rules of ABC-transporter folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter van der Sluijs
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Hanneke Hoelen
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands; Present address: GenDx, Yalelaan 48, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andre Schmidt
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands; 3D-Pharmxchange, Tilburg, the Netherlands
| | - Ineke Braakman
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Kleizen B, de Mattos E, Papaioannou O, Monti M, Tartaglia GG, van der Sluijs P, Braakman I. Transmembrane Helices 7 and 8 Confer Aggregation Sensitivity to the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15741. [PMID: 37958724 PMCID: PMC10648718 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) is a large multi-spanning membrane protein that is susceptible to misfolding and aggregation. We have identified here the region responsible for this instability. Temperature-induced aggregation of C-terminally truncated versions of CFTR demonstrated that all truncations up to the second transmembrane domain (TMD2), including the R region, largely resisted aggregation. Limited proteolysis identified a folded structure that was prone to aggregation and consisted of TMD2 and at least part of the Regulatory Region R. Only when both TM7 (TransMembrane helix 7) and TM8 were present, TMD2 fragments became as aggregation-sensitive as wild-type CFTR, in line with increased thermo-instability of late CFTR nascent chains and in silico prediction of aggregation propensity. In accord, isolated TMD2 was degraded faster in cells than isolated TMD1. We conclude that TMD2 extended at its N-terminus with part of the R region forms a protease-resistant structure that induces heat instability in CFTR and may be responsible for its limited intracellular stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand Kleizen
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; (B.K.); (E.d.M.); (O.P.); (P.v.d.S.)
| | - Eduardo de Mattos
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; (B.K.); (E.d.M.); (O.P.); (P.v.d.S.)
| | - Olga Papaioannou
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; (B.K.); (E.d.M.); (O.P.); (P.v.d.S.)
| | - Michele Monti
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (G.G.T.)
- Centre for Human Technologies (CHT), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 16152 Genoa, Italy
| | - Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (G.G.T.)
- Centre for Human Technologies (CHT), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 16152 Genoa, Italy
| | - Peter van der Sluijs
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; (B.K.); (E.d.M.); (O.P.); (P.v.d.S.)
| | - Ineke Braakman
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands; (B.K.); (E.d.M.); (O.P.); (P.v.d.S.)
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Poroca DR, Amer N, Li A, Hanrahan JW, Chappe VM. Changes in the R-region interactions depend on phosphorylation and contribute to PKA and PKC regulation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channel. FASEB Bioadv 2020; 2:33-48. [PMID: 32123855 PMCID: PMC6996395 DOI: 10.1096/fba.2019-00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The CFTR chloride channel is regulated by phosphorylation at PKA and PKC consensus sites within its regulatory region (R-region) through a mechanism, which is still not completely understood. We used a split-CFTR construct expressing the N-term-TMD1-NBD1 (Front Half; FH), TMD2-NBD2-C-Term (Back Half; BH), and the R-region as separate polypeptides (Split-R) in BHK cells, to investigate in situ how different phosphorylation conditions affect the R-region interactions with other parts of the protein. In proximity ligation assays, we studied the formation of complexes between the R-region and each half of the Split-CFTR. We found that at basal conditions, the density of complexes formed between the R-region and both halves of the split channel were equal. PKC stimulation alone had no effect, whereas PKA stimulation induced the formation of more complexes between the R-region and both halves compared to basal conditions. Moreover, PKC + PKA stimulation further enhanced the formation of FH-R complexes by 40% from PKA level. In cells expressing the Split-R with the two inhibitory PKC sites on the R-region inactivated (SR-S641A/T682A), density of FH-R complexes was much higher than in Split-R WT expressing cells after PKC or PKC + PKA stimulation. No differences were observed for BH-R complexes measured at all phosphorylation conditions. Since full-length CFTR channels display large functional responses to PKC + PKA in WT and S641A/T682A mutant, we conclude that FH-R interactions are important for CFTR function. Inactivation of consensus PKC site serine 686 (S686A) significantly reduced the basal BH-R interaction and prevented the PKC enhancing effect on CFTR function and FH-R interaction. The phospho-mimetic mutation (S686D) restored basal BH-R interaction and the PKC enhancing effect on CFTR function with enhanced FH-R interaction. As the channel function is mainly stimulated by PKA phosphorylation of the R-region, and this response is known to be enhanced by PKC phosphorylation, our data support a model in which the regulation of CFTR activation results from increased interactions of the R-region with the N-term-TMD1-NBD1. Also, serine S686 was found to be critical for the PKC enhancing effect which requires a permissive BH-R interaction at basal level and increased FH-R interaction after PKC + PKA phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo R. Poroca
- Department of Physiology & BiophysicsDalhousie UniversityHalifaxNSCanada
| | - Noha Amer
- Department of Physiology & BiophysicsDalhousie UniversityHalifaxNSCanada
| | - Audrey Li
- Department of Physiology & BiophysicsDalhousie UniversityHalifaxNSCanada
| | | | - Valerie M. Chappe
- Department of Physiology & BiophysicsDalhousie UniversityHalifaxNSCanada
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Wang G. Removal of the Fe(iii) site promotes activation of the human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator by high-affinity Zn(ii) binding. Metallomics 2019; 10:240-247. [PMID: 29372915 DOI: 10.1039/c7mt00315c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel is activated by ATP binding at the interface of two cytoplasmic nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) and phosphorylation of the regulatory (R) domain by protein kinase A (PKA). The human CFTR has two functionally active thiol groups for gating regulation by chemical modification. Although modification of C832 in the R domain with N-ethylmaleimide promotes channel opening, glutathionylation of C1344 in NBD2 inhibits channel opening. Our recent studies demonstrated that the N-ethylmaleimide-induced potentiation involves a high-affinity inhibitory Fe3+ site at the interface between the R domain and intracellular loop 3 (ICL3). However, it is unknown whether the glutathionylation-evoked inhibition implies another stimulatory metal site. Here, Fe3+-insensitive mutations at the R-ICL3 interface were employed to further examine whether Zn2+ potentiated the activity of the human CFTR channel by targeting C1344 once the interfacial Fe3+ bridge was disrupted. The results showed that internal nanomolar Zn2+ increased its activity by about two- to threefold at a low level of protein kinase A, and the increase was reversed by EDTA or DTT or reduced glutathione but suppressed by a high level of protein kinase A, N-ethylmaleimide modification or a C1344A mutation. It is interesting that this Zn2+-triggered potentiation is not found in the wild type human CFTR to which endogenous Fe3+ is bound. Thus, the high-affinity binding of Zn2+ to C1344 in NBD2 may stimulate human CFTR activity in a phosphorylation-dependent manner, but the primary binding of Fe3+ to the ICL3-R interface may prohibit this stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Wang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics and Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 39254, USA
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Wang G. Mechanistic insight into the heme-independent interplay between iron and carbon monoxide in CFTR and Slo1 BK Ca channels. Metallomics 2017; 9:634-645. [PMID: 28474046 DOI: 10.1039/c7mt00065k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ion channels have been extensively reported as effectors of carbon monoxide (CO). However, the mechanisms of heme-independent CO action are still not known. Because most ion channels are heterologously expressed on human embryonic kidney cells that are cultured in Fe3+-containing media, CO may act as a small and strong iron chelator to disrupt a putative iron bridge in ion channels and thus to tune their activity. In this review CFTR and Slo1 BKCa channels are employed to discuss the possible heme-independent interplay between iron and CO. Our recent studies demonstrated a high-affinity Fe3+ site at the interface between the regulatory domain and intracellular loop 3 of CFTR. Because the binding of Fe3+ to CFTR prevents channel opening, the stimulatory effect of CO on the Cl- and HCO3- currents across the apical membrane of rat distal colon may be due to the release of inhibitive Fe3+ by CO. In contrast, CO repeatedly stimulates the human Slo1 BKCa channel opening, possibly by binding to an unknown iron site, because cyanide prohibits this heme-independent CO stimulation. Here, in silico research on recent structural data of the slo1 BKCa channels indicates two putative binuclear Fe2+-binding motifs in the gating ring in which CO may compete with protein residues to bind to either Fe2+ bowl to disrupt the Fe2+ bridge but not to release Fe2+ from the channel. Thus, these two new regulation models of CO, with iron releasing from and retaining in the ion channel, may have significant and extensive implications for other metalloproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Wang
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA. and Institute of Biophysical Medico-chemistry, Reno, NV, USA
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Wang G, Linsley R, Norimatsu Y. External Zn2+binding to cysteine-substituted cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator constructs regulates channel gating and curcumin potentiation. FEBS J 2016; 283:2458-75. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.13752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology; Oregon Health & Sciences University; Portland OR USA
- Department of Drug Research and Development; Institute of Biophysical Medico-chemistry; Reno NV USA
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology; University of California School of Medicine; Davis CA USA
| | | | - Yohei Norimatsu
- Department of Physiology; Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine; A.T. Still University; Kirksville MO USA
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Wang G. Molecular Basis for Fe(III)-Independent Curcumin Potentiation of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Activity. Biochemistry 2015; 54:2828-40. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Wang
- Department of Physiology
and Biophysics and Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research
Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada 89557, United States
- Department of Physiology
and Membrane Biology, University of California School of Medicine, Davis, California 95616, United States
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Wang G. Interplay between Inhibitory Ferric and Stimulatory Curcumin Regulates Phosphorylation-Dependent Human Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator and ΔF508 Activity. Biochemistry 2015; 54:1558-66. [DOI: 10.1021/bi501318h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Wang
- Department of Physiology
and Biophysics and Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research
Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
- Department of Physiology
and Membrane Biology, University of California School of Medicine, Davis, California 95616, United States
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Bozoky Z, Krzeminski M, Chong PA, Forman-Kay JD. Structural changes of CFTR R region upon phosphorylation: a plastic platform for intramolecular and intermolecular interactions. FEBS J 2013; 280:4407-16. [PMID: 23826884 PMCID: PMC4160016 DOI: 10.1111/febs.12422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2013] [Revised: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 07/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Chloride channel gating and trafficking of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) are regulated by phosphorylation. Intrinsically disordered segments of the protein are responsible for phospho‐regulation, particularly the regulatory (R) region that is a target for several kinases and phosphatases. The R region remains disordered following phosphorylation, with different phosphorylation states sampling various conformations. Recent studies have demonstrated the crucial role that intramolecular and intermolecular interactions of the R region play in CFTR regulation. Different partners compete for the same binding segment, with the R region containing multiple overlapping binding elements. The non‐phosphorylated R region interacts with the nucleotide binding domains and inhibits channel activity by blocking heterodimerization. Phosphorylation shifts the equilibrium such that the R region is excluded from the dimer interface, facilitating gating and processing by stimulating R region interactions with other domains and proteins. The dynamic conformational sampling and transient binding of the R region to multiple partners enables complex control of CFTR channel activity and trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltan Bozoky
- Program in Molecular Structure and Function, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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