1
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Long MJC, Aye Y. Let's get biophysical - How to get your favorite protein's digits. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 112:117873. [PMID: 39180860 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117873] [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: 06/09/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
In these days of information overload and high-throughput analysis, it is easy to lose focus on the study of individual proteins. It is our conjecture that such investigations are still crucially important and offer uniquely penetrative insights. We thus present a discussion of biophysical methods to allow readers to get to know their protein of interest better. Although this perspective is not written with the expert in mind, we hope that for interdisciplinary scientists, or researchers who do not routinely perform biophysical analyses, the content will be helpful and inspiring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yimon Aye
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.
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2
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Martin FJO, Santiveri M, Hu H, Taylor NMI. Ion-driven rotary membrane motors: From structure to function. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 88:102884. [PMID: 39053417 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Ion-driven membrane motors, essential across all domains of life, convert a gradient of ions across a membrane into rotational energy, facilitating diverse biological processes including ATP synthesis, substrate transport, and bacterial locomotion. Herein, we highlight recent structural advances in the understanding of two classes of ion-driven membrane motors: rotary ATPases and 5:2 motors. The recent structure of the human F-type ATP synthase is emphasised along with the gained structural insight into clinically relevant mutations. Furthermore, we highlight the diverse roles of 5:2 motors and recent mechanistic understanding gained through the resolution of ions in the structure of a sodium-driven motor, combining insights into potential unifying mechanisms of ion selectivity and rotational torque generation in the context of their function as part of complex biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freddie J O Martin
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mònica Santiveri
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Haidai Hu
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nicholas M I Taylor
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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3
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Dahmani Z, Scott AL, Vénien-Bryan C, Perahia D, Costa MG. MDFF_NM: Improved Molecular Dynamics Flexible Fitting into Cryo-EM Density Maps with a Multireplica Normal Mode-Based Search. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:5151-5160. [PMID: 38907694 PMCID: PMC11234365 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c02007] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Molecular Dynamics Flexible Fitting (MDFF) is a widely used tool to refine high-resolution structures into cryo-EM density maps. Despite many successful applications, MDFF is still limited by its high computational cost, overfitting, accuracy, and performance issues due to entrapment within wrong local minima. Modern ensemble-based MDFF tools have generated promising results in the past decade. In line with these studies, we present MDFF_NM, a stochastic hybrid flexible fitting algorithm combining Normal Mode Analysis (NMA) and simulation-based flexible fitting. Initial tests reveal that, besides accelerating the fitting process, MDFF_NM increases the diversity of fitting routes leading to the target, uncovering ensembles of conformations in closer agreement with experimental data. The potential integration of MDFF_NM with other existing methods and integrative modeling pipelines is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakaria
L. Dahmani
- School
of Medicine, Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 800 Murdoch I Bldg, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- UMR
7590, CNRS, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Institut
de Minéralogie, Physique des Matériaux et Cosmochimie,
IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, 4 place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France
| | - Ana Ligia Scott
- CMCC,
Computational Biophysics and Biology, Universidade Federal do ABC, Avenida dos Estados 5001, São Paulo, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil
- Université
de Strasbourg—IGBMC—Departament de Biologie structurale
integrative, 1 rue Laurent
Fries BP, Illkirch 10142
67404, CEDEX, France
| | - Catherine Vénien-Bryan
- UMR
7590, CNRS, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Institut
de Minéralogie, Physique des Matériaux et Cosmochimie,
IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, 4 place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France
| | - David Perahia
- Laboratoire
de Biologie et Pharmacologie Appliquée, UMR 8113, École
Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - Mauricio G.S Costa
- UMR
7590, CNRS, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Institut
de Minéralogie, Physique des Matériaux et Cosmochimie,
IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, 4 place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France
- Laboratoire
de Biologie et Pharmacologie Appliquée, UMR 8113, École
Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
- Programa de Computação Científica,
Vice-Presidência de Educação, Informação
e Comunicação, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av.Brasil 4365, Residência
Oficial, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
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4
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Jiko C, Li J, Moon Y, Tanaka Y, Gopalasingam CC, Shigematsu H, Chae PS, Kurisu G, Gerle C. NDT-C11 as a Viable Novel Detergent for Single Particle Cryo-EM. Chempluschem 2024:e202400242. [PMID: 38881532 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202400242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Single particle cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is now the major method for the determination of integral membrane protein structure. For the success of a given project the type of membrane mimetic used for extraction from the native cell membrane, purification to homogeneity and finally cryo-grid vitrification is crucial. Although small molecule amphiphiles - detergents - are the most widely used membrane mimetic, specific tailoring of detergent structure for single particle cryo-EM is rare and the demand for effective detergents not satisfied. Here, we compare the popular detergent lauryl maltose-neopentyl glycol (LMNG) with the novel detergent neopentyl glycol-derived triglucoside-C11 (NDT-C11) in its behavior as free detergent and when bound to two types of multisubunit membrane protein complexes - cyanobacterial photosystem I (PSI) and mammalian F-ATP synthase. We conclude that NDT-C11 has high potential to become a very useful detergent for single particle cryo-EM of integral membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chimari Jiko
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Kumatori, Osaka, 590-0494, Japan
| | - Jiannan Li
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Youngsun Moon
- Department of Bionano Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan, 155-88, South Korea
| | - Yoshito Tanaka
- Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo, Kamigori, 678-1297, Japan
| | - Chai C Gopalasingam
- Life Science Research Infrastructure Group, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Sayo, 679-5148, Japan
| | - Hideki Shigematsu
- Structural Biology Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, SPring-8, Sayo, 679-5148, Japan
| | - Pil Seok Chae
- Department of Bionano Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan, 155-88, South Korea
| | - Genji Kurisu
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Christoph Gerle
- Life Science Research Infrastructure Group, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Sayo, 679-5148, Japan
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5
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Lasham J, Djurabekova A, Zickermann V, Vonck J, Sharma V. Role of Protonation States in the Stability of Molecular Dynamics Simulations of High-Resolution Membrane Protein Structures. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:2304-2316. [PMID: 38430110 PMCID: PMC11389979 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provide unmatched spatial and time resolution of protein structure and function. However, the accuracy of MD simulations often depends on the quality of force field parameters and the time scale of sampling. Another limitation of conventional MD simulations is that the protonation states of titratable amino acid residues remain fixed during simulations, even though protonation state changes coupled to conformational dynamics are central to protein function. Due to the uncertainty in selecting protonation states, classical MD simulations are sometimes performed with all amino acids modeled in their standard charged states at pH 7. Here, we performed and analyzed classical MD simulations on high-resolution cryo-EM structures of two large membrane proteins that transfer protons by catalyzing protonation/deprotonation reactions. In simulations performed with titratable amino acids modeled in their standard protonation (charged) states, the structure diverges far from its starting conformation. In comparison, MD simulations performed with predetermined protonation states of amino acid residues reproduce the structural conformation, protein hydration, and protein-water and protein-protein interactions of the structure much better. The results support the notion that it is crucial to perform basic protonation state calculations, especially on structures where protonation changes play an important functional role, prior to the launch of any conventional MD simulations. Furthermore, the combined approach of fast protonation state prediction and MD simulations can provide valuable information about the charge states of amino acids in the cryo-EM sample. Even though accurate prediction of protonation states in proteinaceous environments currently remains a challenge, we introduce an approach of combining pKa prediction with cryo-EM density map analysis that helps in improving not only the protonation state predictions but also the atomic modeling of density data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Lasham
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Amina Djurabekova
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Volker Zickermann
- Institute of Biochemistry II, University Hospital, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Janet Vonck
- Department of Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Vivek Sharma
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- HiLIFE Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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6
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Puchkov D, Müller PM, Lehmann M, Matthaeus C. Analyzing the cellular plasma membrane by fast and efficient correlative STED and platinum replica EM. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1305680. [PMID: 38099299 PMCID: PMC10720448 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1305680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The plasma membrane of mammalian cells links transmembrane receptors, various structural components, and membrane-binding proteins to subcellular processes, allowing inter- and intracellular communication. Therefore, membrane-binding proteins, together with structural components such as actin filaments, modulate the cell membrane in their flexibility, stiffness, and curvature. Investigating membrane components and curvature in cells remains challenging due to the diffraction limit in light microscopy. Preparation of 5-15-nm-thin plasma membrane sheets and subsequent inspection by metal replica transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveal detailed information about the cellular membrane topology, including the structure and curvature. However, electron microscopy cannot identify proteins associated with specific plasma membrane domains. Here, we describe a novel adaptation of correlative super-resolution light microscopy and platinum replica TEM (CLEM-PREM), allowing the analysis of plasma membrane sheets with respect to their structural details, curvature, and associated protein composition. We suggest a number of shortcuts and troubleshooting solutions to contemporary PREM protocols. Thus, implementation of super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy offers significant reduction in sample preparation time and reduced technical challenges for imaging and analysis. Additionally, highly technical challenges associated with replica preparation and transfer on a TEM grid can be overcome by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. The combination of STED microscopy and platinum replica SEM or TEM provides the highest spatial resolution of plasma membrane proteins and their underlying membrane and is, therefore, a suitable method to study cellular events like endocytosis, membrane trafficking, or membrane tension adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmytro Puchkov
- Cellular Imaging Facility, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Markus Müller
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Lehmann
- Cellular Imaging Facility, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Matthaeus
- Cellular Physiology of Nutrition, Institute for Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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7
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Sanchez Carrillo IB, Hoffmann PC, Barff T, Beck M, Germain H. Preparing Arabidopsis thaliana root protoplasts for cryo electron tomography. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1261180. [PMID: 37810374 PMCID: PMC10556516 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1261180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The use of protoplasts in plant biology has become a convenient tool for the application of transient gene expression. This model system has allowed the study of plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, protein location and trafficking, cell wall dynamics, and single-cell transcriptomics, among others. Although well-established protocols for isolating protoplasts from different plant tissues are available, they have never been used for studying plant cells using cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo electron tomography (cryo-ET). Here we describe a workflow to prepare root protoplasts from Arabidopsis thaliana plants for cryo-ET. The process includes protoplast isolation and vitrification on EM grids, and cryo-focused ion beam milling (cryo-FIB), with the aim of tilt series acquisition. The whole workflow, from growing the plants to the acquisition of the tilt series, may take a few months. Our protocol provides a novel application to use plant protoplasts as a tool for cryo-ET.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick C. Hoffmann
- Department of Molecular Sociology, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Teura Barff
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Beck
- Department of Molecular Sociology, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Hugo Germain
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
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8
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S Cannon K, Sarsam RD, Tedamrongwanish T, Zhang K, Baker RW. Lipid nanodiscs as a template for high-resolution cryo-EM structures of peripheral membrane proteins. J Struct Biol 2023; 215:107989. [PMID: 37364761 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2023.107989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Peripheral membrane proteins are ubiquitous throughout cell biology and are required for a variety of cellular processes such as signal transduction, membrane trafficking, and autophagy. Transient binding to the membrane has a profound impact on protein function, serving to induce conformational changes and alter biochemical and biophysical parameters by increasing the local concentration of factors and restricting diffusion to two dimensions. Despite the centrality of the membrane in serving as a template for cell biology, there are few reported high-resolution structures of peripheral membrane proteins bound to the membrane. We analyzed the utility of lipid nanodiscs to serve as a template for cryo-EM analysis of peripheral membrane proteins. We tested a variety of nanodiscs and we report a 3.3 Å structure of the AP2 clathrin adaptor complex bound to a 17-nm nanodisc, with sufficient resolution to visualize a bound lipid head group. Our data demonstrate that lipid nanodiscs are amenable to high-resolution structure determination of peripheral membrane proteins and provide a framework for extending this analysis to other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S Cannon
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA
| | - Reta D Sarsam
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA
| | - Tanita Tedamrongwanish
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA
| | - Kevin Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA
| | - Richard W Baker
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA; UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA.
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9
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Feng S, Park S, Choi YK, Im W. CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder: Past, Current, and Future Developments and Applications. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:2161-2185. [PMID: 37014931 PMCID: PMC10174225 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations of membranes and membrane proteins serve as computational microscopes, revealing coordinated events at the membrane interface. As G protein-coupled receptors, ion channels, transporters, and membrane-bound enzymes are important drug targets, understanding their drug binding and action mechanisms in a realistic membrane becomes critical. Advances in materials science and physical chemistry further demand an atomistic understanding of lipid domains and interactions between materials and membranes. Despite a wide range of membrane simulation studies, generating a complex membrane assembly remains challenging. Here, we review the capability of CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder in the context of emerging research demands, as well as the application examples from the CHARMM-GUI user community, including membrane biophysics, membrane protein drug-binding and dynamics, protein-lipid interactions, and nano-bio interface. We also provide our perspective on future Membrane Builder development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Feng
- Departments of Biological
Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Soohyung Park
- Departments of Biological
Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Yeol Kyo Choi
- Departments of Biological
Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Wonpil Im
- Departments of Biological
Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
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10
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Mishra S, Roy A, Dutta S. Cryo-EM-based structural insights into supramolecular assemblies of γ-hemolysin from S. aureus reveal the pore formation mechanism. Structure 2023:S0969-2126(23)00085-0. [PMID: 37019111 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
γ-Hemolysin (γ-HL) is a hemolytic and leukotoxic bicomponent β-pore-forming toxin (β-PFT), a potent virulence factor from the Staphylococcus aureus Newman strain. In this study, we performed single-particle cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) of γ-HL in a lipid environment. We observed clustering and square lattice packing of octameric HlgAB pores on the membrane bilayer and an octahedral superassembly of octameric pore complexes that we resolved at resolution of 3.5 Å. Our atomic model further demonstrated the key residues involved in hydrophobic zipping between the rim domains of adjacent octameric complexes, providing additional structural stability in PFTs post oligomerization. We also observed extra densities at the octahedral and octameric interfaces, providing insights into the plausible lipid-binding residues involved for HlgA and HlgB components. Furthermore, the hitherto elusive N-terminal region of HlgA was also resolved in our cryo-EM map, and an overall mechanism of pore formation for bicomponent β-PFTs is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Mishra
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Anupam Roy
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Somnath Dutta
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
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11
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Mass spectrometry of intact membrane proteins: shifting towards a more native-like context. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:201-213. [PMID: 36807530 PMCID: PMC10070488 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Integral membrane proteins are involved in a plethora of biological processes including cellular signalling, molecular transport, and catalysis. Many of these functions are mediated by non-covalent interactions with other proteins, substrates, metabolites, and surrounding lipids. Uncovering such interactions and deciphering their effect on protein activity is essential for understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying integral membrane protein function. However, the detection of such dynamic complexes has proven to be challenging using traditional approaches in structural biology. Native mass spectrometry has emerged as a powerful technique for the structural characterisation of membrane proteins and their complexes, enabling the detection and identification of protein-binding partners. In this review, we discuss recent native mass spectrometry-based studies that have characterised non-covalent interactions of membrane proteins in the presence of detergents or membrane mimetics. We additionally highlight recent progress towards the study of membrane proteins within native membranes and provide our perspective on how these could be combined with recent developments in instrumentation to investigate increasingly complex biomolecular systems.
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12
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Hybridization of Wide-Angle X-ray and Neutron Diffraction Techniques in the Crystal Structure Analyses of Synthetic Polymers. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15020465. [PMID: 36679346 PMCID: PMC9863181 DOI: 10.3390/polym15020465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The development in the crystal structure analysis of synthetic polymers using the hybridized combination of wide-angle X-ray and neutron diffraction (WAXD and WAND, respectively) techniques has been reviewed with many case studies performed by the authors. At first, the technical development was reviewed, in which the usage of high-energy synchrotron X-ray source was emphasized for increasing the total number of the observable diffraction peaks, and several examples were introduced. Secondly, the usage of the WAND method was introduced, in which the successful extraction of hydrogen atomic positions was described. The third example is to show the importance for the hybrid combination of these two diffraction methods. The quantitative WAXD data analysis gave the crystal structures of at-poly(vinyl alcohol) (at-PVA) and at-PVA-iodine complex. However, the thus-proposed structure models were found not to reproduce the observed WAND data very much. The reason came from the remarkable difference in the atomic scattering powers of the constituting atomic species between WAXD and WAND phenomena. The introduction of statistical disorder solved this serious problem, which reproduced both of the observed WAXD and WAND data consistently. The more systematic combination of WAXD and WAND methods, or the so-called X-N method, was applied also to the quantitative evaluation of the bonded electron density distribution along the skeletal chains, where the results about polydiacetylene single crystals were presented as the first successful study. Finally, the application of WAND technique in the trace of structural changes induced under the application of external stress or temperature was described. The future perspective is described for the development of structural science of synthetic polymers on the basis of the combined WAXD/WAND techniques.
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13
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Heger T, Stock C, Laursen MJ, Habeck M, Dieudonné T, Nissen P. eGFP as an All-in-One Tag for Purification of Membrane Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2652:171-186. [PMID: 37093475 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3147-8_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Within the last decade, cryo-electron microscopy has revolutionized our understanding of membrane proteins, but they still represent challenging targets for biochemical and structural studies. The first obstacle is often to obtain high production levels of correctly folded target protein. In these cases, the use of eGFP tags is an efficient strategy, as it allows rapid screenings of expression systems, constructs, and detergents for solubilization. Additionally, eGFP tags can now be used for affinity purification with recently developed nanobodies. Here we present a series of methods based on enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) fluorescence to efficiently screen for production and stabilization of detergent-solubilized eGFP-tagged membrane proteins produced in S. cerevisiae via in-gel fluorescence SDS-PAGE and fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography (FSEC). Additionally, we present a protocol describing the production of affinity resin based on eGFP-binding nanobodies produced in E. coli. We showcase the purification of human ATP7B, a copper transporting P-type ATPase, as an example of the applicability of the methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Heger
- DANDRITE, Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Charlott Stock
- DANDRITE, Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Michelle Juknaviciute Laursen
- DANDRITE, Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Michael Habeck
- DANDRITE, Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thibaud Dieudonné
- DANDRITE, Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Poul Nissen
- DANDRITE, Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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14
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Young BD, Cook ME, Costabile BK, Samanta R, Zhuang X, Sevdalis SE, Varney KM, Mancia F, Matysiak S, Lattman E, Weber DJ. Binding and Functional Folding (BFF): A Physiological Framework for Studying Biomolecular Interactions and Allostery. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167872. [PMID: 36354074 PMCID: PMC10871162 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167872] [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: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
EF-hand Ca2+-binding proteins (CBPs), such as S100 proteins (S100s) and calmodulin (CaM), are signaling proteins that undergo conformational changes upon increasing intracellular Ca2+. Upon binding Ca2+, S100 proteins and CaM interact with protein targets and induce important biological responses. The Ca2+-binding affinity of CaM and most S100s in the absence of target is weak (CaKD > 1 μM). However, upon effector protein binding, the Ca2+ affinity of these proteins increases via heterotropic allostery (CaKD < 1 μM). Because of the high number and micromolar concentrations of EF-hand CBPs in a cell, at any given time, allostery is required physiologically, allowing for (i) proper Ca2+ homeostasis and (ii) strict maintenance of Ca2+-signaling within a narrow dynamic range of free Ca2+ ion concentrations, [Ca2+]free. In this review, mechanisms of allostery are coalesced into an empirical "binding and functional folding (BFF)" physiological framework. At the molecular level, folding (F), binding and folding (BF), and BFF events include all atoms in the biomolecular complex under study. The BFF framework is introduced with two straightforward BFF types for proteins (type 1, concerted; type 2, stepwise) and considers how homologous and nonhomologous amino acid residues of CBPs and their effector protein(s) evolved to provide allosteric tightening of Ca2+ and simultaneously determine how specific and relatively promiscuous CBP-target complexes form as both are needed for proper cellular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna D Young
- The Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics (CBT), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Mary E Cook
- The Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics (CBT), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Brianna K Costabile
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Riya Samanta
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Xinhao Zhuang
- The Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics (CBT), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Spiridon E Sevdalis
- The Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics (CBT), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Kristen M Varney
- The Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics (CBT), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Filippo Mancia
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Silvina Matysiak
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Eaton Lattman
- The Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics (CBT), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - David J Weber
- The Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics (CBT), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; The Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
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15
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Kühlbrandt W. Concluding remarks: Challenges and future developments in biological electron cryo-microscopy. Faraday Discuss 2022; 240:323-335. [PMID: 36305740 DOI: 10.1039/d2fd90062a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
During the past 10 years, biological electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM) has undergone a process of rapid transformation. Many things we could only dream about a decade ago have now become almost routine. Nevertheless, a number of challenges remain, to do with sample preparation, the correlation between tomographic analysis and light microscopy, data validation, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence and structure prediction. This year's Faraday Discussion examined these challenges in some detail. The concluding remarks present a concise summary of the meeting and a brief outlook to the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner Kühlbrandt
- Department of Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany.
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16
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Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy (CryoEM) has become a vital technique in structural biology. It is an interdisciplinary field that takes advantage of advances in biochemistry, physics, and image processing, among other disciplines. Innovations in these three basic pillars have contributed to the boosting of CryoEM in the past decade. This work reviews the main contributions in image processing to the current reconstruction workflow of single particle analysis (SPA) by CryoEM. Our review emphasizes the time evolution of the algorithms across the different steps of the workflow differentiating between two groups of approaches: analytical methods and deep learning algorithms. We present an analysis of the current state of the art. Finally, we discuss the emerging problems and challenges still to be addressed in the evolution of CryoEM image processing methods in SPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Vilas
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro
Nacional de Biotecnologia (CNB-CSIC), Darwin, 3, Campus Universidad Autonoma, 28049 Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Maria Carazo
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro
Nacional de Biotecnologia (CNB-CSIC), Darwin, 3, Campus Universidad Autonoma, 28049 Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Oscar S. Sorzano
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro
Nacional de Biotecnologia (CNB-CSIC), Darwin, 3, Campus Universidad Autonoma, 28049 Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
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17
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Kim S, Bajaj T, Chabon C, Tablante E, Kulchinskaya T, Moon TS, Bajaj R. Meta-Analysis of the Expansion in the Field of Structural Biology of ABC Transporters. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9806979. [PMID: 37850125 PMCID: PMC10521687 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9806979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
ABC transporters are molecular machines which power the solute transport using ATP hydrolysis. The structural biology of ABC transporters has been exploding for the last few years, and this study explores timelines and trends for various attributes such as structural tools, resolution, fold, sources, and group leaders. This study also evidences the significance of mammalian expression systems, advancements in structural biology tools, and the developing interest of group leaders across the world in the remarkably progressing field. The field started in 2002 and bloomed in 2016, and COVID years were really productive to the field. Specifically, the study explores 337 structures of 58 unique ABC transporters deposited in the PDB database from which P-glycoprotein has the largest number of structures. Approximately, 62% of total structures are determined at the resolution of 3-4 Å and 53% of structures belong to fold IV type. With progressive advancements in the field, the field is shifting from prokaryotic to eukaryotic sources and X-ray crystallography to cryoelectron microscopy. In the nutshell, this study uniquely provides the detailed snapshot of the field of structural biology of ABC transporters with real-time data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soomi Kim
- Stem Cell Technology Certificate Program, City College of San Francisco, USA
- Biotechnology Certificate Program, City College of San Francisco, USA
| | - Teena Bajaj
- Comparative Biochemistry Program, University of California Berkeley, USA
| | - Cole Chabon
- Biotechnology Certificate Program, City College of San Francisco, USA
| | - Eric Tablante
- Biotechnology Certificate Program, City College of San Francisco, USA
| | - Tatyana Kulchinskaya
- Stem Cell Technology Certificate Program, City College of San Francisco, USA
- Biotechnology Certificate Program, City College of San Francisco, USA
| | - Tae Seok Moon
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, USA
| | - Ruchika Bajaj
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutics Sciences, University of California San Francisco, USA
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18
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Gopalasingam CC, Hasnain SS. Frontiers in metalloprotein crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 75:102420. [PMID: 35841747 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Metalloproteins comprise at least a third of all proteins that utilize redox properties of transition metals on their own or as parts of cofactors. The development of third generation storage ring sources and X-ray free-electron lasers with femtosecond pulses in the first decade of the 21st century has transformed metalloprotein crystallography. In the past decade, cryogenic-electron microscopy single-particle analysis, which does not require crystallization of biological samples has been extensively utilized, particularly for membrane-bound metalloprotein systems. Here, we explore recent frontiers in metalloprotein crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy, organized for convenience under three metalloprotein-centered biological cycles, focusing on contributions from each technique, their synergy and the ability to preserve metals' redox states when subjected to a particular probe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chai C Gopalasingam
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK; Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo, 3-2-1 Kouto, Kamigori, Ako, Hyogo, 678-1297, Japan. https://twitter.com/@Chai_Gopal
| | - S Samar Hasnain
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK.
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19
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Huntington B, Zhao L, Bron P, Shahul Hameed UF, Arold ST, Qureshi BM. Thicker Ice Improves the Integrity and Angular Distribution of CDC48A Hexamers on Cryo-EM Grids. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:890390. [PMID: 35782862 PMCID: PMC9247313 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.890390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Many cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) single particle analyses are constrained by the sample preparation step upon which aggregation, dissociation, and/or preferential orientation of particles can be introduced. Here, we report how we solved these problems in the case of CDC48A, a hexameric AAA ATPase from Arabidopsis thaliana. CDC48A hexamers are well preserved under negative staining conditions but disassemble during grid freezing using the classical blotting method. Vitrification of grids using the blot-free Chameleon method preserved the integrity of particles but resulted in their strong preferential orientation. We then used a strategy where we improved in parallel the purification of CDC48A and the conditions for cryo-EM data acquisition. Indeed, we noted that images taken from thicker ice presented an even distribution of intact particles with random orientations, but resulted in a lower image resolution. Consequently, in our case, distribution, orientation, image resolution, and the integrity of particles were tightly correlated with ice thickness. By combining the more homogeneous and stable CDC48A hexamers resulting from our improved purification protocol with an iterative search across different ice thicknesses, we identified an intermediate thickness that retained sufficiently high-resolution structural information while maintaining a complete distribution of particle orientations. Our approach may provide a simple, fast, and generally applicable strategy to record data of sufficient quality under standard laboratory and microscope settings. This method may be of particular value when time and resources are limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Huntington
- Bioscience Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Biology Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lingyun Zhao
- Imaging and Characterization Core Lab, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Patrick Bron
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), INSERM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Umar F. Shahul Hameed
- Bioscience Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Biology Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- *Correspondence: Umar F. Shahul Hameed, ; Stefan T. Arold, ; Bilal M. Qureshi,
| | - Stefan T. Arold
- Bioscience Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Biology Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), INSERM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- *Correspondence: Umar F. Shahul Hameed, ; Stefan T. Arold, ; Bilal M. Qureshi,
| | - Bilal M. Qureshi
- Bioscience Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Biology Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Division of Structural Biology (Strubi), University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Scientific Center of Optical and Electron Microscopy (ScopeM), ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Umar F. Shahul Hameed, ; Stefan T. Arold, ; Bilal M. Qureshi,
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