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Fuxreiter M. Context-dependent, fuzzy protein interactions: Towards sequence-based insights. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 87:102834. [PMID: 38759297 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102834] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Predicting protein interactions in the cellular environment still remains a challenge in the AlphaFold era. Protein interactions, similarly to their structures, sample a continuum from ordered to disordered states, with specific partners in many bound configurations. A multiplicity of binding modes (MBM) enables transition between these states under different cellular conditions. This review focuses on how the cellular environment affects protein interactions, highlighting the molecular mechanisms, biophysical origin, and sequence-based principles of context-dependent, fuzzy interactions. It summarises experimental and computational approaches to address the challenge of interaction heterogeneity and its contribution to a wide range of biological functions. These insights will help in understanding complex cellular processes, involving conversions between protein assembly states, such as from liquid-like droplet state to the amyloid state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Fuxreiter
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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2
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Banerjee A, Mathew S, Naqvi MM, Yilmaz SZ, Zacharopoulou M, Doruker P, Kumita JR, Yang SH, Gur M, Itzhaki LS, Gordon R, Bahar I. Influence of point mutations on PR65 conformational adaptability: Insights from molecular simulations and nanoaperture optical tweezers. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn2208. [PMID: 38820156 PMCID: PMC11141623 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn2208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
PR65 is the HEAT repeat scaffold subunit of the heterotrimeric protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and an archetypal tandem repeat protein. Its conformational mechanics plays a crucial role in PP2A function by opening/closing substrate binding/catalysis interface. Using in silico saturation mutagenesis, we identified PR65 "hinge" residues whose substitutions could alter its conformational adaptability and thereby PP2A function, and selected six mutations that were verified to be expressed and soluble. Molecular simulations and nanoaperture optical tweezers revealed consistent results on the specific effects of the mutations on the structure and dynamics of PR65. Two mutants observed in simulations to stabilize extended/open conformations exhibited higher corner frequencies and lower translational scattering in experiments, indicating a shift toward extended conformations, whereas another displayed the opposite features, confirmed by both simulations and experiments. The study highlights the power of single-molecule nanoaperture-based tweezers integrated with in silico approaches for exploring the effect of mutations on protein structure and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupam Banerjee
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Samuel Mathew
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Mohsin M. Naqvi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Sema Z. Yilmaz
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 34437 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Maria Zacharopoulou
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Pemra Doruker
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Janet R. Kumita
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Shang-Hua Yang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Mert Gur
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 34437 Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Laura S. Itzhaki
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Reuven Gordon
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Ivet Bahar
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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3
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Komives EA. The multifunctional role of intrinsic disorder in NF-κB signaling. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:2085-2092. [PMID: 38095058 PMCID: PMC10754279 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230035] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription activation system involves disordered regions of both the NF-κB dimers and their inhibitors, the IκBs. The system is well-studied both at the cellular and biophysical levels affording a unique opportunity to compare and contrast the conclusions from both types of experiments. Through a combination of both experiments and theory, we have discovered that the RelA/p50 heterodimer and its inhibitor IκBα operate under kinetic control. Intrinsically disordered parts of both proteins are directly involved in temporal control and their folding and unfolding determines the rates of various processes. In this review, we show how the dynamic state of the intrinsically disordered sequences define the rates of intracellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Komives
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92161, U.S.A
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4
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Bahar I, Banerjee A, Mathew S, Naqvi M, Yilmaz S, Zachoropoulou M, Doruker P, Kumita J, Yang SH, Gur M, Itzhaki L, Gordon R. Influence of Point Mutations on PR65 Conformational Adaptability: Insights from Nanoaperture Optical Tweezer Experiments and Molecular Simulations. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3599809. [PMID: 38014259 PMCID: PMC10680943 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3599809/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
PR65 is the HEAT-repeat scaffold subunit of the heterotrimeric protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and an archetypal tandem-repeat protein, forming a spring-like architecture. PR65 conformational mechanics play a crucial role in PP2A function by opening/closing the substrate-binding/catalysis interface. Using in-silico saturation mutagenesis we identified "hinge" residues of PR65, whose substitutions are predicted to restrict its conformational adaptability and thereby disrupt PP2A function. Molecular simulations revealed that a subset of hinge mutations stabilized the extended/open conformation, whereas another had the opposite effect. By trapping in nanoaperture optical tweezer, we characterized PR65 motion and showed that the former mutants exhibited higher corner frequencies and lower translational scattering, indicating a shift towards extended conformations, whereas the latter showed the opposite behavior. Thus, experiments confirm the conformations predicted computationally. The study highlights the utility of nanoaperture-based tweezers for exploring structure and dynamics, and the power of integrating this single-molecule method with in silico approaches.
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Chen W, Gunther TR, Baughman HER, Komives EA. Site-specific incorporation of biophysical probes into NF-ĸB with non-canonical amino acids. Methods 2023; 213:18-25. [PMID: 36940840 PMCID: PMC10688598 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2023.03.004] [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: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor NF-ĸB is a central mediator of immune and inflammatory responses. To understand the regulation of NF-ĸB, it is important to probe the underlying thermodynamics, kinetics, and conformational dynamics of the NF-ĸB/IĸBα/DNA interaction network. The development of genetic incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAA) has enabled the installation of biophysical probes into proteins with site specificity. Recent single-molecule FRET (smFRET) studies of NF-ĸB with site-specific labeling via ncAA incorporation revealed the conformational dynamics for kinetic control of DNA-binding mediated by IĸBα. Here we report the design and protocols for incorporating the ncAA p-azidophenylalanine (pAzF) into NF-ĸB and site-specific fluorophore labeling with copper-free click chemistry for smFRET. We also expanded the ncAA toolbox of NF-ĸB to include p-benzoylphenylalanine (pBpa) for UV crosslinking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) and incorporated both pAzF and pBpa into the full-length NF-ĸB RelA subunit which includes the intrinsically disordered transactivation domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Tristan R Gunther
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hannah E R Baughman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Komives
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Abstract
Environmental agents of exposure can damage proteins, affecting protein function and cellular protein homeostasis. Specific residues are inherently chemically susceptible to damage from individual types of exposure. Amino acid content is not completely predictive of protein susceptibility, as secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of proteins strongly influence the reactivity of the proteome to individual exposures. Because we cannot readily predict which proteins will be affected by which chemical exposures, mass spectrometry-based proteomic strategies are necessary to determine the protein targets of environmental toxins and toxicants. This review describes the mechanisms by which environmental exposure to toxins and toxicants can damage proteins and affect their function, and emerging omic methodologies that can be used to identify the protein targets of a given agent. These methods include target identification strategies that have recently revolutionized the drug discovery field, such as activity-based protein profiling, protein footprinting, and protein stability profiling technologies. In particular, we highlight the necessity of multiple, complementary approaches to fully interrogate how protein integrity is challenged by individual exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph C Genereux
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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Baughman HER, Narang D, Chen W, Villagrán Suárez AC, Lee J, Bachochin MJ, Gunther TR, Wolynes PG, Komives EA. An intrinsically disordered transcription activation domain increases the DNA binding affinity and reduces the specificity of NFκB p50/RelA. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102349. [PMID: 35934050 PMCID: PMC9440430 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Many transcription factors contain intrinsically disordered transcription activation domains (TADs), which mediate interactions with coactivators to activate transcription. Historically, DNA-binding domains and TADs have been considered as modular units, but recent studies have shown that TADs can influence DNA binding. Whether these results can be generalized to more TADs is not clear. Here, we biophysically characterized the NFκB p50/RelA heterodimer including the RelA TAD and investigated the TAD's influence on NFκB-DNA interactions. In solution, we show the RelA TAD is disordered but compact, with helical tendency in two regions that interact with coactivators. We determined that the presence of the TAD increased the stoichiometry of NFκB-DNA complexes containing promoter DNA sequences with tandem κB recognition motifs by promoting the binding of NFκB dimers in excess of the number of κB sites. In addition, we measured the binding affinity of p50/RelA for DNA containing tandem κB sites and single κB sites. While the presence of the TAD enhanced the binding affinity of p50/RelA for all κB sequences tested, it also increased the affinity for nonspecific DNA sequences by over 10-fold, leading to an overall decrease in specificity for κB DNA sequences. In contrast, previous studies have generally reported that TADs decrease DNA-binding affinity and increase sequence specificity. Our results reveal a novel function of the RelA TAD in promoting binding to nonconsensus DNA, which sheds light on previous observations of extensive nonconsensus DNA binding by NFκB in vivo in response to strong inflammatory signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E R Baughman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Dominic Narang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Amalia C Villagrán Suárez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Joan Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Maxwell J Bachochin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Tristan R Gunther
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Peter G Wolynes
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Komives
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
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Bacterial Transcriptional Regulators: A Road Map for Functional, Structural, and Biophysical Characterization. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042179. [PMID: 35216300 PMCID: PMC8879271 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The different niches through which bacteria move during their life cycle require a fast response to the many environmental queues they encounter. The sensing of these stimuli and their correct response is driven primarily by transcriptional regulators. This kind of protein is involved in sensing a wide array of chemical species, a process that ultimately leads to the regulation of gene transcription. The allosteric-coupling mechanism of sensing and regulation is a central aspect of biological systems and has become an important field of research during the last decades. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art techniques applied to unravel these complex mechanisms. We introduce a roadmap that may serve for experimental design, depending on the answers we seek and the initial information we have about the system of study. We also provide information on databases containing available structural information on each family of transcriptional regulators. Finally, we discuss the recent results of research about the allosteric mechanisms of sensing and regulation involving many transcriptional regulators of interest, highlighting multipronged strategies and novel experimental techniques. The aim of the experiments discussed here was to provide a better understanding at a molecular level of how bacteria adapt to the different environmental threats they face.
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