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Agapov A, Lisitskaya L, Kussakina X, Kropocheva E, Esyunina D, Kulbachinskiy A. Unusual Guide-binding Pockets in RNA-targeting pAgo Nucleases. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168745. [PMID: 39147126 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168745] [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: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Argonaute nucleases use small nucleic acid guides to recognize and degrade complementary nucleic acid targets. Most prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) recognize DNA targets and may play a role in cell immunity against invader genetic elements. We have recently described two related groups of pAgo nucleases that have distinct specificity for DNA guides and RNA targets (DNA > RNA pAgos). Here, we describe additional pAgos from the same clades of the pAgo tree and demonstrate that they have the same unusual nucleic acid specificity. The two groups of DNA > RNA pAgos have non-standard guide-binding pockets in the MID domain and differ in the register of guide DNA binding and target cleavage. In contrast to other pAgos, which coordinate the 5'-end of the guide molecule by their C-terminal carboxyl, DNA > RNA pAgos have an extended C-terminus located away from the MID pocket. We show that modifications of the C-terminus do not affect guide DNA binding, but inhibit cleavage of complementary and mismatched RNA targets by some DNA > RNA pAgos. Our data suggest that the unique C-terminus found in DNA > RNA pAgos can modulate their catalytic properties and can be used as a target for pAgo modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksei Agapov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Lidiya Lisitskaya
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Xeniya Kussakina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | | | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
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Cheng F, Wu A, Li Z, Xu J, Cao X, Yu H, Liu Z, Wang R, Han W, Xiang H, Li M. Catalytically active prokaryotic Argonautes employ phospholipase D family proteins to strengthen immunity against different genetic invaders. MLIFE 2024; 3:403-416. [PMID: 39359674 PMCID: PMC11442185 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
Prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) provide bacteria and archaea with immunity against plasmids and viruses. Catalytically active pAgos utilize short oligonucleotides as guides to directly cleave foreign nucleic acids, while inactive pAgos lacking catalytic residues employ auxiliary effectors, such as nonspecific nucleases, to trigger abortive infection upon detection of foreign nucleic acids. Here, we report a unique group of catalytically active pAgo proteins that frequently associate with a phospholipase D (PLD) family protein. We demonstrate that this particular system employs the catalytic center of the associated PLD protein rather than that of pAgo to restrict plasmid DNA, while interestingly, its immunity against a single-stranded DNA virus relies on the pAgo catalytic center and is enhanced by the PLD protein. We also find that this system selectively suppresses viral DNA propagation without inducing noticeable abortive infection outcomes. Moreover, the pAgo protein alone enhances gene editing, which is unexpectedly inhibited by the PLD protein. Our data highlight the ability of catalytically active pAgo proteins to employ auxiliary proteins to strengthen the targeted eradication of different genetic invaders and underline the trend of PLD nucleases to participate in host immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiyue Cheng
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Aici Wu
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- College of Life Science University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Zhihua Li
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- College of Life Science University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- College of Life Science University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Xifeng Cao
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- College of Life Science University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Haiying Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Zhenquan Liu
- College of Life Science University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Wenyuan Han
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Life Science and Technology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory Huazhong Agricultural University Wuhan China
| | - Hua Xiang
- College of Life Science University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Microbial Physiological & Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- College of Life Science University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
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Agapov A, Panteleev V, Kropocheva E, Kanevskaya A, Esyunina D, Kulbachinskiy A. Prokaryotic Argonaute nuclease cooperates with co-encoded RNase to acquire guide RNAs and target invader DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5895-5911. [PMID: 38716875 PMCID: PMC11162769 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae345] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Argonautes are an evolutionary conserved family of programmable nucleases that identify target nucleic acids using small guide oligonucleotides. In contrast to eukaryotic Argonautes (eAgos) that act on RNA, most studied prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) recognize DNA targets. Similarly to eAgos, pAgos can protect prokaryotic cells from invaders, but the biogenesis of guide oligonucleotides that confer them specificity to their targets remains poorly understood. Here, we have identified a new group of RNA-guided pAgo nucleases and demonstrated that a representative pAgo from this group, AmAgo from the mesophilic bacterium Alteromonas macleodii, binds guide RNAs of varying lengths for specific DNA targeting. Unlike most pAgos and eAgos, AmAgo is strictly specific to hydroxylated RNA guides containing a 5'-adenosine. AmAgo and related pAgos are co-encoded with a conserved RNA endonuclease from the HEPN superfamily (Ago-associated protein, Agap-HEPN). In vitro, Agap cleaves RNA between guanine and adenine nucleotides producing hydroxylated 5'-A guide oligonucleotides bound by AmAgo. In vivo, Agap cooperates with AmAgo in acquiring guide RNAs and counteracting bacteriophage infection. The AmAgo-Agap pair represents the first example of a pAgo system that autonomously produces RNA guides for DNA targeting and antiviral defense, which holds promise for programmable DNA targeting in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksei Agapov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Vladimir Panteleev
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny 141700, Russia
| | | | - Anna Kanevskaya
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny 141700, Russia
| | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
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Kuzminov A. Bacterial nucleoid is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0021123. [PMID: 38358278 PMCID: PMC10994824 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00211-23] [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] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial chromosome, the nucleoid, is traditionally modeled as a rosette of DNA mega-loops, organized around proteinaceous central scaffold by nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs), and mixed with the cytoplasm by transcription and translation. Electron microscopy of fixed cells confirms dispersal of the cloud-like nucleoid within the ribosome-filled cytoplasm. Here, I discuss evidence that the nucleoid in live cells forms DNA phase separate from riboprotein phase, the "riboid." I argue that the nucleoid-riboid interphase, where DNA interacts with NAPs, transcribing RNA polymerases, nascent transcripts, and ssRNA chaperones, forms the transcription zone. An active part of phase separation, transcription zone enforces segregation of the centrally positioned information phase (the nucleoid) from the surrounding action phase (the riboid), where translation happens, protein accumulates, and metabolism occurs. I speculate that HU NAP mostly tiles up the nucleoid periphery-facilitating DNA mobility but also supporting transcription in the interphase. Besides extruding plectonemically supercoiled DNA mega-loops, condensins could compact them into solenoids of uniform rings, while HU could support rigidity and rotation of these DNA rings. The two-phase cytoplasm arrangement allows the bacterial cell to organize the central dogma activities, where (from the cell center to its periphery) DNA replicates and segregates, DNA is transcribed, nascent mRNA is handed over to ribosomes, mRNA is translated into proteins, and finally, the used mRNA is recycled into nucleotides at the inner membrane. The resulting information-action conveyor, with one activity naturally leading to the next one, explains the efficiency of prokaryotic cell design-even though its main intracellular transportation mode is free diffusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Kuzminov
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Beskrovnaia M, Agapov A, Makasheva K, Zharkov DO, Esyunina D, Kulbachinskiy A. Sensing of DNA modifications by pAgo proteins in vitro. Biochimie 2023; 220:39-47. [PMID: 38128776 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.12.006] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Many prokaryotic Argonaute (pAgo) proteins act as programmable nucleases that use small guide DNAs for recognition and cleavage of complementary target DNA. Recent studies suggested that pAgos participate in cell defense against invader DNA and may also be involved in other genetic processes, including DNA replication and repair. The ability of pAgos to recognize specific targets potentially make them an invaluable tool for DNA manipulations. Here, we demonstrate that DNA-guided DNA-targeting pAgo nucleases from three bacterial species, DloAgo from Dorea longicatena, CbAgo from Clostridium butyricum and KmAgo from Kurthia massiliensis, can sense site-specific modifications in the target DNA, including 8-oxoguanine, thymine glycol, ethenoadenine and pyrimidine dimers. The effects of DNA modifications on the activity of pAgos strongly depend on their positions relative to the site of cleavage and are comparable to or exceed the effects of guide-target mismatches at corresponding positions. For all tested pAgos, the strongest effects are observed when DNA lesions are located at the cleavage position. The results demonstrate that DNA cleavage by pAgos is strongly affected by DNA modifications, thus making possible their use as sensors of DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aleksei Agapov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Kristina Makasheva
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Dmitry O Zharkov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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