1
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Tokonami S, Nakasone Y, Terazima M. Effects of N- and C-terminal regions on oligomeric formation of blue light sensor protein SyPixD. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4658. [PMID: 37184370 PMCID: PMC10211260 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4658] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
A sensor of blue-light using flavin adenine dinucleotide (BLUF) is a typical blue light photoreceptor domain that is found in many photosensor proteins in bacteria and some eukaryotic algae. SyPixD in Synechocystis is one of the well-studied BLUF proteins. In the dark state, it forms a decamer and, upon photoexcitation, a dissociation reaction takes place to yield dimers. Such change in the intermolecular interactions of the protomers is important for the biological function. The effect of the N- and C-terminal sequences on the stability of SyPixD oligomeric states and photoreactions of SyPixD were studied to understand how the oligomeric form is maintained with weak interaction. It was found that a few residues that frequently persist at the N-terminus after removing a tag for purification are sensitive to the stability of the decamer structure. Even two or three residues at the N-terminus considerably reduces decamer stability, whereas four or more residues completely prevent decamer formation. Unexpectedly, truncating C-terminal sequences, which locate far from any protomer interface and of which structure is undetermined in crystal structure, also destabilizes the decamer structure. This destabilization is also apparent from the dissociation reaction dynamics detected by the transient grating and transient absorption measurements. The dissociation reaction is faster and the yield increases when the C-terminus does not contain seven amino acid residues. Photoexcitation induces a conformational change in the C-terminus of the decamer but not the dimer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunrou Tokonami
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Yusuke Nakasone
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Masahide Terazima
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
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2
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Speirs M, Hardman SJO, Iorgu AI, Johannissen LO, Heyes DJ, Scrutton NS, Sazanovich IV, Hay S. Photoinduced Electron Transfer from a 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydro Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (Phosphate) Analogue to Oxidized Flavin in an Ene-Reductase Flavoenzyme. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:3236-3242. [PMID: 36972502 PMCID: PMC10084465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Recent reports have described the use of ene-reductase flavoenzymes to catalyze non-natural photochemical reactions. These studies have focused on using reduced flavoenzyme, yet oxidized flavins have superior light harvesting properties. In a binary complex of the oxidized ene-reductase pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase with the nonreactive nicotinamide coenzyme analogs 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro NAD(P)H, visible photoexcitation of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) leads to one-electron transfer from the NAD(P)H4 to FMN, generating a NAD(P)H4 cation radical and anionic FMN semiquinone. This electron transfer occurs in ∼1 ps and appears to kinetically outcompete reductive quenching from aromatic residues in the active site. Time-resolved infrared measurements show that relaxation processes appear to be largely localized on the FMN and the charge-separated state is short-lived, with relaxation, presumably via back electron transfer, occurring over ∼3-30 ps. While this demonstrates the potential for non-natural photoactivity, useful photocatalysis will likely require longer-lived excited states, which may be accessible by enzyme engineering and/or a judicious choice of substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus Speirs
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, The University
of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha J. O. Hardman
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, The University
of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Andreea I. Iorgu
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, The University
of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Linus O. Johannissen
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, The University
of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Derren J. Heyes
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, The University
of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel S. Scrutton
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, The University
of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Igor V. Sazanovich
- Central
Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, Science and Technology Facilities
Council, Harwell Oxford, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Hay
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of
Science and Engineering, The University
of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
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3
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Hontani Y, Mehlhorn J, Domratcheva T, Beck S, Kloz M, Hegemann P, Mathes T, Kennis JTM. Spectroscopic and Computational Observation of Glutamine Tautomerization in the Blue Light Sensing Using Flavin Domain Photoreaction. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1040-1052. [PMID: 36607126 PMCID: PMC9853863 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Blue light sensing using flavin (BLUF) domains constitute a family of flavin-binding photoreceptors of bacteria and eukaryotic algae. BLUF photoactivation proceeds via a light-driven hydrogen-bond switch among flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and glutamine and tyrosine side chains, whereby FAD undergoes electron and proton transfer with tyrosine and is subsequently re-oxidized by a hydrogen back-shuttle in picoseconds, constituting an important model system to understand proton-coupled electron transfer in biology. The specific structure of the hydrogen-bond patterns and the prevalence of glutamine tautomeric states in dark-adapted (DA) and light-activated (LA) states have remained controversial. Here, we present a combined femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS), computational chemistry, and site-selective isotope labeling Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study of the Slr1694 BLUF domain. FSRS showed distinct vibrational bands from the FADS1 singlet excited state. We observed small but significant shifts in the excited-state vibrational frequency patterns of the DA and LA states, indicating that these frequencies constitute a sensitive probe for the hydrogen-bond arrangement around FAD. Excited-state model calculations utilizing four different realizations of hydrogen bond patterns and glutamine tautomeric states were consistent with a BLUF reaction model that involved glutamine tautomerization to imidic acid, accompanied by a rotation of its side chain. A combined FTIR and double-isotope labeling study, with 13C labeling of FAD and 15N labeling of glutamine, identified the glutamine imidic acid C═N stretch vibration in the LA state and the Gln C═O in the DA state. Hence, our study provides support for glutamine tautomerization and side-chain rotation in the BLUF photoreaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusaku Hontani
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, The Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Mehlhorn
- Institut
für Biologie, Experimentelle Biophysik, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, D-10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tatiana Domratcheva
- Department
of Biomolecular Mechanisms, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany,Department
of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sebastian Beck
- Department
of Chemistry, Humboldt-Universität
zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Str.
2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Miroslav Kloz
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, The Netherlands,Institute
of Physics, ELI-Beamlines, Na Slovance 2, 182
21 Praha 8, Czech Republic
| | - Peter Hegemann
- Institut
für Biologie, Experimentelle Biophysik, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, D-10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tilo Mathes
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, The Netherlands,Institut
für Biologie, Experimentelle Biophysik, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, D-10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - John T. M. Kennis
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, The Netherlands,
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4
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The nature of proton-coupled electron transfer in a blue light using flavin domain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2203996119. [PMID: 35737837 PMCID: PMC9245699 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2203996119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) is key to the activation of the blue light using flavin (BLUF) domain photoreceptors. Here, to elucidate the photocycle of the central FMN-Gln-Tyr motif in the BLUF domain of OaPAC, we eliminated the intrinsic interfering W90 in the mutant design. We integrated the stretched exponential function into the target analysis to account for the dynamic heterogeneity arising from the active-site solvation relaxation and the flexible H-bonding network as shown in the molecular dynamics simulation results, facilitating a simplified expression of the kinetics model. We find that, in both the functional wild-type (WT) and the nonfunctional Q48E and Q48A, forward PCET happens in the range of 105 ps to 344 ps, with a kinetic isotope effect (KIE) measured to be ∼1.8 to 2.4, suggesting that the nature of the forward PCET is concerted. Remarkably, only WT proceeds with an ultrafast reverse PCET process (31 ps, KIE = 4.0), characterized by an inverted kinetics of the intermediate FMNH˙. Our results reveal that the reverse PCET is driven by proton transfer via an intervening imidic Gln.
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5
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Tong J, Zhang P, Zhang L, Zhang D, Beratan DN, Song H, Wang Y, Li T. A Robust Bioderived Wavelength-Specific Photosensor Based on BLUF Proteins. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS. B, CHEMICAL 2020; 310:127838. [PMID: 32296265 PMCID: PMC7157799 DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2020.127838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Photosensitive proteins are naturally evolved photosensors that often respond to light signals of specific wavelengths. However, their poor stability under ambient conditions hinders their applications in non-biological settings. In this proof-of-principle study, we grafted the blue light using flavin (BLUF) protein reconstructed with flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or roseoflavin (RoF) onto pristine graphene, and achieved selective sensitivity at 450 nm or 500 nm, respectively. We improved the thermal and operational stability substantially via structure-guided cross-linking, achieving 6-month stability under ambient condition and normal operation at temperatures up to 200 °C. Furthermore, the device exhibited rare negative photoconductivity behavior. The origins of this negative photoconductivity behavior were elucidated via a combination of experimental and theoretical analysis. In the photoelectric conversion studies, holes from photoexcited flavin migrated to graphene and recombined with electrons. The device allows facile modulation and detection of charge transfer, and provides a versatile platform for future studies of photoinduced charge transfer in biosensors as well as the development of stable wavelength-selective biophotosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Tong
- Science and Technology on Microsytem Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
- National engineering research center for protein drugs (NERCPD), Beijing 102206, China
| | - Dongwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
- National engineering research center for protein drugs (NERCPD), Beijing 102206, China
| | - David N. Beratan
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
| | - Haifeng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
- National engineering research center for protein drugs (NERCPD), Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
- National engineering research center for protein drugs (NERCPD), Beijing 102206, China
| | - Tie Li
- Science and Technology on Microsytem Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China
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6
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Wood CR, Squire MS, Finley NL, Page RC, Actis LA. Structural and functional analysis of the Acinetobacter baumannii BlsA photoreceptor and regulatory protein. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220918. [PMID: 31415622 PMCID: PMC6695109 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Acinetobacter baumannii BlsA photoreceptor has an N-terminal (NT) BLUF domain and a C-terminal (CT) amino acid sequence with no significant homology to characterized bacterial proteins. In this study, we tested the biological role of specific residues located in these BlsA regions. Site-directed mutagenesis, surface motility assays at 24°C and protein overexpression showed that residues Y7, Q51 and W92 are essential for not only light-regulated motility, but also BlsA's solubility when overexpressed in a heterologous host. In contrast, residues A29 and F32, the latter representing a difference when compared with other BLUF-containing photoreceptors, do not play a major role in BlsA's biological functions. Analysis of the CT region showed that the deletion of the last five BlsA residues has no significant effect on the protein's light-sensing and motility regulatory functions, but the deletion of the last 14 residues as well as K144E and K145E substitutions significantly alter light-regulated motility responses. In contrast to the NT mutants, these CT derivatives were overexpressed and purified to homogeneity to demonstrate that although these mutations do not significantly affect flavin binding and photocycling, they do affect BlsA's photodynamic properties. Notably, these mutations map within a potential fifth α-helical component that could play a role in predicted interactions between regulatory partners and BlsA, which could function as a monomer according to gel filtration data. All these observations indicate that although BlsA shares common structural and functional properties with unrelated photoreceptors, it also exhibits unique features that make it a distinct BLUF photoreceptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecily R. Wood
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Mariah S. Squire
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Natosha L. Finley
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Richard C. Page
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Luis A. Actis
- Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Goings JJ, Reinhardt CR, Hammes-Schiffer S. Propensity for Proton Relay and Electrostatic Impact of Protein Reorganization in Slr1694 BLUF Photoreceptor. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:15241-15251. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b07456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J. Goings
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Clorice R. Reinhardt
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Sharon Hammes-Schiffer
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
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8
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Robbins JM, Geng J, Barry BA, Gadda G, Bommarius AS. Photoirradiation Generates an Ultrastable 8-Formyl FAD Semiquinone Radical with Unusual Properties in Formate Oxidase. Biochemistry 2018; 57:5818-5826. [PMID: 30226367 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Formate oxidase (FOX) was previously shown to contain a noncovalently bound 8-formyl FAD (8-fFAD) cofactor. However, both the absorption spectra and the kinetic parameters previously reported for FOX are inconsistent with more recent reports. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectrum reported in early studies closely resembles the spectra observed for protein-bound 8-formyl flavin semiquinone species, thus suggesting FOX may be photosensitive. Therefore, the properties of dark and light-exposed FOX were investigated using steady-state kinetics and site-directed mutagenesis analysis along with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Surprisingly, these experimental results demonstrate that FOX is deactivated in the presence of light through generation of an oxygen stable, anionic (red) 8-fFAD semiquinone radical capable of persisting either in an aerobic environment for multiple weeks or in the presence of a strong reducing agent like sodium dithionite. Herein, we study the photoinduced formation of the 8-fFAD semiquinone radical in FOX and report the first EPR spectrum of this radical species. The stability of the 8-fFAD semiquinone radical suggests FOX to be a model enzyme for probing the structural and mechanistic features involved in stabilizing flavin semiquinone radicals. It is likely that the photoinduced formation of a stable 8-fFAD semiquinone radical is a defining characteristic of 8-formyl flavin-dependent enzymes. Additionally, a better understanding of the radical stabilization process may yield a FOX enzyme with more robust activity and broader industrial usefulness.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Robbins
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332-0100 , United States.,Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB) , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332-2000 , United States
| | - Jiafeng Geng
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332-0363 , United States
| | - Bridgette A Barry
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332-0363 , United States
| | - Giovanni Gadda
- Department of Chemistry , Georgia State University , Atlanta , Georgia 30302-3965 , United States.,Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics , Georgia State University , Atlanta , Georgia 30302-3965 , United States.,Center for Biotechnology and Drug Design , Georgia State University , Atlanta , Georgia 30302-3965 , United States.,Department of Biology , Georgia State University , Atlanta , Georgia 30302-3965 , United States
| | - Andreas S Bommarius
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332-0100 , United States.,Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB) , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332-2000 , United States.,School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332-0363 , United States
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9
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Molecular mechanism of photoactivation of a light-regulated adenylate cyclase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:8562-8567. [PMID: 28739908 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1704391114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The photoactivated adenylate cyclase (PAC) from the photosynthetic cyanobacterium Oscillatoria acuminata (OaPAC) detects light through a flavin chromophore within the N-terminal BLUF domain. BLUF domains have been found in a number of different light-activated proteins, but with different relative orientations. The two BLUF domains of OaPAC are found in close contact with each other, forming a coiled coil at their interface. Crystallization does not impede the activity switching of the enzyme, but flash cooling the crystals to cryogenic temperatures prevents the signature spectral changes that occur on photoactivation/deactivation. High-resolution crystallographic analysis of OaPAC in the fully activated state has been achieved by cryocooling the crystals immediately after light exposure. Comparison of the isomorphous light- and dark-state structures shows that the active site undergoes minimal changes, yet enzyme activity may increase up to 50-fold, depending on conditions. The OaPAC models will assist the development of simple, direct means to raise the cyclic AMP levels of living cells by light, and other tools for optogenetics.
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10
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Park SY, Tame JRH. Seeing the light with BLUF proteins. Biophys Rev 2017; 9:169-176. [PMID: 28510088 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-017-0258-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
First described about 15 years ago, BLUF (Blue Light Using Flavin) domains are light-triggered switches that control enzyme activity or gene expression in response to blue light, remaining activated for seconds or even minutes after stimulation. The conserved, ferredoxin-like fold holds a flavin chromophore that captures the light and somehow triggers downstream events. BLUF proteins are found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes and have a variety of architectures and oligomeric forms, but the BLUF domain itself seems to have a well-preserved structure and mechanism that have been the focus of intense study for a number of years. Crystallographic and NMR structures of BLUF domains have been solved, but the conflicting models have led to considerable debate about the atomic details of photo-activation. Advanced spectroscopic and computational methods have been used to analyse the early events after photon absorption, but these too have led to widely differing conclusions. New structural models are improving our understanding of the details of the mechanism and may lead to novel tailor-made tools for optogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam-Yong Park
- Drug Design Laboratory, Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Jeremy R H Tame
- Drug Design Laboratory, Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan.
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11
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Mehlhorn J, Lindtner T, Richter F, Glass K, Steinocher H, Beck S, Hegemann P, Kennis JTM, Mathes T. Light-Induced Rearrangement of the β5 Strand in the BLUF Photoreceptor SyPixD (Slr1694). J Phys Chem Lett 2015; 6:4749-4753. [PMID: 26631358 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b02245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The structural changes that facilitate signal transduction in blue light sensors using FAD (BLUF) photoreceptors and confer the stability of the rearranged hydrogen bond network between flavin and protein in the signaling state are still poorly understood. Here, we investigate a semiconserved Trp residue in SyPixD (Slr1694) by isotope-edited vibrational spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis. In the signaling state, a β-sheet structure involving the backbone of W91 is formed without apparent change of environment of the W91 indole side chain. Mutation of W91, however, significantly influences the stability of the light-adapted state, suggesting that backbone rigidity rather than discrete side-chain conformations govern the stability of the light-adapted state. On the basis of computational and crystallographic models, we interpret these changes as a +1 register shift of the β2/β5 interaction with an unaffected indole side-chain conformation, rather than a +2 register shift accompanied by an indole side-chain flip that was previously proposed on the basis of X-ray structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Mehlhorn
- Department of Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Invalidenstraße 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tom Lindtner
- Department of Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Invalidenstraße 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Florian Richter
- Department of Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Invalidenstraße 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kathrin Glass
- Department of Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Invalidenstraße 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Helena Steinocher
- Department of Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Invalidenstraße 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian Beck
- Department of Chemistry, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Brook-Taylor-Str. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Hegemann
- Department of Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Invalidenstraße 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - John T M Kennis
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Biophysics Section, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit , De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tilo Mathes
- Department of Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Invalidenstraße 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Biophysics Section, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit , De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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12
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Mathes T, Götze JP. A proposal for a dipole-generated BLUF domain mechanism. Front Mol Biosci 2015; 2:62. [PMID: 26579529 PMCID: PMC4630285 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2015.00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The resting and signaling structures of the blue-light sensing using flavin (BLUF) photoreceptor domains are still controversially debated due to differences in the molecular models obtained by crystal and NMR structures. Photocycles for the given preferred structural framework have been established, but a unifying picture combining experiment and theory remains elusive. We summarize present work on the AppA BLUF domain from both experiment and theory. We focus on IR and UV/vis spectra, and to what extent theory was able to reproduce experimental data and predict the structural changes upon formation of the signaling state. We find that the experimental observables can be theoretically reproduced employing any structural model, as long as the orientation of the signaling essential Gln63 and its tautomer state are a choice of the modeler. We also observe that few approaches are comparative, e.g., by considering all structures in the same context. Based on recent experimental findings and a few basic calculations, we suggest the possibility for a BLUF activation mechanism that only relies on electron transfer and its effect on the local electrostatics, not requiring an associated proton transfer. In this regard, we investigate the impact of dispersion correction on the interaction energies arising from weakly bound amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilo Mathes
- Biophysics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Institut für Biologie/Experimentelle Biophysik, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan P Götze
- School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews St Andrews, UK
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13
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Nohr D, Rodriguez R, Weber S, Schleicher E. How can EPR spectroscopy help to unravel molecular mechanisms of flavin-dependent photoreceptors? Front Mol Biosci 2015; 2:49. [PMID: 26389123 PMCID: PMC4555020 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2015.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a well-established spectroscopic method for the examination of paramagnetic molecules. Proteins can contain paramagnetic moieties in form of stable cofactors, transiently formed intermediates, or spin labels artificially introduced to cysteine sites. The focus of this review is to evaluate potential scopes of application of EPR to the emerging field of optogenetics. The main objective for EPR spectroscopy in this context is to unravel the complex mechanisms of light-active proteins, from their primary photoreaction to downstream signal transduction. An overview of recent results from the family of flavin-containing, blue-light dependent photoreceptors is given. In detail, mechanistic similarities and differences are condensed from the three classes of flavoproteins, the cryptochromes, LOV (Light-oxygen-voltage), and BLUF (blue-light using FAD) domains. Additionally, a concept that includes spin-labeled proteins and examination using modern pulsed EPR is introduced, which allows for a precise mapping of light-induced conformational changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Nohr
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ryan Rodriguez
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Weber
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Erik Schleicher
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
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Chaiyen P, Scrutton NS. Special Issue: Flavins and Flavoproteins: Introduction. FEBS J 2015; 282:3001-2. [PMID: 26096566 DOI: 10.1111/febs.13337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pimchai Chaiyen
- Department of Biochemistry and Center of Excellence in Protein Structure & Function, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nigel S Scrutton
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
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