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Yamamoto E, Joo K, Lee J, Sansom MSP, Yasui M. Molecular mechanism of anion permeation through aquaporin 6. Biophys J 2024; 123:2496-2505. [PMID: 38894539 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.06.013] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are recognized as transmembrane water channels that facilitate selective water permeation through their monomeric pores. Among the AQP family, AQP6 has an intriguing characteristic as an anion channel, which is allosterically controlled by pH conditions and is eliminated by a single amino acid mutation. However, the molecular mechanism of anion permeation through AQP6 remains unclear. Using molecular dynamics simulations in the presence of a transmembrane voltage utilizing an ion concentration gradient, we show that chloride ions permeate through the pore corresponding to the central axis of the AQP6 homotetramer. Under low pH conditions, a subtle opening of the hydrophobic selectivity filter (SF), located near the extracellular part of the central pore, becomes wetted and enables anion permeation. Our simulations also indicate that a single mutation (N63G) in human AQP6, located at the central pore, significantly reduces anion conduction, consistent with experimental data. Moreover, we demonstrate that the pH-sensing mechanism in which the protonation of H184 and H189 under low pH conditions allosterically triggers the gating of the SF region. These results suggest a unique pH-dependent allosteric anion permeation mechanism in AQP6 and could clarify the role of the central pore in some of the AQP tetramers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Yamamoto
- Department of System Design Engineering, Keio University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Keehyoung Joo
- Center for Advanced Computation, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jooyoung Lee
- School of Computational Sciences, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mark S P Sansom
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Masato Yasui
- Department of Pharmacology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Irisarri I, Lorente-Martínez H, Strassert JFH, Agorreta A, Zardoya R, San Mauro D, de Vries J. Early Diversification of Membrane Intrinsic Proteins (MIPs) in Eukaryotes. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae164. [PMID: 39058319 PMCID: PMC11316224 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae164] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Membrane intrinsic proteins (MIPs), including aquaporins (AQPs) and aquaglyceroporins (GLPs), form an ancient family of transporters for water and small solutes across biological membranes. The evolutionary history and functions of MIPs have been extensively studied in vertebrates and land plants, but their widespread presence across the eukaryotic tree of life suggests both a more complex evolutionary history and a broader set of functions than previously thought. That said, the early evolution of MIPs remains obscure. The presence of one GLP and four AQP clades across both bacteria and archaea suggests that the first eukaryotes could have possessed up to five MIPs. Here, we report on a previously unknown richness in MIP diversity across all major eukaryotic lineages, including unicellular eukaryotes, which make up the bulk of eukaryotic diversity. Three MIP clades have likely deep evolutionary origins, dating back to the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA), and support the presence of a complex MIP repertoire in early eukaryotes. Overall, our findings highlight the growing complexity of the reconstructed LECA genome: the dynamic evolutionary history of MIPs was set in motion when eukaryotes were in their infancy followed by radiative bursts across all main eukaryotic lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iker Irisarri
- Department of Applied Bioinformatics, University of Goettingen, Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Campus Institute Data Science (CIDAS), 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Section Phylogenomics, Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Museum of Nature, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Héctor Lorente-Martínez
- Department of Biodiversity Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jürgen F H Strassert
- Evolutionary and Integrative Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ainhoa Agorreta
- Department of Biodiversity Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Zardoya
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego San Mauro
- Department of Biodiversity Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jan de Vries
- Department of Applied Bioinformatics, University of Goettingen, Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Campus Institute Data Science (CIDAS), 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Department of Applied Bioinformatics, University of Goettingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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3
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Jenkins Sánchez LR, Sips LM, Van Bogaert INA. Just passing through: Deploying aquaporins in microbial cell factories. Biotechnol Prog 2024:e3497. [PMID: 39051848 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3497] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
As microbial membranes are naturally impermeable to even the smallest biomolecules, transporter proteins are physiologically essential for normal cell functioning. This makes transporters a key target area for engineering enhanced cell factories. As part of the wider cellular transportome, aquaporins (AQPs) are responsible for transporting small polar solutes, encompassing many compounds which are of great interest for industrial biotechnology, including cell feedstocks, numerous commercially relevant polyols and even weak organic acids. In this review, examples of cell factory engineering by targeting AQPs are presented. These AQP modifications aid in redirecting carbon fluxes and boosting bioconversions either by enhanced feedstock uptake, improved intermediate retention, increasing product export into the media or superior cell viability against stressors with applications in both bacterial and yeast production platforms. Additionally, the future potential for AQP deployment and targeting is discussed, showcasing hurdles and considerations of this strategy as well as recent advances and future directions in the field. By leveraging the natural diversity of AQPs and breakthroughs in channel protein engineering, these transporters are poised to be promising tools capable of enhancing a wide variety of biotechnological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Richard Jenkins Sánchez
- BioPort Group, Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bio-science Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lobke Maria Sips
- BioPort Group, Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bio-science Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Inge Noëlle Adriënne Van Bogaert
- BioPort Group, Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bio-science Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Chen W, Zou R, Mei Y, Li J, Xuan Y, Cui B, Zou J, Wang J, Lin S, Zhang Z, Wang C. Structural insights into drug transport by an aquaglyceroporin. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3985. [PMID: 38734677 PMCID: PMC11088622 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48445-4] [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: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Pentamidine and melarsoprol are primary drugs used to treat the lethal human sleeping sickness caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Cross-resistance to these two drugs has recently been linked to aquaglyceroporin 2 of the trypanosome (TbAQP2). TbAQP2 is the first member of the aquaporin family described as capable of drug transport; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of TbAQP2 bound to pentamidine or melarsoprol. Our structural studies, together with the molecular dynamic simulations, reveal the mechanisms shaping substrate specificity and drug permeation. Multiple amino acids in TbAQP2, near the extracellular entrance and inside the pore, create an expanded conducting tunnel, sterically and energetically allowing the permeation of pentamidine and melarsoprol. Our study elucidates the mechanism of drug transport by TbAQP2, providing valuable insights to inform the design of drugs against trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanbiao Chen
- Center for Human Tissues and Organs Degeneration, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 581055, China
| | - Rongfeng Zou
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Yi Mei
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- Center for Human Tissues and Organs Degeneration, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 581055, China
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Shenzhen, 518110, China
| | - Yumi Xuan
- Center for Human Tissues and Organs Degeneration, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 581055, China
| | - Bing Cui
- Center for Human Tissues and Organs Degeneration, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 581055, China
- School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Junjie Zou
- Shenzhen Jingtai Technology Co., Ltd. (XtalPi), Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Juncheng Wang
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Shaoquan Lin
- Centre for Polymers in Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, 581055, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, China.
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, China.
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, 221004, China.
| | - Chongyuan Wang
- Center for Human Tissues and Organs Degeneration, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 581055, China.
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Miao M, Shi X, Zheng X, Wu B, Miao Y. Characterization of SIPs-type aquaporins and their roles in response to environmental cues in rice (Oryza sativa L.). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:305. [PMID: 38644479 PMCID: PMC11034084 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05002-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aquaporins (AQPs) facilitate water diffusion across biological membranes and are involved in all phases of growth and development. Small and basic intrinsic proteins (SIPs) belong to the fourth subfamily of the plant AQPs. Although SIPs are widely present in higher plants, reports on SIPs are limited. Rice is one of the major food crops in the world, and water use is an important factor affecting rice growth and development; therefore, this study aimed to provide information relevant to the function and environmental response of the rice SIP gene family. RESULTS The rice (Oryza sativa L. japonica) genome encodes two SIP-like genes, OsSIP1 and OsSIP2, whose products are predominantly located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane but transient localization to the plasma membrane is not excluded. Heterologous expression in a yeast aquaglyceroporin-mutant fps1Δ showed that both OsSIP1 and OsSIP2 made the cell more sensitive to KCl, sorbitol and H2O2, indicating facilitated permeation of water and hydrogen peroxide. In addition, the yeast cells expressing OsSIP2 were unable to efflux the toxic methylamine taken up by the endogenous MEP permeases, but OsSIP1 showed subtle permeability to methylamine, suggesting that OsSIP1 may have a wider conducting pore than OsSIP2. Expression profiling in different rice tissues or organs revealed that OsSIP1 was expressed in all tissues tested, whereas OsSIP2 was preferentially expressed in anthers and weakly expressed in other tissues. Consistent with this, histochemical staining of tissues expressing the promoter-β-glucuronidase fusion genes revealed their tissue-specific expression profile. In rice seedlings, both OsSIPs were upregulated to varied levels under different stress conditions, including osmotic shock, high salinity, unfavorable temperature, redox challenge and pathogen attack, as well as by hormonal treatments such as GA, ABA, MeJA, SA. However, a reduced expression of both OsSIPs was observed under dehydration treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that SIP-like aquaporins are not restricted to the ER membrane and are likely to be involved in unique membrane functions in substrate transport, growth and development, and environmental response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Miao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ximiao Shi
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiangzi Zheng
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Binghua Wu
- College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
| | - Ying Miao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
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Venkataraghavan A, Schwerdt JG, Tyerman SD, Hrmova M. Barley Nodulin 26-like intrinsic protein permeates water, metalloids, saccharides, and ion pairs due to structural plasticity and diversification. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105410. [PMID: 37913906 PMCID: PMC10716587 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105410] [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: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins can facilitate the passive movement of water, small polar molecules, and some ions. Here, we examined solute selectivity for the barley Nodulin 26-like Intrinsic Protein (HvNIP2;1) embedded in liposomes and examined through stopped-flow light scattering spectrophotometry and Xenopus laevis oocyte swelling assays. We found that HvNIP2;1 permeates water, boric and germanic acids, sucrose, and lactose but not d-glucose or d-fructose. Other saccharides, such as neutral (d-mannose, d-galactose, d-xylose, d-mannoheptaose) and charged (N-acetyl d-glucosamine, d-glucosamine, d-glucuronic acid) aldoses, disaccharides (cellobiose, gentiobiose, trehalose), trisaccharide raffinose, and urea, glycerol, and acyclic polyols, were permeated to a much lower extent. We observed apparent permeation of hydrated KCl and MgSO4 ions, while CH3COONa and NaNO3 permeated at significantly lower rates. Our experiments with boric acid and sucrose revealed no apparent interaction between solutes when permeated together, and AgNO3 or H[AuCl4] blocked the permeation of all solutes. Docking of sucrose in HvNIP2;1 and spinach water-selective SoPIP2;1 aquaporins revealed the structural basis for sucrose permeation in HvNIP2;1 but not in SoPIP2;1, and defined key residues interacting with this permeant. In a biological context, sucrose transport could constitute a novel element of plant saccharide-transporting machinery. Phylogenomic analyses of 164 Viridiplantae and 2993 Archaean, bacterial, fungal, and Metazoan aquaporins rationalized solute poly-selectivity in NIP3 sub-clade entries and suggested that they diversified from other sub-clades to acquire a unique specificity of saccharide transporters. Solute specificity definition in NIP aquaporins could inspire developing plants for food production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshayaa Venkataraghavan
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, and Waite Research Institute, Waite Research Precinct, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
| | - Julian G Schwerdt
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, and Waite Research Institute, Waite Research Precinct, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
| | - Stephen D Tyerman
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, and Waite Research Institute, Waite Research Precinct, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
| | - Maria Hrmova
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, and Waite Research Institute, Waite Research Precinct, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia.
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Zou Z, Zheng Y, Xie Z. Analysis of Carica papaya Informs Lineage-Specific Evolution of the Aquaporin (AQP) Family in Brassicales. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3847. [PMID: 38005748 PMCID: PMC10674200 DOI: 10.3390/plants12223847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs), a type of intrinsic membrane proteins that transport water and small solutes across biological membranes, play crucial roles in plant growth and development. This study presents a first genome-wide identification and comparative analysis of the AQP gene family in papaya (Carica papaya L.), an economically and nutritionally important fruit tree of tropical and subtropical regions. A total of 29 CpAQP genes were identified, which represent five subfamilies, i.e., nine plasma intrinsic membrane proteins (PIPs), eight tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs), seven NOD26-like intrinsic proteins (NIPs), two X intrinsic proteins (XIPs), and three small basic intrinsic proteins (SIPs). Although the family is smaller than the 35 members reported in Arabidopsis, it is highly diverse, and the presence of CpXIP genes as well as orthologs in Moringa oleifera and Bretschneidera sinensis implies that the complete loss of the XIP subfamily in Arabidopsis is lineage-specific, sometime after its split with papaya but before Brassicaceae-Cleomaceae divergence. Reciprocal best hit-based sequence comparison of 530 AQPs and synteny analyses revealed that CpAQP genes belong to 29 out of 61 identified orthogroups, and lineage-specific evolution was frequently observed in Brassicales. Significantly, the well-characterized NIP3 group was completely lost; lineage-specific loss of the NIP8 group in Brassicaceae occurred sometime before the divergence with Cleomaceae, and lineage-specific loss of NIP2 and SIP3 groups in Brassicaceae occurred sometime after the split with Cleomaceae. In contrast to a predominant role of recent whole-genome duplications (WGDs) on the family expansion in B. sinensis, Tarenaya hassleriana, and Brassicaceae plants, no recent AQP repeats were identified in papaya, and ancient WGD repeats are mainly confined to the PIP subfamily. Subfamily even group-specific evolution was uncovered via comparing exon-intron structures, conserved motifs, the aromatic/arginine selectivity filter, and gene expression profiles. Moreover, down-regulation during fruit ripening and expression divergence of duplicated CpAQP genes were frequently observed in papaya. These findings will not only improve our knowledge on lineage-specific family evolution in Brassicales, but also provide valuable information for further studies of AQP genes in papaya and species beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Zou
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Biosafety Monitoring and Molecular Breeding in Off-Season Reproduction Regions, Institute of Tropical Biosciences and Biotechnology/Sanya Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; (Y.Z.); (Z.X.)
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Zhao C, Liu Z, Liu Y, Zhan Y. Identification and characterization of cold-responsive aquaporins from the larvae of a crambid pest Agriphila aeneociliella (Eversmann) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). PeerJ 2023; 11:e16403. [PMID: 38025732 PMCID: PMC10652857 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
As small ectotherms, insects need to cope with the challenges of winter cold by regulating the water content through water transport. Aquaporins (AQPs) are key players to enhance the cold resistance by mediating essential homeostatic processes in many animals but remain poorly characterized in insects. Agriphila aeneociliella is a newly discovered winter wheat pest in China, and its early-stage larvae have strong tolerance to low temperature stress. Six AQP genes were identified, which belong to five AQP subfamilies (RPIP, Eglp, AQP12L, PRIP, DRIP). All of them contained six hydrophobic transmembrane helices (TMHs) and two relatively conservative Asparagine-Proline-Alanine motifs. The three-dimensional homology modeling showed that the six TMHs folded into an hourglass-like shape, and the imperceptible replace of four ar/R residues in contraction region had critical effects on changing the pore size of channels. Moreover, the transcript levels of AaAQP 1, 3, and 6 increased significantly with the treatment time below 0 °C. Combined with the results of pore radius variation, it is suggested that AaAQP1 and AaAQP3 may be considered to be the key anti-hypothermia proteins in A. aeneociliella by regulating rapid cell dehydration and allowing the influx of extracellular cold resistance molecules, thus avoiding death in winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunqing Zhao
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Weihai Huancui District Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Weihai, China
| | - Yong Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
| | - Yidi Zhan
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
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Jeuken K, Jaeger E, Matthews E, Beitz E. Methylthiosulfonate-Based Cysteine Modifiers as Alternative Inhibitors of Mercurial-Sensitive Aquaporins. Cells 2023; 12:1742. [PMID: 37443776 PMCID: PMC10340331 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131742] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Several members of the ubiquitous aquaporin family, AQP, of water and neutral solute channels carry a cysteine residue in the selectivity filter region. Traditionally, toxic mercury-containing compounds are used to bind to the cysteine as covalent AQP inhibitors for physiological studies or analysis of structure-function relationships. (2) Methods: We tested thiol-reactive methylthiosulfonate reagents, MTS, as alternative Cys modifiers for AQP inhibition. Three MTS reagents transferring S-alkyl moieties of increasing size, i.e., S-methyl, S-n-propyl, and S-benzyl, were used with yeast-expressed water-selective AQP1 and the aquaglyceroporin AQP9. Respective Cys-to-Ala variants and mouse erythrocytes that naturally express AQP1 and AQP9 served as controls. (3) Results: Both wildtype AQP isoforms were inhibited by the Cys modifiers in a size-dependent manner, whereas the Cys-to-Ala-variants exhibited resistance. Sub-millimolar concentrations and incubation times in the minute range were sufficient. The modifications were reversible by treatment with the thiol reagents acetylcysteine, ACC, and dithiothreitol, DTT. (4) Conclusions: MTS reagents represent a valid alternative of low toxicity for the inhibition of mercurial-sensitive AQPs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eric Beitz
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Gutenbergstr. 76, 24118 Kiel, Germany; (K.J.); (E.J.); (E.M.)
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10
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Wang W, Zhang XS, Wang ZN, Zhang DX. Evolution and phylogenetic diversity of the aquaporin gene family in arachnids. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 240:124480. [PMID: 37068537 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124480] [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: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Water flux across cells predominantly occurs through the pore formed by the aquaporin channels. Since water balance is one of the most important challenges to terrestrial animals, aquaporin evolution and diversity is known to play roles in animal terrestrialisation. Arachnids (Arthropoda: Chelicerata: Arachnida) are the second most diverse group and represent the pioneer land colonists in animals; however, there remains no thorough investigation on aquaporin evolution and diversity in this evolutionarily important lineage. Here we reported a phylogenetic study of aquaporin evolution and diversity using genomic data from 116 arachnid species covering almost all (15/16) extant orders. A previously unrecognised subfamily related to aquaporin-4 (i.e. Aqp4-like subfamily) via phylogenetic analysis was identified, suggesting certain underestimate of the arachnid aquaporin diversity in earlier studies probably due to limited taxonomic sampling. Further analysis indicates that this subfamily emerged deep within the life tree of arthropods. Gene tree of another Aqp4-like subfamily (PripL) shows an unexpected basal split between acariform mites (Acariformes) and other arachnids. A closer inspection demonstrated that the PripL evolved quickly and has been under differential selection pressure in acariform mites. Evidence is provided that the evolutionarily ancient Glp subfamily (i.e. aquaglyceroporin) is significantly expanded in terrestrial arachnids compared with their marine relatives. Finally, in spite of the phylogenetic diversity, there exists conservation of some exons in size, functional domain, and intron-insertion phase: an 81-bp and a 218-bp exon, respectively, in apq4-like and glp genes across Eumetazoa lineages including arachnids and human beings. Both exons encode the carboxyl-terminal NPA motif, implying the coding and splicing pressure during hundreds of million years of animal evolution. Hypotheses were tested to explore the possible link between these findings and arachnid terrestrialisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xue-Shu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhen-Nan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - De-Xing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
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Nishida Y, Aono R, Dohi H, Ding W, Uzawa H. 1H-NMR Karplus Analysis of Molecular Conformations of Glycerol under Different Solvent Conditions: A Consistent Rotational Isomerism in the Backbone Governed by Glycerol/Water Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032766. [PMID: 36769086 PMCID: PMC9916874 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycerol is a symmetrical, small biomolecule with high flexibility in molecular conformations. Using a 1H-NMR spectroscopic Karplus analysis in our way, we analyzed a rotational isomerism in the glycero backbone which generates three kinds of staggered conformers, namely gt (gauche-trans), gg (gauche-gauche), and tg (trans-gauche), at each of sn-1,2 and sn-2,3 positions. The Karplus analysis has disclosed that the three rotamers are consistently equilibrated in water keeping the relation of 'gt:gg:tg = 50:30:20 (%)' at a wide range of concentrations (5 mM~540 mM). The observed relation means that glycerol in water favors those symmetric conformers placing 1,2,3-triol groups in a gauche/gauche geometry. We have found also that the rotational isomerism is remarkably changed when the solvent is replaced with DMSO-d6 or dimethylformamide (DMF-d7). In these solvents, glycerol gives a relation of 'gt:gg:tg = 40:30:30 (%)', which means that a remarkable shift occurs in the equilibrium between gt and tg conformers. By this shift, glycerol turns to also take non-symmetric conformers orienting one of the two vicinal diols in an antiperiplanar geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Nishida
- Molecular Chirality Research Center, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 271-8510, Japan
- Correspondence:
| | - Reina Aono
- Molecular Chirality Research Center, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 271-8510, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Dohi
- Molecular Chirality Research Center, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 271-8510, Japan
| | - Wuxiao Ding
- Nanomaterials Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Uzawa
- Nanomaterials Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan
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12
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Aquaporins Display a Diversity in their Substrates. J Membr Biol 2023; 256:1-23. [PMID: 35986775 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-022-00257-7] [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: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporins constitute a family of transmembrane proteins that function to transport water and other small solutes across the cell membrane. Aquaporins family members are found in diverse life forms. Aquaporins share the common structural fold consisting of six transmembrane alpha helices with a central water-transporting channel. Four such monomers assemble together to form tetramers as their biological unit. Initially, aquaporins were discovered as water-transporting channels, but several studies supported their involvement in mediating the facilitated diffusion of different solutes. The so-called water channel is able to transport a variety of substrates ranging from a neutral molecule to a charged molecule or a small molecule to a bulky molecule or even a gas molecule. This article gives an overview of a diverse range of substrates conducted by aquaporin family members. Prime focus is on human aquaporins where aquaporins show a wide tissue distribution and substrate specificity leading to various physiological functions. This review also highlights the structural mechanisms leading to the transport of water and glycerol. More research is needed to understand how one common fold enables the aquaporins to transport an array of solutes.
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13
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Aquaporins and Ion Channels as Dual Targets in the Design of Novel Glioblastoma Therapeutics to Limit Invasiveness. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030849. [PMID: 36765806 PMCID: PMC9913334 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030849] [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: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Current therapies for Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) focus on eradicating primary tumors using radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgical resection, but have limited success in controlling the invasive spread of glioma cells into a healthy brain, the major factor driving short survival times for patients post-diagnosis. Transcriptomic analyses of GBM biopsies reveal clusters of membrane signaling proteins that in combination serve as robust prognostic indicators, including aquaporins and ion channels, which are upregulated in GBM and implicated in enhanced glioblastoma motility. Accumulating evidence supports our proposal that the concurrent pharmacological targeting of selected subclasses of aquaporins and ion channels could impede glioblastoma invasiveness by impairing key cellular motility pathways. Optimal sets of channels to be selected as targets for combined therapies could be tailored to the GBM cancer subtype, taking advantage of differences in patterns of expression between channels that are characteristic of GBM subtypes, as well as distinguishing them from non-cancerous brain cells such as neurons and glia. Focusing agents on a unique channel fingerprint in GBM would further allow combined agents to be administered at near threshold doses, potentially reducing off-target toxicity. Adjunct therapies which confine GBM tumors to their primary sites during clinical treatments would offer profound advantages for treatment efficacy.
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14
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Tsujimoto H, Metz HC, Smith AA, Sakamoto JM, Pal U, Rasgon JL. Function and evolution of the aquaporin IsAQP1 in the Lyme disease vector Ixodes scapularis. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 36680546 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are important vectors of pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and protozoans to humans, wildlife, and domestic animals. Due to their life cycles, ticks face significant challenges related to water homeostasis. When blood-feeding, they must excrete water and ions, but when off-host (for stretches lasting several months), they must conserve water to avoid desiccation. Aquaporins (AQPs), a family of membrane-bound water channels, are key players in osmoregulation in many animals but remain poorly characterized in ticks. Here, we bioinformatically identified AQP-like genes from the deer tick Ixodes scapularis and used phylogenetic approaches to map the evolution of the aquaporin gene family in arthropods. Most arachnid AQP-like sequences (including those of I. scapularis) formed a monophyletic group clustered within aquaglycerolporins (GLPs) from bacteria to vertebrates. This gene family is absent from insects, revealing divergent evolutionary paths for AQPs in different hematophagous arthropods. Next, we sequenced the full-length cDNA of I. scapularis aquaporin 1 (IsAQP1) and expressed it heterologously in Xenopus oocytes to functionally characterize its permeability to water and solutes. Additionally, we examined IsAQP1 expression across different life stages and adult female organs. We found IsAQP1 is an efficient water channel with high expression in salivary glands prior to feeding, suggesting it plays a role in osmoregulation before or during blood feeding. Its functional properties are unique: unlike most GLPs, IsAQP1 has low glycerol permeability, and unlike most AQPs, it is insensitive to mercury. Together, our results suggest IsAQP1 plays an important role in tick water balance physiology and that it may hold promise as a target of novel vector control efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Tsujimoto
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Hillery C Metz
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alexis A Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Joyce M Sakamoto
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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15
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Xiong M, Li C, Wang W, Yang B. Protein Structure and Modification of Aquaporins. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1398:15-38. [PMID: 36717484 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-7415-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) allow water molecules and other small, neutral solutes to quickly pass through membrane. The protein structures of AQPs solved by crystallographic methods or cryo-electron microscopy technology show that AQP monomer consists of six membrane-spanning alpha-helices that form the central water-transporting pore. AQP monomers assemble to form tetramers, forming the functional units in the membrane, to transport water or other small molecules. The biological functions of AQPs are regulated by posttranslational modifications, e.g., phosphorylation, ubiquitination, glycosylation, subcellular distribution, degradation and protein interactions. Modifications of AQP combined with structural properties contribute to a better functional mechanism of AQPs. Insight into the molecular mechanisms responsible for AQP modifications as well as gating and transport properties proved to be fundamental to the development of new therapeutic targets or reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyao Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunling Li
- Institute of Hypertension and Kidney Research, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weidong Wang
- Institute of Hypertension and Kidney Research, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Baoxue Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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16
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Zeng J, Schmitz F, Isaksson S, Glas J, Arbab O, Andersson M, Sundell K, Eriksson LA, Swaminathan K, Törnroth-Horsefield S, Hedfalk K. High-resolution structure of a fish aquaporin reveals a novel extracellular fold. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:5/12/e202201491. [PMID: 36229063 PMCID: PMC9559756 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The structural and functional characterization of a fish AQP reveals a water-specific AQP with unique structural features that may have implications for channel gating in response to osmotic changes. Aquaporins are protein channels embedded in the lipid bilayer in cells from all organisms on earth that are crucial for water homeostasis. In fish, aquaporins are believed to be important for osmoregulation; however, the molecular mechanism behind this is poorly understood. Here, we present the first structural and functional characterization of a fish aquaporin; cpAQP1aa from the fresh water fish climbing perch (Anabas testudineus), a species that is of high osmoregulatory interest because of its ability to spend time in seawater and on land. These studies show that cpAQP1aa is a water-specific aquaporin with a unique fold on the extracellular side that results in a constriction region. Functional analysis combined with molecular dynamic simulations suggests that phosphorylation at two sites causes structural perturbations in this region that may have implications for channel gating from the extracellular side.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Zeng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, Singapore
| | - Florian Schmitz
- Department and Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg University, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Simon Isaksson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Surface Chemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jessica Glas
- Department and Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg University, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Olivia Arbab
- Department and Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg University, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Martin Andersson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Surface Chemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Kristina Sundell
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Gothenburg University, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Leif A Eriksson
- Department and Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg University, Göteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Susanna Törnroth-Horsefield
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Centre for Molecular Protein Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kristina Hedfalk
- Department and Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg University, Göteborg, Sweden
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17
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Francisca RC, Alejandra MLM, Bárbara A, Herrera R. PIPs from Fragaria vesca: A structural analysis of native and mutated protein. J Mol Graph Model 2022; 117:108310. [PMID: 36063744 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2022.108310] [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: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporins are an ancient family of membrane channel proteins present in all eukaryotes and most prokaryotes, and apart from water, allow the transport of neutral solutes and organic compounds through the pore. These proteins are essential role differentially expressed during ripening in Fragaria vesca fruits. Fv PIP2-1a is intensively expressed in fruits, inclusive several other proteins member are differentially expressed in fruit but also in other plant tissues. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Fv PIP2-1a grouped with other Fragaria proteins and far apart from other F. vesca PIP proteins. A structural model for Fv PIP2-1a protein was built by comparative modelling methodology, which was validated and refined by molecular dynamics simulation. Fv PIP2-1a structure consists of 6 transmembrane regions and two NPA domains. The mobilization of water was analyzed by molecular docking simulations in wildtype and two mutants. Interestingly, the mutant FvPIP2-1a_H214G allowed the prediction of an increment in the flux of water molecules. On contrary, structural analysis predicted that H214E mutation blocked passage of water associated to constriction of the pore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodríguez-Cabello Francisca
- Functional Genomics, Biochemistry and Plant Physiology Group, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Moya-León M Alejandra
- Functional Genomics, Biochemistry and Plant Physiology Group, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Arévalo Bárbara
- Functional Genomics, Biochemistry and Plant Physiology Group, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Raúl Herrera
- Functional Genomics, Biochemistry and Plant Physiology Group, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile.
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18
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Local Attraction of Substrates and Co-Substrates Enhances Weak Acid and Base Transmembrane Transport. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121794. [PMID: 36551222 PMCID: PMC9775063 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121794] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The transmembrane transport of weak acid and base metabolites depends on the local pH conditions that affect the protonation status of the substrates and the availability of co-substrates, typically protons. Different protein designs ensure the attraction of substrates and co-substrates to the transporter entry sites. These include electrostatic surface charges on the transport proteins and complexation with seemingly transport-unrelated proteins that provide substrate and/or proton antenna, or enzymatically generate substrates in place. Such protein assemblies affect transport rates and directionality. The lipid membrane surface also collects and transfers protons. The complexity in the various systems enables adjustability and regulation in a given physiological or pathophysiological situation. This review describes experimentally shown principles in the attraction and facilitation of weak acid and base transport substrates, including monocarboxylates, ammonium, bicarbonate, and arsenite, plus protons as a co-substrate.
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19
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Concurrent Production of α- and β-Carotenes with Different Stoichiometries Displaying Diverse Antioxidative Activities via Lycopene Cyclases-Based Rational System. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11112267. [DOI: 10.3390/antiox11112267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
α- and β-carotenes belong to the most essential carotenoids in the human body and display remarkable pharmacological value for health due to their beneficial antioxidant activities. Distinct high α-/β-carotene stoichiometries have gained increasing attention for their effective preventions of Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain α-carotene in nature, impeding the accumulations of high α-/β-carotene stoichiometries and excavation of their antioxidant activities. Herein, we developed a dynamically operable strategy based on lycopene cyclases (LCYB and LCYE) for concurrently enriching α- and β-carotenes along with high stoichiometries in E. coli. Membrane-targeted and promoter-centered approaches were firstly implemented to spatially enhance catalytic efficiency and temporally boost expression of TeLCYE to address its low competitivity at the starting stage. Dynamically temperature-dependent regulation of TeLCYE and TeLCYB was then performed to finally achieve α-/β-carotene stoichiometries of 4.71 at 37 °C, 1.65 at 30 °C, and 1.06 at 25 °C, respectively. In the meantime, these α-/β-carotene ratios were confirmed to result in diverse antioxidative activities. According to our knowledge, this is the first time that both the widest range and antioxidant activities of high α/β-carotene stoichiometries were reported in any organism. Our work provides attractive potentials for obtaining natural products with competitivity and a new insight on the protective potentials of α-/β-carotenes with high ratios for health supply.
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20
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Aquaporin Gating: A New Twist to Unravel Permeation through Water Channels. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012317. [PMID: 36293170 PMCID: PMC9604103 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are small transmembrane tetrameric proteins that facilitate water, solute and gas exchange. Their presence has been extensively reported in the biological membranes of almost all living organisms. Although their discovery is much more recent than ion transport systems, different biophysical approaches have contributed to confirm that permeation through each monomer is consistent with closed and open states, introducing the term gating mechanism into the field. The study of AQPs in their native membrane or overexpressed in heterologous systems have experimentally demonstrated that water membrane permeability can be reversibly modified in response to specific modulators. For some regulation mechanisms, such as pH changes, evidence for gating is also supported by high-resolution structures of the water channel in different configurations as well as molecular dynamics simulation. Both experimental and simulation approaches sustain that the rearrangement of conserved residues contributes to occlude the cavity of the channel restricting water permeation. Interestingly, specific charged and conserved residues are present in the environment of the pore and, thus, the tetrameric structure can be subjected to alter the positions of these charges to sustain gating. Thus, is it possible to explore whether the displacement of these charges (gating current) leads to conformational changes? To our knowledge, this question has not yet been addressed at all. In this review, we intend to analyze the suitability of this proposal for the first time.
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21
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Pluhackova K, Schittny V, Bürkner P, Siligan C, Horner A. Multiple pore lining residues modulate water permeability of
GlpF. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4431. [PMID: 36173178 PMCID: PMC9490802 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristyna Pluhackova
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science, Cluster of Excellence EXC 2075 University of Stuttgart Stuttgart Germany
| | - Valentin Schittny
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich Basel Switzerland
| | - Paul‐Christian Bürkner
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science, Cluster of Excellence EXC 2075 University of Stuttgart Stuttgart Germany
| | | | - Andreas Horner
- Institute of Biophysics Johannes Kepler University Linz Austria
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22
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Saitoh Y, Suga M. Structure and function of a silicic acid channel Lsi1. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:982068. [PMID: 36172553 PMCID: PMC9510833 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.982068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Silicon is a beneficial element for plant growth and production, especially in rice. Plant roots take up silicon in the form of silicic acid. Silicic acid channels, which belong to the NIP subfamily of aquaporins, are responsible for silicic acid uptake. Accumulated experimental results have deepened our understanding of the silicic acid channel for its uptake mechanism, physiological function, localization, and other aspects. However, how the silicic acid channel efficiently and selectively permeates silicic acid remains to be elucidated. Recently reported crystal structures of the silicic acid channel enabled us to discuss the mechanism of silicic acid uptake by plant roots at an atomic level. In this mini-review, we focus on the crystal structures of the silicic acid channel and provide a detailed description of the structural determinants of silicic acid permeation and its transport mechanism, which are crucial for the rational creation of secure and sustainable crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasunori Saitoh
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Michihiro Suga
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
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23
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Gössweiner-Mohr N, Siligan C, Pluhackova K, Umlandt L, Koefler S, Trajkovska N, Horner A. The Hidden Intricacies of Aquaporins: Remarkable Details in a Common Structural Scaffold. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2202056. [PMID: 35802902 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Evolution turned aquaporins (AQPs) into the most efficient facilitators of passive water flow through cell membranes at no expense of solute discrimination. In spite of a plethora of solved AQP structures, many structural details remain hidden. Here, by combining extensive sequence- and structural-based analysis of a unique set of 20 non-redundant high-resolution structures and molecular dynamics simulations of four representatives, key aspects of AQP stability, gating, selectivity, pore geometry, and oligomerization, with a potential impact on channel functionality, are identified. The general view of AQPs possessing a continuous open water pore is challenged and it is depicted that AQPs' selectivity is not exclusively shaped by pore-lining residues but also by the relative arrangement of transmembrane helices. Moreover, this analysis reveals that hydrophobic interactions constitute the main determinant of protein thermal stability. Finally, a numbering scheme of the conserved AQP scaffold is established, facilitating direct comparison of, for example, disease-causing mutations and prediction of potential structural consequences. Additionally, the results pave the way for the design of optimized AQP water channels to be utilized in biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Siligan
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Kristyna Pluhackova
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science, University of Stuttgart, Cluster of Excellence EXC 2075, Universitätsstr. 32, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Linnea Umlandt
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Sabina Koefler
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Natasha Trajkovska
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Andreas Horner
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
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24
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Shangzu Z, Dingxiong X, ChengJun M, Yan C, Yangyang L, Zhiwei L, Ting Z, Zhiming M, Yiming Z, Liying Z, Yongqi L. Aquaporins: Important players in the cardiovascular pathophysiology. Pharmacol Res 2022; 183:106363. [PMID: 35905892 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Aquaporin is a membrane channel protein widely expressed in body tissues, which can control the input and output of water in cells. AQPs are differentially expressed in different cardiovascular tissues and participate in water transmembrane transport, cell migration, metabolism, inflammatory response, etc. The aberrant expression of AQPs highly correlates with the onset of ischemic heart disease, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, heart failure, etc. Despite much attention to the regulatory role of AQPs in the cardiovascular system, the translation of AQPs into clinical application still faces many challenges, including clarification of the localization of AQPs in the cardiovascular system and mechanisms mediating cardiovascular pathophysiology, as well as the development of cardiovascular-specific AQPs modulators.Therefore, in this study, we comprehensively reviewed the critical roles of AQP family proteins in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis and described the underlying mechanisms by which AQPs mediated the outcomes of cardiovascular diseases. Meanwhile, AQPs serve as important therapeutic targets, which provide a wide range of opportunities to investigate the mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases and the treatment of those diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang Shangzu
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China
| | - Xie Dingxiong
- Gansu Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, LanZhou,China
| | - Ma ChengJun
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China
| | - Chen Yan
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China
| | - Li Yangyang
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China
| | - Liu Zhiwei
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China
| | - Zhou Ting
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China
| | - Miao Zhiming
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China
| | - Zhang Yiming
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China
| | - Zhang Liying
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China; Gansu Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, LanZhou,China.
| | - Liu Yongqi
- Gansu University of traditional Chinese Medicine, LanZhou, China; Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and the Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and Universities Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine and Transformation at Provincial and Ministerial Level, Lanzhou, China.
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Sharma V, Singh TG, Mannan A. Therapeutic implications of glucose transporters (GLUT) in cerebral ischemia. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:2173-2186. [PMID: 35596882 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03620-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral ischemia is a leading cause of death in the globe, with a large societal cost. Deprivation of blood flow, together with consequent glucose and oxygen shortage, activates a variety of pathways that result in permanent brain damage. As a result, ischemia raises energy demand, which is linked to significant alterations in brain energy metabolism. Even at the low glucose levels reported in plasma during ischemia, glucose transport activity may adjust to assure the supply of glucose to maintain normal cellular function. Glucose transporters in the brain are divided into two groups: sodium-independent glucose transporters (GLUTs) and sodium-dependent glucose cotransporters (SGLTs).This review assess the GLUT structure, expression, regulation, pathobiology of GLUT in cerebral ischemia and regulators of GLUT and it also provides the synopsis of the literature exploring the relationship between GLUT and the various downstream signalling pathways for e.g., AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein), Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF)-1, Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K), Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and adenylate-uridylate-rich elements (AREs). Therefore, the aim of the present review was to elaborate the therapeutic implications of GLUT in the cerebral ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerta Sharma
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, 140401, Patiala, Punjab, India
| | - Thakur Gurjeet Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, 140401, Patiala, Punjab, India.
| | - Ashi Mannan
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, 140401, Patiala, Punjab, India
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26
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Handa N, Gupta P, Khanna K, Kohli SK, Bhardwaj R, Alam P, Ahmad P. Aquaporin-mediated transport: Insights into metalloid trafficking. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2022; 174:e13687. [PMID: 35514154 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Metalloids in plants have diverse physiological effects. From being essential to beneficial to toxic, they have significant effects on many physiological processes, influencing crop yield and quality. Aquaporins are a group of membrane channels that have several physiological substrates along with water. Metalloids have emerged as one of their important substrates and they are found to have a substantial role in regulating plant metalloid homeostasis. The present review comprehensively details the multiple isoforms of aquaporins having specificity for metalloids and being responsible for their influx, distribution or efflux. In addition, it also highlights the usage of aquaporin-mediated transport as a selection marker in toxic screens and as tracer elements for closely related metalloids. Therefore, aquaporins, with their imperative contribution to the regulation of plant growth, development and physiological processes, need more research to unravel the metalloid trafficking mechanisms and their future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Handa
- Plant Stress Physiology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Pawan Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, Shree S. K. Patel College of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ganpat University, Kherva, Gujarat, India
| | - Kanika Khanna
- Plant Stress Physiology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Sukhmeen Kaur Kohli
- Plant Stress Physiology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Renu Bhardwaj
- Plant Stress Physiology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Pravej Alam
- Biology Department, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU), Alkharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Parvaiz Ahmad
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Botany, GDC Pulwama, Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India
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Jia Y, Liu X. Diversification of the aquaporin family in geographical isolated oyster species promote the adaptability to dynamic environments. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:211. [PMID: 35296243 PMCID: PMC8925068 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08445-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The diversified aquaporin (AQP) family that was derived from gene duplication and subsequent functional differentiation play critical roles in multiple physiological processes and in adaptation to the dynamic environments during the evolutionary process. Oysters are a group of bivalve fauna in Mollusca that were widely distributed around the world and show extraordinary adaptation to harsh environments. However, knowledge is lacking with the diversity and evolution of the AQP family in oysters, even in molluscs. RESULTS Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the AQP family in three geographical isolated oyster species that are native to different environments. Genome distribution and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the expansion of the AQP family in oysters were attributed to tandem duplication. Synteny analysis indicated that large-scale inversions lead to the independent duplication or deletion of the AQPs after speciation. As a consequence, these independent duplication events contributed to the diversification of the AQP family in different oysters. Pore pattern analysis suggested that the duplicated AQPs in oysters were highly diversified in inner surface profiles, implying the subsequent functional differentiation. The comparison conducted based on the transcriptome data demonstrated that the functional differentiated AQP family members in oysters may play critical roles in maintaining the balance between the stationary homeostasis and dynamic environments. CONCLUSIONS Our observation provides evidence for the correlation between the duplicated and functional differentiated AQP family and the adaptation to stationary life under dynamic environments in oysters. Additionally, it also broadens our knowledge of the evolution of AQP family in molluscs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanglei Jia
- Fishery College of Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Fishery College of Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China.
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Corin K, Bowie JU. How physical forces drive the process of helical membrane protein folding. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e53025. [PMID: 35133709 PMCID: PMC8892262 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein folding is a fundamental process of life with important implications throughout biology. Indeed, tens of thousands of mutations have been associated with diseases, and most of these mutations are believed to affect protein folding rather than function. Correct folding is also a key element of design. These factors have motivated decades of research on protein folding. Unfortunately, knowledge of membrane protein folding lags that of soluble proteins. This gap is partly caused by the greater technical challenges associated with membrane protein studies, but also because of additional complexities. While soluble proteins fold in a homogenous water environment, membrane proteins fold in a setting that ranges from bulk water to highly charged to apolar. Thus, the forces that drive folding vary in different regions of the protein, and this complexity needs to be incorporated into our understanding of the folding process. Here, we review our understanding of membrane protein folding biophysics. Despite the greater challenge, better model systems and new experimental techniques are starting to unravel the forces and pathways in membrane protein folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Corin
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryMolecular Biology InstituteUCLA‐DOE InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - James U Bowie
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryMolecular Biology InstituteUCLA‐DOE InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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Falato M, Chan R, Chen LY. Aquaglyceroporin AQP7's affinity for its substrate glycerol: Have we reached convergence in the computed values of glycerol-aquaglyceroporin affinity? RSC Adv 2022; 12:3128-3135. [PMID: 35222995 PMCID: PMC8870571 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra07367b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
AQP7 is one of the four human aquaglyceroporins that facilitate glycerol transport across the cell membrane, a biophysical process that is essential in human physiology. Therefore, it is interesting to compute AQP7's affinity for its substrate (glycerol) with reasonable certainty to compare with the experimental data suggesting high affinity in contrast with most computational studies predicting low affinity. In this study aimed at computing the AQP7-glycerol affinity with high confidence, we implemented a direct computation of the affinity from unbiased equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of three all-atom systems constituted with 0.16 M, 4.32 M, and 10.23 M atoms, respectively. These three sets of simulations manifested a fundamental physics law that the intrinsic fluctuations of pressure in a system are inversely proportional to the system size (the number of atoms in it). These simulations showed that the computed values of glycerol-AQP7 affinity are dependent upon the system size (the inverse affinity estimations were, respectively, 47.3 mM, 1.6 mM, and 0.92 mM for the three model systems). In this, we obtained a lower bound for the AQP7-glycerol affinity (an upper bound for the dissociation constant). Namely, the AQP7-glycerol affinity is stronger than 1087/M (the dissociation constant is less than 0.92 mM). Additionally, we conducted hyper steered MD (hSMD) simulations to map out the Gibbs free-energy profile. From the free-energy profile, we produced an independent computation of the AQP7-glycerol dissociation constant being approximately 0.18 mM. AQP7 is one of the four human aquaglyceroporins that facilitate glycerol transport across the cell membrane, a biophysical process that is essential in human physiology.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Falato
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249 USA
| | - Ruth Chan
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249 USA
| | - Liao Y Chen
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249 USA
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The Genome of Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae): Adaptation for Success. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13030446. [PMID: 35328000 PMCID: PMC8956072 DOI: 10.3390/genes13030446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), is a major global pest of cereal grains. Infestations are difficult to control as larvae feed inside grain kernels, and many populations are resistant to both contact insecticides and fumigants. We sequenced the genome of R. dominica to identify genes responsible for important biological functions and develop more targeted and efficacious management strategies. The genome was assembled from long read sequencing and long-range scaffolding technologies. The genome assembly is 479.1 Mb, close to the predicted genome size of 480.4 Mb by flow cytometry. This assembly is among the most contiguous beetle assemblies published to date, with 139 scaffolds, an N50 of 53.6 Mb, and L50 of 4, indicating chromosome-scale scaffolds. Predicted genes from biologically relevant groups were manually annotated using transcriptome data from adults and different larval tissues to guide annotation. The expansion of carbohydrase and serine peptidase genes suggest that they combine to enable efficient digestion of cereal proteins. A reduction in the copy number of several detoxification gene families relative to other coleopterans may reflect the low selective pressure on these genes in an insect that spends most of its life feeding internally. Chemoreceptor genes contain elevated numbers of pseudogenes for odorant receptors that also may be related to the recent ontogenetic shift of R. dominica to a diet consisting primarily of stored grains. Analysis of repetitive sequences will further define the evolution of bostrichid beetles compared to other species. The data overall contribute significantly to coleopteran genetic research.
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Relevance of Aquaporins for Gamete Function and Cryopreservation. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12050573. [PMID: 35268142 PMCID: PMC8909058 DOI: 10.3390/ani12050573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The interaction between cells and the extracellular medium is of great importance; changes in medium composition can drive water movement across plasma membranes. Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane channels involved in the transport of water and some solutes across membranes. When sperm enter the female reproductive tract after ejaculation, they encounter a drastic change in extracellular composition, which leads to water flowing across the plasma membrane. This triggers a series of events that are crucial to allowing fertilization to take place, such as regulation of sperm motility. In the context of assisted reproduction techniques (ART), long-term storage of gametes is sometimes required, and, during cryopreservation, these cells undergo drastic changes in extracellular medium composition. As a result, AQPs are crucial in both sperm and oocytes during this process. Cryopreservation is of considerable importance for fertility preservation in livestock, endangered species and for individuals undergoing certain medical treatments that compromise their fertility. Further research to fully elucidate the roles and underlying mechanisms of AQPs in mammalian sperm is therefore warranted. Abstract The interaction between cells and the extracellular medium is of great importance, and drastic changes in extracellular solute concentrations drive water movement across the plasma membrane. Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of transmembrane channels that allow the transport of water and small solutes across cell membranes. Different members of this family have been identified in gametes. In sperm, they are relevant to osmoadaptation after entering the female reproductive tract, which is crucial for sperm motility activation and capacitation and, thus, for their fertilizing ability. In addition, they are relevant during the cryopreservation process, since some members of this family are also permeable to glycerol, one of the most frequently used cryoprotective agents in livestock. Regarding oocytes, AQPs are very important in their maturation but also during cryopreservation. Further research to define the exact sets of AQPs that are present in oocytes from different species is needed, since the available literature envisages certain AQPs and their roles but does not provide complete information on the whole set of AQPs. This is of considerable importance because, in sperm, specific AQPs are known to compensate the role of non-functional members.
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Truelsen SF, Missel JW, Gotfryd K, Pedersen PA, Gourdon P, Lindorff-Larsen K, Hélix-Nielsen C. The role of water coordination in the pH-dependent gating of hAQP10. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:183809. [PMID: 34699768 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Human aquaporin 10 (hAQP10) is an aquaglyceroporin that assists in maintaining glycerol flux in adipocytes during lipolysis at low pH. Hence, a molecular understanding of the pH-sensitive glycerol conductance may open up for drug development in obesity and metabolically related disorders. Control of hAQP10-mediated glycerol flux has been linked to the cytoplasmic end of the channel, where a unique loop is regulated by the protonation status of histidine 80 (H80). Here, we performed unbiased molecular dynamics simulations of three protonation states of H80 to unravel channel gating. Strikingly, at neutral pH, we identified a water coordination pattern with an inverted orientation of the water molecules in vicinity of the loop. Protonation of H80 results in a more hydrophobic loop conformation, causing loss of water coordination and leaving the pore often dehydrated. Our results indicate that the loss of such water interaction network may be integral for the destabilization of the loop in the closed configuration at low pH. Additionally, a residue unique to hAQP10 (F85) reveals structural importance by flipping into the channel in correlation with loop movements, indicating a loop-stabilizing role in the closed configuration. Taken together, our simulations suggest a unique gating mechanism combining complex interaction networks between water molecules and protein residues at the loop interface. Considering the role of hAQP10 in adipocytes, the detailed molecular insights of pH-regulation presented here will help to understand glycerol pathways in these cells and may assist in drug discovery for better management of human adiposity and obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigurd Friis Truelsen
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Bygningstorvet Building 115, DK-2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Julie Winkel Missel
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nørre Allé 14, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Kamil Gotfryd
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nørre Allé 14, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Per Amstrup Pedersen
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Universitetsparken 13, DK-2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark
| | - Pontus Gourdon
- Lund University, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Sölvegatan 19, SE-221 84 Lund, Sweden; Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory & Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory & Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Claus Hélix-Nielsen
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Bygningstorvet Building 115, DK-2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark; University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
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Kammel M, Trebbin O, Pinske C, Sawers RG. A single amino acid exchange converts FocA into a unidirectional efflux channel for formate. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168. [PMID: 35084298 PMCID: PMC8914244 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
During mixed-acid fermentation, Escherichia coli initially translocates formate out of the cell, but re-imports it at lower pH. This is performed by FocA, the archetype of the formate-nitrite transporter (FNT) family of pentameric anion channels. Each protomer of FocA has a hydrophobic pore through which formate/formic acid is bidirectionally translocated. It is not understood how the direction of formate/formic acid passage through FocA is controlled by pH. A conserved histidine residue (H209) is located within the translocation pore, suggesting that protonation/deprotonation might be linked to the direction of formate translocation. Using a formate-responsive lacZ-based reporter system we monitored changes in formate levels in vivo when H209 in FocA was exchanged for either of the non-protonatable amino acids asparagine or glutamine, which occur naturally in some FNTs. These FocA variants (with N or Q) functioned as highly efficient formate efflux channels and the bacteria could neither accumulate formate nor produce hydrogen gas. Therefore, the data in this study suggest that this central histidine residue within the FocA pore is required for pH-dependent formate uptake into E. coli cells. We also address why H209 is evolutionarily conserved and provide a physiological rationale for the natural occurrence of N/Q variants of FNT channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Kammel
- Institute for Biology/Microbiology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Oliver Trebbin
- Institute for Biology/Microbiology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Present address: IMD Laboratory Oderland GmbH, Am Kleistpark 1, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Constanze Pinske
- Institute for Biology/Microbiology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - R. Gary Sawers
- Institute for Biology/Microbiology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- *Correspondence: R. Gary Sawers,
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Wagner K, Unger L, Salman MM, Kitchen P, Bill RM, Yool AJ. Signaling Mechanisms and Pharmacological Modulators Governing Diverse Aquaporin Functions in Human Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:1388. [PMID: 35163313 PMCID: PMC8836214 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of small integral membrane proteins that facilitate the bidirectional transport of water across biological membranes in response to osmotic pressure gradients as well as enable the transmembrane diffusion of small neutral solutes (such as urea, glycerol, and hydrogen peroxide) and ions. AQPs are expressed throughout the human body. Here, we review their key roles in fluid homeostasis, glandular secretions, signal transduction and sensation, barrier function, immunity and inflammation, cell migration, and angiogenesis. Evidence from a wide variety of studies now supports a view of the functions of AQPs being much more complex than simply mediating the passive flow of water across biological membranes. The discovery and development of small-molecule AQP inhibitors for research use and therapeutic development will lead to new insights into the basic biology of and novel treatments for the wide range of AQP-associated disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Wagner
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
| | - Lucas Unger
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK; (L.U.); (P.K.)
| | - Mootaz M. Salman
- Department of Physiology Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK;
- Oxford Parkinson’s Disease Centre, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Philip Kitchen
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK; (L.U.); (P.K.)
| | - Roslyn M. Bill
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK; (L.U.); (P.K.)
| | - Andrea J. Yool
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
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Henderson SW, Nourmohammadi S, Ramesh SA, Yool AJ. Aquaporin ion conductance properties defined by membrane environment, protein structure, and cell physiology. Biophys Rev 2022; 14:181-198. [PMID: 35340612 PMCID: PMC8921385 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00925-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are multifunctional transmembrane channel proteins permeable to water and an expanding array of solutes. AQP-mediated ion channel activity was first observed when purified AQP0 from bovine lens was incorporated into lipid bilayers. Electrophysiological properties of ion-conducting AQPs since discovered in plants, invertebrates, and mammals have been assessed using native, reconstituted, and heterologously expressed channels. Accumulating evidence is defining amino acid residues that govern differential solute permeability through intrasubunit and central pores of AQP tetramers. Rings of charged and hydrophobic residues around pores influence AQP selectivity, and are candidates for further work to define motifs that distinguish ion conduction capability, versus strict water and glycerol permeability. Similarities between AQP ion channels thus far include large single channel conductances and long open times, but differences in ionic selectivity, permeability to divalent cations, and mechanisms of gating (e.g., by voltage, pH, and cyclic nucleotides) are unique to subtypes. Effects of lipid environments in modulating parameters such as single channel amplitude could explain in part the variations in AQP ion channel properties observed across preparations. Physiological roles of the ion-conducting AQP classes span diverse processes including regulation of cell motility, organellar pH, neural development, signaling, and nutrient acquisition. Advances in computational methods can generate testable predictions of AQP structure-function relationships, which combined with innovative high-throughput assays could revolutionize the field in defining essential properties of ion-conducting AQPs, discovering new AQP ion channels, and understanding the effects of AQP interactions with proteins, signaling cascades, and membrane lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam W. Henderson
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 Australia
| | | | - Sunita A. Ramesh
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042 Australia
| | - Andrea J. Yool
- School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 Australia
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Desiderato A, Mamos T, Rewicz T, Burzynski A, Mucciolo S. First Glimpse at the Diverse Aquaporins of Amphipod Crustaceans. Cells 2021; 10:3417. [PMID: 34943925 PMCID: PMC8699810 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of aquaporins (AQPs) in the transport of water and solutes through cell membranes is well recognized despite being relatively new. To date, despite their abundance, diversity, and presence in disparate environments, amphipods have only been mentioned in studies about the AQPs of other animals and have never been further investigated. In this work, we aimed to recover from public data available AQPs of these crustaceans and reconstruct phylogenetic affinities. We first performed BLAST searches with several queries of diverse taxa against different NCBI databases. Then, we selected the clades of AQPs retrieving the amphipod superfamily Gammaroidea as monophyletic and ran phylogenetic analyses to assess their performances. Our results show how most of the AQPs of amphipods are similar to those of other crustaceans, despite the Prip-like displayed different paralogs, and report for the first time a putative Aqp8-like for arthropods. We also found that the candidate genes of Prip-like, Bib-like, Aqp12-like, and Glp-like help solve deeper relationships in phylogenies of amphipods while leaving uncertainties in shallower parts. With our findings, we hope to increase attention to the study of amphipods as models for AQP functioning and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Desiderato
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland; (T.M.); (T.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Tomasz Mamos
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland; (T.M.); (T.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Tomasz Rewicz
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland; (T.M.); (T.R.); (S.M.)
| | - Artur Burzynski
- Department of Genetics and Marine Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland;
| | - Serena Mucciolo
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland; (T.M.); (T.R.); (S.M.)
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Wang Y, Xiao E, Wu G, Bai Q, Xu F, Ji X, Li C, Li L, Liu J. The roles of selectivity filters in determining aluminum transport by AtNIP1;2. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2021; 16:1991686. [PMID: 34709126 PMCID: PMC9208765 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2021.1991686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are channel proteins involved in transporting a variety of substrates. It has been proposed that the constriction regions in the central pores of the AQP channels play a crucial role in determining transport substrates and activities of AQPs. Our previous results suggest that AtNIP1;2, a member of the AQP superfamily in Arabidopsis, facilitates aluminum transport across the plasma membrane. However, the functions of the constriction regions in AtNIP1;2-mediated transport activities are unclear. This study reports that residue substitutions of the constriction regions affect AtNIP1;2-mediated aluminum uptake, demonstrating the critical roles of the constriction regions for transport activities. Furthermore, a constriction region that partially or wholly mimics AtNIP5;1, a demonstrated boric-acid transporter, could not render the boric-acid transport activity to AtNIP1;2. Therefore, besides the constriction regions, other structural features are also involved in determining the nature of AtNIP1;2's transport activities.Abbreviations: AIAR: alanine-isoleucine-alanine-arginine; AIGR: alanine-isoleucine-glycine- arginine; AQP: aquaporin; Al-Mal: aluminum-malate; ar/R: aromatic/arginine; AVAR: alanine-valine-alanine-arginine; CK: control; H: helical domain; ICP-MS: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; LA - LE: inter-helical loops A to E; NIP: nodulin 26-like intrinsic protein; NPA: asparagine-proline-alanine; NPG: asparagine-proline- glycine; NPS: asparagine-proline-Serine; NPV: asparagine-proline-valine; ORF: open reading frame; PIP: plasma membrane intrinsic proteins; SIP: small basic intrinsic proteins; TM: transmembrane helices; WIAR: tryptophan-isoleucine-alanine-arginine; WVAR: tryptophan-valine-alanine-arginine; WVGR: tryptophan-valine-glycine- arginine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Wang
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Enzong Xiao
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guorong Wu
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Bai
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiyue Ji
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chune Li
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Li
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, Ny, USA
| | - Jiping Liu
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, Ny, USA
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Structural basis for high selectivity of a rice silicon channel Lsi1. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6236. [PMID: 34716344 PMCID: PMC8556265 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26535-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Silicon (Si), the most abundant mineral element in the earth’s crust, is taken up by plant roots in the form of silicic acid through Low silicon rice 1 (Lsi1). Lsi1 belongs to the Nodulin 26-like intrinsic protein subfamily in aquaporin and shows high selectivity for silicic acid. To uncover the structural basis for this high selectivity, here we show the crystal structure of the rice Lsi1 at a resolution of 1.8 Å. The structure reveals transmembrane helical orientations different from other aquaporins, characterized by a unique, widely opened, and hydrophilic selectivity filter (SF) composed of five residues. Our structural, functional, and theoretical investigations provide a solid structural basis for the Si uptake mechanism in plants, which will contribute to secure and sustainable rice production by manipulating Lsi1 selectivity for different metalloids. The rice Lsi1 aquaporin mediates uptake of silicic acid via the roots. Here the authors show the crystal structure of rice Lsi1 and characterize a unique five residue hydrophilic selectivity filter providing a structural basis for the highly selective activity of Lsi1 in Si uptake.
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van den Berg B, Pedebos C, Bolla JR, Robinson CV, Baslé A, Khalid S. Structural Basis for Silicic Acid Uptake by Higher Plants. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167226. [PMID: 34487790 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Many of the world's most important food crops such as rice, barley and maize accumulate silicon (Si) to high levels, resulting in better plant growth and crop yields. The first step in Si accumulation is the uptake of silicic acid by the roots, a process mediated by the structurally uncharacterised NIP subfamily of aquaporins, also named metalloid porins. Here, we present the X-ray crystal structure of the archetypal NIP family member from Oryza sativa (OsNIP2;1). The OsNIP2;1 channel is closed in the crystal structure by the cytoplasmic loop D, which is known to regulate channel opening in classical plant aquaporins. The structure further reveals a novel, five-residue extracellular selectivity filter with a large diameter. Unbiased molecular dynamics simulations show a rapid opening of the channel and visualise how silicic acid interacts with the selectivity filter prior to transmembrane diffusion. Our results will enable detailed structure-function studies of metalloid porins, including the basis of their substrate selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert van den Berg
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK. https://twitter.com/ConradoPedebos
| | - Conrado Pedebos
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; The Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Jani R Bolla
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK; The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Carol V Robinson
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK; The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Arnaud Baslé
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Syma Khalid
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; The Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK. https://twitter.com/ProfSyk
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Zhang X, Yu P, Wen H, Qi X, Tian Y, Zhang K, Fu Q, Li Y, Li C. Genome-Wide Characterization of Aquaporins (aqps) in Lateolabrax maculatus: Evolution and Expression Patterns During Freshwater Acclimation. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 23:696-709. [PMID: 34595589 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-021-10057-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporin (aqp) proteins are a group of small integral membrane proteins that play crucial roles as pore channels for the transport of water and other small solutes across the cell membrane. In our study, we identified 17 aqp genes from the spotted sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus) genomic database. Gene organization, motif distribution, and selection pressure analyses were performed to investigate their evolutionary characteristics. The aqp mRNA displayed tissue-specific expression pattern in ten selected tissues of healthy spotted sea bass. To investigate the potential involvement of spotted sea bass aqps in osmoregulation, the expression profiles of aqp genes in gills were examined during freshwater (FW) acclimation using qRT-PCR. The mRNA level of aqp3a was dramatically induced during 1-3 day of the FW transition period (77-fold and 15-fold upregulated on 1 day and 3 day than in the control group), indicating that aqp3a may play an important hypo-osmoregulatory role in spotted sea bass. In addition, the expression levels of aqp1aa, aqp1ab, aqp3b, aqp7, and aqp9b increased to various degrees at 1 day after transferring to FW, suggesting their potential involvement in the FW acclimation process. Our study provides a valuable foundation for future studies aimed at uncovering the specific roles of aqp genes during salinity acclimation in spotted sea bass and other teleost species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Zhang
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Peng Yu
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China), Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Haishen Wen
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China), Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Xin Qi
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China), Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Yuan Tian
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China), Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Kaiqiang Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China), Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Qiang Fu
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Yun Li
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China), Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Chao Li
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
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Pimpão C, Wragg D, Bonsignore R, Aikman B, Pedersen PA, Leoni S, Soveral G, Casini A. Mechanisms of irreversible aquaporin-10 inhibition by organogold compounds studied by combined biophysical methods and atomistic simulations. Metallomics 2021; 13:6360981. [PMID: 34468767 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfab053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The inhibition of glycerol permeation via human aquaporin-10 (hAQP10) by organometallic gold complexes has been studied by stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy, and its mechanism has been described using molecular modelling and atomistic simulations. The most effective hAQP10 inhibitors are cyclometalated Au(III) C^N compounds known to efficiently react with cysteine residues leading to the formation of irreversible C-S bonds. Functional assays also demonstrate the irreversibility of the binding to hAQP10 by the organometallic complexes. The obtained computational results by metadynamics show that the local arylation of Cys209 in hAQP10 by one of the gold inhibitors is mapped into a global change of the overall free energy of glycerol translocation across the channel. Our study further pinpoints the need to understand the mechanism of glycerol and small molecule permeation as a combination of local structural motifs and global pore conformational changes, which are taking place on the scale of the translocation process and whose study, therefore, require sophisticated molecular dynamics strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Pimpão
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Darren Wragg
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85747 Garching bei München, Germany
| | - Riccardo Bonsignore
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85747 Garching bei München, Germany
| | - Brech Aikman
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85747 Garching bei München, Germany
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Per Amstrup Pedersen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 13, DK-2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark
| | - Stefano Leoni
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Graça Soveral
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Angela Casini
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85747 Garching bei München, Germany
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Zhang M, Yang H, Zhu F, Xu R, Cheng Y. Transcript profiles analysis of citrus aquaporins in response to fruit water loss during storage. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2021; 23:819-830. [PMID: 33797834 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Water loss is an essential factor that affects the maintenance of quality of citrus fruit during postharvest handling and storage. Aquaporins (AQPs) play an important role in the transport of water across membranes. However, the expression profiling of AQPs is incomplete for citrus fruits during storage. In this study, a post-harvest storage experiment was performed using sweet orange fruits to determine changes in water loss and fruit quality. Also, genome-wide expression analysis of CsAQP genes was carried out in fruit of different citrus varieties during storage. Low humidity storage conditions accelerated the postharvest water loss and texture decline and increased the TSS content in the fruit. A total of 39 non-redundant CsAQP genes were identified. A comprehensive analysis of these genes demonstrated that all AQPs had conserved filter motifs in the different citrus varieties examined. Moreover, multiple expression analysis revealed AQPs had complex expression profiles upon water loss in citrus fruit, being time-specific in tight-skin varieties (orange and pomelo varieties), tissue-specific between peel and pulp, and variety-specific between loose-skin (mandarin varieties) and tight-skin varieties (such as sweet orange and pummelo). These results indicated that the relative humidity in storage environment affected the postharvest water loss and quality of citrus fruit. Besides, the alternation in AQPs expression may partially account for the different water loss ratio in citrus varieties and the transfer of water between the peel and the pulp of citrus fruit during storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Zhang
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - H Yang
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - F Zhu
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - R Xu
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Y Cheng
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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43
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Zhang L, Yao D, Xia Y, Zhou F, Zhang Q, Wang Q, Qin A, Zhao J, Li D, Li Y, Zhou L, Cao Y. The structural basis for glycerol permeation by human AQP7. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2021; 66:1550-1558. [PMID: 36654284 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Human glycerol channel aquaporin 7 (AQP7) conducts glycerol release from adipocyte and enters the cells in pancreatic islets, muscles, and kidney tubules, and thus regulates glycerol metabolism in those tissues. Compared with other human aquaglyceroporins, AQP7 shows a less conserved "NPA" motif in the center cavity and a pair of aromatic residues at Ar/R selectivity filter. To understand the structural basis for the glycerol conductance, we crystallized the human AQP7 and determined the structure at 3.7 Å. A substrate binding pocket was found near the Ar/R filter where a glycerol molecule is bound and stabilized by R229. Glycerol uptake assay on human AQP7 as well as AQP3 and AQP10 demonstrated strong glycerol transportation activities at the physiological condition. The human AQP7 structure, in combination with the molecular dynamics simulation thereon, reveals a fully closed conformation with its permeation pathway strictly confined by the Ar/R filter at the exoplasmic side and the gate at the cytoplasmic side, and the binding of glycerol at the Ar/R filter plays a critical role in controlling the glycerol flux by driving the dislocation of the residues at narrowest parts of glycerol pathway in AQP7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- CAS Center for Excellence on Molecular Cell Science, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Deqiang Yao
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China; iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Ying Xia
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China; Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Implant, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Fu Zhou
- CAS Center for Excellence on Molecular Cell Science, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- CAS Center for Excellence on Molecular Cell Science, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - An Qin
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Implant, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Implant, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Dianfan Li
- CAS Center for Excellence on Molecular Cell Science, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Lu Zhou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Yu Cao
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China; Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Implant, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China.
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44
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The gate to metabolic crossroads. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2021; 66:1488-1490. [PMID: 36654273 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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45
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McIlwain BC, Erwin AL, Davis AR, Ben Koff B, Chang L, Bylund T, Chuang GY, Kwong PD, Ohi MD, Lai YT, Stockbridge RB. N-terminal Transmembrane-Helix Epitope Tag for X-ray Crystallography and Electron Microscopy of Small Membrane Proteins. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166909. [PMID: 33676924 PMCID: PMC8292168 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.166909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Structural studies of membrane proteins, especially small membrane proteins, are associated with well-known experimental challenges. Complexation with monoclonal antibody fragments is a common strategy to augment such proteins; however, generating antibody fragments that specifically bind a target protein is not trivial. Here we identify a helical epitope, from the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of the gp41-transmembrane subunit of the HIV envelope protein, that is recognized by several well-characterized antibodies and that can be fused as a contiguous extension of the N-terminal transmembrane helix of a broad range of membrane proteins. To analyze whether this MPER-epitope tag might aid structural studies of small membrane proteins, we determined an X-ray crystal structure of a membrane protein target that does not crystallize without the aid of crystallization chaperones, the Fluc fluoride channel, fused to the MPER epitope and in complex with antibody. We also demonstrate the utility of this approach for single particle electron microscopy with Fluc and two additional small membrane proteins that represent different membrane protein folds, AdiC and GlpF. These studies show that the MPER epitope provides a structurally defined, rigid docking site for antibody fragments that is transferable among diverse membrane proteins and can be engineered without prior structural information. Antibodies that bind to the MPER epitope serve as effective crystallization chaperones and electron microscopy fiducial markers, enabling structural studies of challenging small membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C McIlwain
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Amanda L Erwin
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48019, United States
| | - Alexander R Davis
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - B Ben Koff
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Louise Chang
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Tatsiana Bylund
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Gwo-Yu Chuang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Peter D Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Melanie D Ohi
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48019, United States.
| | - Yen-Ting Lai
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States; Moderna Therapeutics, 200 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States.
| | - Randy B Stockbridge
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States.
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Gupta K, Wen Y, Ninan NS, Raimer AC, Sharp R, Spring A, Sarachan KL, Johnson MC, Van Duyne GD, Matera AG. Assembly of higher-order SMN oligomers is essential for metazoan viability and requires an exposed structural motif present in the YG zipper dimer. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:7644-7664. [PMID: 34181727 PMCID: PMC8287954 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein oligomerization is one mechanism by which homogenous solutions can separate into distinct liquid phases, enabling assembly of membraneless organelles. Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) is the eponymous component of a large macromolecular complex that chaperones biogenesis of eukaryotic ribonucleoproteins and localizes to distinct membraneless organelles in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. SMN forms the oligomeric core of this complex, and missense mutations within its YG box domain are known to cause Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The SMN YG box utilizes a unique variant of the glycine zipper motif to form dimers, but the mechanism of higher-order oligomerization remains unknown. Here, we use a combination of molecular genetic, phylogenetic, biophysical, biochemical and computational approaches to show that formation of higher-order SMN oligomers depends on a set of YG box residues that are not involved in dimerization. Mutation of key residues within this new structural motif restricts assembly of SMN to dimers and causes locomotor dysfunction and viability defects in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kushol Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19105-6059, USA
| | - Ying Wen
- Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Nisha S Ninan
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19105-6059, USA
| | - Amanda C Raimer
- Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Robert Sharp
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19105-6059, USA
| | - Ashlyn M Spring
- Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kathryn L Sarachan
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19105-6059, USA
| | - Meghan C Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Gregory D Van Duyne
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19105-6059, USA
| | - A Gregory Matera
- Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Ye X, Gao Y, Chen C, Xie F, Hua Q, Zhang Z, Zhang R, Zhao J, Hu G, Qin Y. Genome-Wide Identification of Aquaporin Gene Family in Pitaya Reveals an HuNIP6;1 Involved in Flowering Process. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7689. [PMID: 34299311 PMCID: PMC8306030 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are essential membrane proteins involved in seed maturation and germination, stomata movement, photosynthesis, and regulation of plant flowering processes. Pitaya flowers are open at night and wither at daybreak, which shows an obvious circadian rhythm. In this study, a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of AQPs in Hylocereus undantus was conducted to screen key genes associated with flowering processes. A total of 33 HuAQP genes were identified from the H. undantus genome. The 33 HuAQPs were grouped into four subfamilies: 10 PIPs, 13 TIPs, 8 NIPs, and 2 SIPs, which were distributed on 9 out of 11 pitaya chromosomes (Chr) (except for Chr7 and Chr10). Results from expression profiles showed that HuNIP6;1 may be involved in pitaya's floral opening. HuNIP6;1 was localized exclusively in the cell membrane. Overexpression of HuNIP6;1 in Arabidopsis thaliana significantly promoted early flowering through regulating negative flowering regulators of MJM30, COL9, and PRR5, suggesting that HuNIP6;1 plays key roles in regulating flowering time. The present study provides the first genome-wide analysis of the AQP gene family in pitaya and valuable information for utilization of HuAQPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Ye
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
- Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
| | - Yongshun Gao
- Institute of Forestry and Pomology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China;
| | - Canbin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
| | - Fangfang Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
| | - Qingzhu Hua
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
| | - Zhike Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
| | - Rong Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
| | - Jietang Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
| | - Guibing Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
| | - Yonghua Qin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (South China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.Y.); (C.C.); (F.X.); (Q.H.); (Z.Z.); (R.Z.); (J.Z.); (G.H.)
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48
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Venisse JS, Õunapuu-Pikas E, Dupont M, Gousset-Dupont A, Saadaoui M, Faize M, Chen S, Chen S, Petel G, Fumanal B, Roeckel-Drevet P, Sellin A, Label P. Genome-Wide Identification, Structure Characterization, and Expression Pattern Profiling of the Aquaporin Gene Family in Betula pendula. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7269. [PMID: 34298887 PMCID: PMC8304918 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Aquaporin water channels (AQPs) constitute a large family of transmembrane proteins present throughout all kingdoms of life. They play key roles in the flux of water and many solutes across the membranes. The AQP diversity, protein features, and biological functions of silver birch are still unknown. A genome analysis of Betula pendula identified 33 putative genes encoding full-length AQP sequences (BpeAQPs). They are grouped into five subfamilies, representing ten plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs), eight tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs), eight NOD26-like intrinsic proteins (NIPs), four X intrinsic proteins (XIPs), and three small basic intrinsic proteins (SIPs). The BpeAQP gene structure is conserved within each subfamily, with exon numbers ranging from one to five. The predictions of the aromatic/arginine selectivity filter (ar/R), Froger's positions, specificity-determining positions, and 2D and 3D biochemical properties indicate noticeable transport specificities to various non-aqueous substrates between members and/or subfamilies. Nevertheless, overall, the BpePIPs display mostly hydrophilic ar/R selective filter and lining-pore residues, whereas the BpeTIP, BpeNIP, BpeSIP, and BpeXIP subfamilies mostly contain hydrophobic permeation signatures. Transcriptional expression analyses indicate that 23 BpeAQP genes are transcribed, including five organ-related expressions. Surprisingly, no significant transcriptional expression is monitored in leaves in response to cold stress (6 °C), although interesting trends can be distinguished and will be discussed, notably in relation to the plasticity of this pioneer species, B. pendula. The current study presents the first detailed genome-wide analysis of the AQP gene family in a Betulaceae species, and our results lay a foundation for a better understanding of the specific functions of the BpeAQP genes in the responses of the silver birch trees to cold stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Stéphane Venisse
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.D.); (A.G.-D.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (B.F.); (P.R.-D.)
| | - Eele Õunapuu-Pikas
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 51005 Tartu, Estonia; (E.Õ.-P.); (A.S.)
| | - Maxime Dupont
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.D.); (A.G.-D.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (B.F.); (P.R.-D.)
| | - Aurélie Gousset-Dupont
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.D.); (A.G.-D.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (B.F.); (P.R.-D.)
| | - Mouadh Saadaoui
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.D.); (A.G.-D.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (B.F.); (P.R.-D.)
- National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia (INAT), Crop Improvement Laboratory, INRAT, Tunis CP 1004, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Faize
- Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Ecology and Ecosystem Valorization, Faculty of Sciences, University Chouaib Doukkali, El Jadida 24000, Morocco;
| | - Song Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China; (S.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Su Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China; (S.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Gilles Petel
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.D.); (A.G.-D.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (B.F.); (P.R.-D.)
| | - Boris Fumanal
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.D.); (A.G.-D.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (B.F.); (P.R.-D.)
| | - Patricia Roeckel-Drevet
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.D.); (A.G.-D.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (B.F.); (P.R.-D.)
| | - Arne Sellin
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 51005 Tartu, Estonia; (E.Õ.-P.); (A.S.)
| | - Philippe Label
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (M.D.); (A.G.-D.); (M.S.); (G.P.); (B.F.); (P.R.-D.)
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49
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Zhang M, Liu R, Liu H, Yang H, Li X, Wang P, Zhu F, Xu R, Xue S, Cheng Y. Citrus NIP5;1 aquaporin regulates cell membrane water permeability and alters PIPs plasma membrane localization. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 106:449-462. [PMID: 34173150 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-021-01164-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The ER or donut-like structures localized aquaporin NIP5;1, which interacts with PIPs and alters their localization from plasma membrane to donut-like structures, regulates water permeability. NOD26-like intrinsic proteins (NIPs) play important roles in nutrient uptake and response to various stresses. However, there have been few studies of their functions in water transportation in citrus. Here, we demonstrate the functions of a novel citrus NIP aquaporin (CsNIP5;1) via multiple physiological and biochemical experiments. CsNIP5;1 showed high water permeability when expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and yeast. However, subcellular localization assays showed that this protein was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or donut-like structures in citrus callus and tobacco leaf. Meanwhile, overexpression of CsNIP5;1 led to a reduction in the water permeability of citrus callus. Protein-protein interaction experiments and subcellular localization assays further revealed that CsNIP5;1 physically interacted with PIPs (CsPIP1;1 and AtPIP2;1), which altered their subcellular localization from the plasma membrane to donut-like structures. Together, CsNIP5;1 was identified as a good water channel when expressed in oocytes and yeast. Meanwhile, CsNIP5;1 participated in the regulation of water permeability of citrus callus, which may be associated with CsNIP5;1-induced re-localization of water channels PIPs. In summary, these results provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of AQPs-mediated water diffusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfei Zhang
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruilian Liu
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Hai Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Hongbin Yang
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Li
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Wang
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Zhu
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Rangwei Xu
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaowu Xue
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yunjiang Cheng
- National R&D Centre for Citrus Preservation, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China.
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50
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Tunes LG, Ascher DB, Pires DEV, Monte-Neto RL. The mutation G133D on Leishmania guyanensis AQP1 is highly destabilizing as revealed by molecular modeling and hypo-osmotic shock assay. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2021; 1863:183682. [PMID: 34175297 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The Leishmania aquaglyceroporin 1 (AQP1) plays an important role in osmoregulation and antimony (Sb) uptake, being determinant for resistance to antimony. We have previously demonstrated that G133D mutation on L. guyanensis AQP1 (LgAQP1) leads to reduced Sb uptake. Here, we investigated the effects of G133D mutation on LgAQP1 structure, associated with Sb uptake and alterations in osmoregulation capacity. High confidence molecular models of wild-type LgAQP1 as well as the LgAQP1::G133D mutant were constructed and optimized via comparative homology modeling. Computational methods from the mCSM platform were used to evaluate the effects on protein stability and on its ability to bind to glycerol. Functional validation of the disruptive effect of the mutation on LgAQP1 was done by challenging the parasites with hypo-osmotic chock. Glycine 133 is on transmembrane helix 3, buried in the membrane in both open and closed conformation. G133D mutation was predicted to be highly destabilizing, as it alters the helical bundling arrangement in order to accommodate the aspartic acid side chain. The shift in helices also resulted in fewer favorable contacts with glycerol in the channel, which would explain the reduced affinity for similar small molecules as SbO3. Under hypo-osmotic condition, L. guyanensis AQP1G133D presented a 3-fold increase in cellular volume and pronounced delay to recover osmosis homeostasis when compared to the wild-type, a profile that was enhanced in LgAQP1-/- mutants. In conclusion, G133D is a highly disruptive mutation that will destabilize the monomer, compromise tetramer formation and alter pore conformation, leading to reduced Sb uptake and deficient osmoregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza G Tunes
- Biotechnology Applied to Pathogens Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Minas), Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, Belo Horizonte 30190-009, MG, Brazil; The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, 75390-8511 Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - David B Ascher
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Bio21 Institute, 30 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia; Computational Biology and Clinical Informatics, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, VIC 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Douglas E V Pires
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Bio21 Institute, 30 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia; Computational Biology and Clinical Informatics, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, VIC 3004, Melbourne, Australia; School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Doug McDonell Building, VIC 3010, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Rubens L Monte-Neto
- Biotechnology Applied to Pathogens Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Minas), Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, Belo Horizonte 30190-009, MG, Brazil.
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