1
|
Mou J, Ning XL, Wang XY, Hou SY, Meng FB, Zhou C, Wu JW, Li C, Jia T, Wu X, Wu Y, Chen Y, Li GB. X-ray Structure-Guided Discovery of a Potent Benzimidazole Glutaminyl Cyclase Inhibitor That Shows Activity in a Parkinson's Disease Mouse Model. J Med Chem 2024; 67:8730-8756. [PMID: 38817193 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The secretory glutaminyl cyclase (sQC) and Golgi-resident glutaminyl cyclase (gQC) are responsible for N-terminal protein pyroglutamation and associated with various human diseases. Although several sQC/gQC inhibitors have been reported, only one inhibitor, PQ912, is currently undergoing clinic trials for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. We report an X-ray crystal structure of sQC complexed with PQ912, revealing that the benzimidazole makes "anchor" interactions with the active site zinc ion and catalytic triad. Structure-guided design and optimization led to a series of new benzimidazole derivatives exhibiting nanomolar inhibition for both sQC and gQC. In a MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) mouse model, BI-43 manifested efficacy in mitigating locomotor deficits through reversing dopaminergic neuronal loss, reducing microglia, and decreasing levels of the sQC/gQC substrates, α-synuclein, and CCL2. This study not only offers structural basis and new leads for drug discovery targeting sQC/gQC but also provides evidence supporting sQC/gQC as potential targets for PD treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Mou
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiang-Li Ning
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xin-Yue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Shu-Yan Hou
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Fan-Bo Meng
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Cong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jing-Wei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Tao Jia
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiaoai Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yongping Chen
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Guo-Bo Li
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Leyden MR, Gowen B, Gonzalez-Romero R, Eirin-Lopez JM, Kim BH, Hayashi F, McCartney J, Zhang PC, Kubo-Irie M, Shabanowitz J, Hunt DF, Ferree P, Kasinsky H, Ausió J. Protamines and the sperm nuclear basic proteins Pandora's Box of insects. Biochem Cell Biol 2024; 102:238-251. [PMID: 38408323 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2023-0363] [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] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Insects are the largest group of animals when it comes to the number and diversity of species. Yet, with the exception of Drosophila, no information is currently available on the primary structure of their sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBPs). This paper represents the first attempt in this regard and provides information about six species of Neoptera: Poecillimon thessalicus, Graptosaltria nigrofuscata, Apis mellifera, Nasonia vitripennis, Parachauliodes continentalis, and Tribolium castaneum. The SNBPs of these species were characterized by acetic acid urea gel electrophoresis (AU-PAGE) and high-performance liquid chromatography fractionated. Protein sequencing was obtained using a combination of mass spectrometry sequencing, Edman N-terminal degradation sequencing and genome mining. While the SNBPs of several of these species exhibit a canonical arginine-rich protamine nature, a few of them exhibit a protamine-like composition. They appear to be the products of extensive cleavage processing from a precursor protein which are sometimes further processed by other post-translational modifications that are likely involved in the chromatin transitions observed during spermiogenesis in these organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R Leyden
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Brent Gowen
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Gonzalez-Romero
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Jose Maria Eirin-Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Bo-Hyun Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Fumio Hayashi
- Department of Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Minamiosawa 1-1, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Jay McCartney
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand
| | - Patrick C Zhang
- W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Miyoko Kubo-Irie
- Biological Laboratory, The Open University of Japan, Wakaba, Mihama-ku, Chiba, 261-8506, Japan
| | - Jeffrey Shabanowitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Donald F Hunt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Patrick Ferree
- W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Harold Kasinsky
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Juan Ausió
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Szczęśniak K, Veillard F, Scavenius C, Chudzik K, Ferenc K, Bochtler M, Potempa J, Mizgalska D. The Bacteroidetes Q-rule and glutaminyl cyclase activity increase the stability of extracytoplasmic proteins. mBio 2023; 14:e0098023. [PMID: 37750700 PMCID: PMC10653852 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00980-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Exclusively in the Bacteroidetes phylum, most proteins exported across the inner membrane via the Sec system and released into the periplasm by type I signal peptidase have N-terminal glutamine converted to pyroglutamate. The reaction is catalyzed by the periplasmic enzyme glutaminyl cyclase (QC), which is essential for the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis and other periodontopathogens. Apparently, pyroglutamyl formation stabilizes extracytoplasmic proteins and/or protects them from proteolytic degradation in the periplasm. Given the role of P. gingivalis as the keystone pathogen in periodontitis, P. gingivalis QC is a promising target for the development of drugs to treat and/or prevent this highly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease leading to tooth loss and associated with severe systemic diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Szczęśniak
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Florian Veillard
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Carsten Scavenius
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kamila Chudzik
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Kinga Ferenc
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Matthias Bochtler
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jan Potempa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Danuta Mizgalska
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Larkin JO, Jayanthi B, Segatori L, Ball ZT. Boronic Acid Resin for Selective Immobilization of Canonically Encoded Proteins. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:2196-2202. [PMID: 37084390 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
The use of transition-metal-mediated boronic acid chemistry presents a novel method of protein immobilization on a solid support. This is a one-step method that site-selectively immobilizes pyroglutamate-histidine (pGH)-tagged proteins. Herein, we describe the synthesis of alkenylboronic acid-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) acrylamide (PEGA) resin and its subsequent reactions with pGH-tagged proteins to produce covalent linkages. The selectivity of immobilization is demonstrated within fluorescent studies, model mixtures, and lysates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James O Larkin
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Brianna Jayanthi
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Laura Segatori
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Zachary T Ball
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Vogt E, Sonderegger L, Chen YY, Segessemann T, Künzler M. Structural and Functional Analysis of Peptides Derived from KEX2-Processed Repeat Proteins in Agaricomycetes Using Reverse Genetics and Peptidomics. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0202122. [PMID: 36314921 PMCID: PMC9769878 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02021-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioactivities of fungal peptides are of interest for basic research and therapeutic drug development. Some of these peptides are derived from "KEX2-processed repeat proteins" (KEPs), a recently defined class of precursor proteins that contain multiple peptide cores flanked by KEX2 protease cleavage sites. Genome mining has revealed that KEPs are widespread in the fungal kingdom. Their functions are largely unknown. Here, we present the first in-depth structural and functional analysis of KEPs in a basidiomycete. We bioinformatically identified KEP-encoding genes in the genome of the model agaricomycete Coprinopsis cinerea and established a detection protocol for the derived peptides by overexpressing the C. cinerea KEPs in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Using this protocol, which includes peptide extraction and mass spectrometry with data analysis using the search engine Mascot, we confirmed the presence of several KEP-derived peptides in C. cinerea, as well as in the edible mushrooms Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Pleurotus eryngii. While CRISPR-mediated knockout of C. cinerea kep genes did not result in any detectable phenotype, knockout of kex genes caused defects in mycelial growth and fruiting body formation. These results suggest that KEP-derived peptides may play a role in the interaction of C. cinerea with the biotic environment and that the KEP-processing KEX proteases target a variety of substrates in agaricomycetes, including some important for mycelial growth and differentiation. IMPORTANCE Two recent bioinformatics studies have demonstrated that KEX2-processed repeat proteins are widespread in the fungal kingdom. However, despite the prevalence of KEPs in fungal genomes, only few KEP-derived peptides have been detected and studied so far. Here, we present a protocol for the extraction and structural characterization of KEP-derived peptides from fungal culture supernatants and tissues. The protocol was successfully used to detect several linear and minimally modified KEP-derived peptides in the agaricomycetes C. cinerea, L. edodes, P. ostreatus, and P. eryngii. Our study establishes a new protocol for the targeted search of KEP-derived peptides in fungi, which will hopefully lead to the discovery of more of these interesting fungal peptides and allow a further characterization of KEPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva Vogt
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Sonderegger
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ying-Yu Chen
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tina Segessemann
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Künzler
- ETH Zürich, Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
A Unique Carboxylic-Acid Hydrogen-Bond Network (CAHBN) Confers Glutaminyl Cyclase Activity on M28 Family Enzymes. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166960. [PMID: 33774034 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.166960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Proteins with sequence or structure similar to those of di-Zn exopeptidases are usually classified as the M28-family enzymes, including the mammalian-type glutaminyl cyclases (QCs). QC catalyzes protein N-terminal pyroglutamate formation, a posttranslational modification important under many physiological and pathological conditions, and is a drug target for treating neurodegenerative diseases, cancers and inflammatory disorders. Without functional characterization, mammalian QCs and their orthologs remain indistinguishable at the sequence and structure levels from other M28-family proteins, leading to few reported QCs. Here, we show that a low-barrier carboxylic-acid hydrogen-bond network (CAHBN) is required for QC activity and discriminates QCs from M28-family peptidases. We demonstrate that the CAHBN-containing M28 peptidases deposited in the PDB are indeed QCs. Our analyses identify several thousands of QCs from the three domains of life, and we enzymatically and structurally characterize several. For the first time, the interplay between a CAHBN and the binuclear metal-binding center of mammalian QCs is made clear. We found that the presence or absence of CAHBN is a key discriminator for the formation of either the mono-Zn QCs or the di-Zn exopeptidases. Our study helps explain the possible roles of QCs in life.
Collapse
|
7
|
Taudte N, Linnert M, Rahfeld JU, Piechotta A, Ramsbeck D, Buchholz M, Kolenko P, Parthier C, Houston JA, Veillard F, Eick S, Potempa J, Schilling S, Demuth HU, Stubbs MT. Mammalian-like type II glutaminyl cyclases in Porphyromonas gingivalis and other oral pathogenic bacteria as targets for treatment of periodontitis. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100263. [PMID: 33837744 PMCID: PMC7948796 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of a targeted therapy would significantly improve the treatment of periodontitis and its associated diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular diseases. Glutaminyl cyclases (QCs) from the oral pathogens Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Prevotella intermedia represent attractive target enzymes for small-molecule inhibitor development, as their action is likely to stabilize essential periplasmic and outer membrane proteins by N-terminal pyroglutamination. In contrast to other microbial QCs that utilize the so-called type I enzymes, these oral pathogens possess sequences corresponding to type II QCs, observed hitherto only in animals. However, whether differences between these bacteroidal QCs and animal QCs are sufficient to enable development of selective inhibitors is not clear. To learn more, we recombinantly expressed all three QCs. They exhibit comparable catalytic efficiencies and are inhibited by metal chelators. Crystal structures of the enzymes from P. gingivalis (PgQC) and T. forsythia (TfQC) reveal a tertiary structure composed of an eight-stranded β-sheet surrounded by seven α-helices, typical of animal type II QCs. In each case, an active site Zn ion is tetrahedrally coordinated by conserved residues. Nevertheless, significant differences to mammalian enzymes are found around the active site of the bacteroidal enzymes. Application of a PgQC-selective inhibitor described here for the first time results in growth inhibition of two P. gingivalis clinical isolates in a dose-dependent manner. The insights gained by these studies will assist in the development of highly specific small-molecule bacteroidal QC inhibitors, paving the way for alternative therapies against periodontitis and associated diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Taudte
- Periotrap Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Miriam Linnert
- Department of Molecular Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Jens-Ulrich Rahfeld
- Department of Molecular Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Halle (Saale), Germany.
| | - Anke Piechotta
- Department of Molecular Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Daniel Ramsbeck
- Department of Molecular Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Mirko Buchholz
- Periotrap Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Halle (Saale), Germany; Department of Molecular Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Petr Kolenko
- Institut für Biochemie und Biotechnologie, Charles-Tanford-Proteinzentrum, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Christoph Parthier
- Institut für Biochemie und Biotechnologie, Charles-Tanford-Proteinzentrum, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - John A Houston
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, School of Dentistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Florian Veillard
- Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Sigrun Eick
- Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jan Potempa
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, School of Dentistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Stephan Schilling
- Department of Molecular Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Halle (Saale), Germany; Angewandte Biowissenschaften und Prozesstechnik, Hochschule Anhalt, Köthen, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Demuth
- Department of Molecular Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Milton T Stubbs
- Institut für Biochemie und Biotechnologie, Charles-Tanford-Proteinzentrum, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany; ZIK HALOmem, Charles-Tanford-Proteinzentrum, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
Filamentous fungi are critical for the recycling of plant litter in the biosphere by degrading lignocellulosic biomass into simpler compounds for metabolism. Both saprophytic and pathogenic fungi utilize plant cell wall-degrading enzymes to liberate carbon for metabolism. Several studies have demonstrated a role for cellulase enzymes during infection of economically relevant crops by fungal pathogens. Especially in developing countries, severe plant disease means loss of entire crops, sometimes leading to starvation. In this study, we demonstrate that G-protein signaling is a key component of cellulase production. Therefore, understanding the role of G-protein signaling in the regulation of the unique metabolism of cellulose by these organisms can inform innovations in strain engineering of industrially relevant species for biofuel production and in combatting food shortages caused by plant pathogens. The filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa decomposes lignocellulosic biomass to generate soluble sugars as carbon sources. In this study, we investigated a role for heterotrimeric G-protein signaling in cellulose degradation. Loss of the Gα subunit genes gna-1 and gna-3, the Gβ subunit genes gnb-1 and cpc-2, the Gγ gene gng-1, or the gene for downstream effector adenylyl cyclase (cr-1) resulted in loss of detectable cellulase activity. This defect was also observed in strains expressing a constitutively active version of gna-3 (gna-3Q208L). We found that GNA-1 levels are greatly reduced in Δgna-3, Δgnb-1, and Δgng-1 strains, likely contributing to cellulase defects in these genetic backgrounds. The observation that gna-3Q208L Δgnb-1 strains exhibit cellulase activity, despite greatly reduced levels of GNA-1 protein, is consistent with positive control of cellulase production by GNA-3 that is manifested in the absence of gnb-1. Expression patterns for five cellulase genes showed that Δgna-1, Δgnb-1, and Δgna-3 mutants produce less cellulase mRNA than the wild type, consistent with transcriptional regulation. Δcpc-2 mutants had wild-type levels of cellulase transcripts, suggesting posttranscriptional control. In contrast, results for Δcr-1 mutants support both transcriptional and posttranscriptional control of cellulase activity by cAMP signaling. Cellulase activity defects in Δgna-3 mutants were fully remediated by cAMP supplementation, consistent with GNA-3 operating upstream of cAMP signaling. In contrast, cAMP addition only partially corrected cellulase activity defects in Δgna-1 and Δgnb-1 mutants, suggesting participation of GNA-1 and GNB-1 in additional cAMP-independent pathways that control cellulase activity.
Collapse
|
9
|
Jiang X, Du J, He R, Zhang Z, Qi F, Huang J, Qin L. Improved Production of Majority Cellulases in Trichoderma reesei by Integration of cbh1 Gene From Chaetomium thermophilum. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1633. [PMID: 32765463 PMCID: PMC7381231 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lignocellulose is an abundant waste resource and has been considered as a promising material for production of biofuels or other valuable bio-products. Currently, one of the major bottlenecks in the economic utilization of lignocellulosic materials is the cost-efficiency of converting lignocellulose into soluble sugars for fermentation. One way to address this problem is to seek superior lignocellulose degradation enzymes or further improve current production yields of lignocellulases. In the present study, the lignocellulose degradation capacity of a thermophilic fungus Chaetomium thermophilum was firstly evaluated and compared to that of the biotechnological workhorse Trichoderma reesei. The data demonstrated that compared to T. reesei, C. thermophilum displayed substantially higher cellulose-utilizing efficiency with relatively lower production of cellulases, indicating that better cellulases might exist in C. thermophilum. Comparison of the protein secretome between C. thermophilum and T. reesei showed that the secreted protein categories were quite different in these two species. In addition, to prove that cellulases in C. thermophilum had better enzymatic properties, the major cellulase cellobiohydrolase I (CBH1) from C. thermophilum and T. reesei were firstly characterized, respectively. The data showed that the specific activity of C. thermophilum CBH1 was about 4.5-fold higher than T. reesei CBH1 in a wide range of temperatures and pH. To explore whether increasing CBH1 activity in T. reesei could contribute to improving the overall cellulose-utilizing efficiency of T. reesei, T. reesei cbh1 gene was replaced with C. thermophilum cbh1 gene by integration of C. thermophilum cbh1 gene into T. reesei cbh1 gene locus. The data surprisingly showed that this gene replacement not only increased the cellobiohydrolase activities by around 4.1-fold, but also resulted in stronger induction of other cellulases genes, which caused the filter paper activities, Azo-CMC activities and β-glucosidase activities increased by about 2.2, 1.9, and 2.3-fold, respectively. The study here not only provided new resources of superior cellulases genes and new strategy to improve the cellulase production in T. reesei, but also contribute to opening the path for fundamental research on C. thermophilum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhang Jiang
- National Joint Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiawen Du
- National Joint Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ruonan He
- National Joint Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhengying Zhang
- National Joint Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Feng Qi
- National Joint Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jianzhong Huang
- National Joint Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lina Qin
- National Joint Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China.,Provincial University Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Response and Metabolic Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
van Eerde A, Várnai A, Jameson JK, Paruch L, Moen A, Anonsen JH, Chylenski P, Steen HS, Heldal I, Bock R, Eijsink VGH, Liu‐Clarke J. In-depth characterization of Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase TrCel7A produced in Nicotiana benthamiana reveals limitations of cellulase production in plants by host-specific post-translational modifications. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2020; 18:631-643. [PMID: 31373133 PMCID: PMC7004914 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable production of biofuels from lignocellulose feedstocks depends on cheap enzymes for degradation of such biomass. Plants offer a safe and cost-effective production platform for biopharmaceuticals, vaccines and industrial enzymes boosting biomass conversion to biofuels. Production of intact and functional protein is a prerequisite for large-scale protein production, and extensive host-specific post-translational modifications (PTMs) often affect the catalytic properties and stability of recombinant enzymes. Here we investigated the impact of plant PTMs on enzyme performance and stability of the major cellobiohydrolase TrCel7A from Trichoderma reesei, an industrially relevant enzyme. TrCel7A was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana using a vacuum-based transient expression technology, and this recombinant enzyme (TrCel7Arec ) was compared with the native fungal enzyme (TrCel7Anat ) in terms of PTMs and catalytic activity on commercial and industrial substrates. We show that the N-terminal glutamate of TrCel7Arec was correctly processed by N. benthamiana to a pyroglutamate, critical for protein structure, while the linker region of TrCel7Arec was vulnerable to proteolytic digestion during protein production due to the absence of O-mannosylation in the plant host as compared with the native protein. In general, the purified full-length TrCel7Arec had 25% lower catalytic activity than TrCel7Anat and impaired substrate-binding properties, which can be attributed to larger N-glycans and lack of O-glycans in TrCel7Arec . All in all, our study reveals that the glycosylation machinery of N. benthamiana needs tailoring to optimize the production of efficient cellulases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anikó Várnai
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | - John Kristian Jameson
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | - Lisa Paruch
- NIBIONorwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchÅsNorway
| | - Anders Moen
- Department of BiosciencesFaculty of Mathematics and Natural SciencesUniversity of Oslo (UiO)OsloNorway
| | - Jan Haug Anonsen
- Department of BiosciencesFaculty of Mathematics and Natural SciencesUniversity of Oslo (UiO)OsloNorway
| | - Piotr Chylenski
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | | | - Inger Heldal
- NIBIONorwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchÅsNorway
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Vincent G. H. Eijsink
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ball ZT. Protein Substrates for Reaction Discovery: Site-Selective Modification with Boronic Acid Reagents. Acc Chem Res 2019; 52:566-575. [PMID: 30821435 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.8b00626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Chemical modification of natural proteins must navigate difficult selectivity questions in a complex polyfunctional aqueous environment, within a narrow window of acceptable conditions. Limits on solvent mixtures, pH, and temperature create challenges for most synthetic methods. While a protein's complex polyfunctional environment undoubtedly creates challenges for traditional reactions, we wondered if it also might create opportunities for pursuing new bioconjugation reactivity directly on protein substrates. This Account describes our efforts to date to discover and develop new and useful reactivity for protein modification by starting from an open-ended screen of potential transition-metal catalysts for boronic acid reactivity with a model protein substrate. By starting from a broad screen, we were hoping to take advantage of the very many potential reactive sites on even a small model protein. And perhaps more importantly, whole proteins as reaction screening substrates might exhibit uniquely reactive local environments, the results of a dense combination of functional groups that would be nearly impossible to mimic in a small-molecule context. This effort has resulted in the discovery of four new protein modification reactions with boronic acid reagents, including a remarkable modification of specific backbone N-H bonds. This histidine-directed Chan-Lam coupling, based on specific proximity of an imidazole and two amide groups, is one important example of powerful reactivity that depends on a combination of functional groups that proteins make possible. Other bioconjugation reactions uncovered include a three-component tyrosine metalation with rhodium(III), a nickel-catalyzed cysteine arylation, and an unusual ascorbate-mediated oxidative process for N-terminal modification. The remarkably broad scope of reactivity types encountered in this work is a testament to the breadth of boronic acid reactivity. It is also a demonstration of the diverse reactivities that are possible by the combined alteration of boronic acid structure and metal promoter. The discovery of specific backbone modification chemistry has been a broadly empowering reactivity. Pyroglutamate, a naturally occurring posttranslational modification, exhibits remarkably high reactivity in histidine-directed backbone modification, which allows us to treat pyroglutamate as a reactive bioorthogonal handle that is readily incorporated into proteins of interest by natural machinery. In another research direction, the development of a vinylogous photocleavage system has allowed us to view backbone modification as a photocaging modification which is released by exposure to light.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary T. Ball
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| |
Collapse
|