1
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Lister JGR, Loewen ME, Loewen MC, St-Jacques AD. Rational design of disulfide bonds to increase thermostability of Rhodococcus opacus catechol 1,2 dioxygenase. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024. [PMID: 39091151 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28808] [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: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Catechol 1,2 dioxygenase is a versatile enzyme with several potential applications. However, due to its low thermostability, its industrial potential is not being met. In this study, the thermostability of a mesophilic catechol 1,2 dioxygenase from the species Rhodococcus opacus was enhanced via the introduction of disulphide bonds into its structure. Engineered designs (56) were obtained using computational prediction applications, with a set of hypothesized selection criteria narrowing the list to 9. Following recombinant production and purification, several of the designs demonstrated substantially improved protein thermostability. Notably, variant K96C-D278C yielded improvements including a 4.6°C increase in T50, a 725% increase in half-life, a 5.5°C increase in Tm, and a >10-fold increase in total turnover number compared to wild type. Stacking of best designs was not productive. Overall, current state-of-the-art prediction algorithms were effective for design of disulfide-thermostabilized catechol 1,2 dioxygenase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua G R Lister
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew E Loewen
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Michele C Loewen
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- National Research Council of Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resources Development, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Antony D St-Jacques
- National Research Council of Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resources Development, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Wu T, Gale‐Day ZJ, Gestwicki JE. DSFworld: A flexible and precise tool to analyze differential scanning fluorimetry data. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5022. [PMID: 38747440 PMCID: PMC11095082 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) is a method to determine the apparent melting temperature (Tma) of a purified protein. In DSF, the raw unfolding curves from which Tma is calculated vary widely in shape and complexity. However, the tools available for calculating Tma are only compatible with the simplest of DSF curves, hindering many otherwise straightforward applications of the technology. To overcome this limitation, we designed new mathematical models for Tma calculation that accommodate common forms of variation in DSF curves, including the number of transitions, the presence of high initial signal, and temperature-dependent signal decay. When tested these models against DSFbase, an open-source database of 6235 raw, real-life DSF curves, these models outperformed the existing standard approaches of sigmoid fitting and maximum of the first derivative. To make these models accessible, we created an open-source software and website, DSFworld (https://gestwickilab.shinyapps.io/dsfworld/). In addition to these improved fitting capabilities, DSFworld also includes features that overcome the practical limitations of many analysis workflows, including automatic reformatting of raw data exported from common qPCR instruments, labeling of data based on experimental variables, and flexible interactive plotting. We hope that DSFworld will enable more streamlined and accurate calculation of Tma values for DSF experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiasean Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chemistry & Chemical Biology Program and the Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Zachary J. Gale‐Day
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chemistry & Chemical Biology Program and the Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jason E. Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chemistry & Chemical Biology Program and the Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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3
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Douglas JT, Johnson DK, Roy A, Park T. Use of phosphotyrosine-containing peptides to target SH2 domains: Antagonist peptides of the Crk/CrkL-p130Cas axis. Methods Enzymol 2024; 698:301-342. [PMID: 38886037 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.04.013] [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: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions between SH2 domains and segments of proteins that include a post-translationally phosphorylated tyrosine residue (pY) underpin numerous signal transduction cascades that allow cells to respond to their environment. Dysregulation of the writing, erasing, and reading of these posttranslational modifications is a hallmark of human disease, notably cancer. Elucidating the precise role of the SH2 domain-containing adaptor proteins Crk and CrkL in tumor cell migration and invasion is challenging because there are no specific and potent antagonists available. Crk and CrkL SH2s interact with a region of the docking protein p130Cas containing 15 potential pY-containing tetrapeptide motifs. This chapter summarizes recent efforts toward peptide antagonists for this Crk/CrkL-p130Cas interaction. We describe our protocol for recombinant expression and purification of Crk and CrkL SH2s for functional assays and our procedure to determine the consensus binding motif from the p130Cas sequence. To develop a more potent antagonist, we employ methods often associated with structure-based drug design. Computational docking using Rosetta FlexPepDock, which accounts for peptides having a greater number of conformational degrees of freedom than small organic molecules that typically constitute libraries, provides quantitative docking metrics to prioritize candidate peptides for experimental testing. A battery of biophysical assays, including fluorescence polarization, differential scanning fluorimetry and saturation transfer difference nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, were employed to assess the candidates. In parallel, GST pulldown competition assays characterized protein-protein binding in vitro. Taken together, our methodology yields peptide antagonists of the Crk/CrkL-p130Cas axis that will be used to validate targets, assess druggability, foster in vitro assay development, and potentially serve as lead compounds for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin T Douglas
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Core Lab, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - David K Johnson
- Computational Chemical Biology Core, Molecular Graphics and Modeling Laboratory, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States
| | - Anuradha Roy
- High Throughput Screening Laboratory, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Taeju Park
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Kansas City and University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States
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4
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Bursch KL, Goetz CJ, Jiao G, Nuñez R, Olp MD, Dhiman A, Khurana M, Zimmermann MT, Urrutia RA, Dykhuizen EC, Smith BC. Cancer-associated polybromo-1 bromodomain 4 missense variants variably impact bromodomain ligand binding and cell growth suppression. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107146. [PMID: 38460939 PMCID: PMC11002309 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107146] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The polybromo, brahma-related gene 1-associated factors (PBAF) chromatin remodeling complex subunit polybromo-1 (PBRM1) contains six bromodomains that recognize and bind acetylated lysine residues on histone tails and other nuclear proteins. PBRM1 bromodomains thus provide a link between epigenetic posttranslational modifications and PBAF modulation of chromatin accessibility and transcription. As a putative tumor suppressor in several cancers, PBRM1 protein expression is often abrogated by truncations and deletions. However, ∼33% of PBRM1 mutations in cancer are missense and cluster within its bromodomains. Such mutations may generate full-length PBRM1 variant proteins with undetermined structural and functional characteristics. Here, we employed computational, biophysical, and cellular assays to interrogate the effects of PBRM1 bromodomain missense variants on bromodomain stability and function. Since mutations in the fourth bromodomain of PBRM1 (PBRM1-BD4) comprise nearly 20% of all cancer-associated PBRM1 missense mutations, we focused our analysis on PBRM1-BD4 missense protein variants. Selecting 16 potentially deleterious PBRM1-BD4 missense protein variants for further study based on high residue mutational frequency and/or conservation, we show that cancer-associated PBRM1-BD4 missense variants exhibit varied bromodomain stability and ability to bind acetylated histones. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of identifying the unique impacts of individual PBRM1-BD4 missense variants on protein structure and function, based on affected residue location within the bromodomain. This knowledge provides a foundation for drawing correlations between specific cancer-associated PBRM1 missense variants and distinct alterations in PBRM1 function, informing future cancer personalized medicine approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina L Bursch
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Structural Genomics Unit, Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Christopher J Goetz
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Guanming Jiao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Raymundo Nuñez
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Michael D Olp
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alisha Dhiman
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Mallika Khurana
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Michael T Zimmermann
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Structural Genomics Unit, Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Raul A Urrutia
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Structural Genomics Unit, Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Emily C Dykhuizen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Brian C Smith
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Structural Genomics Unit, Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Program in Chemical Biology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
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5
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Esquirol L, Newman J, Nebl T, Scott C, Vickers C, Sainsbury F, Peat TS. Characterization of novel mevalonate kinases from the tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus and the psychrophilic archaeon Methanococcoides burtonii. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2024; 80:203-215. [PMID: 38411551 PMCID: PMC10910542 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798324001360] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Mevalonate kinase is central to the isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway. Here, high-resolution X-ray crystal structures of two mevalonate kinases are presented: a eukaryotic protein from Ramazzottius varieornatus and an archaeal protein from Methanococcoides burtonii. Both enzymes possess the highly conserved motifs of the GHMP enzyme superfamily, with notable differences between the two enzymes in the N-terminal part of the structures. Biochemical characterization of the two enzymes revealed major differences in their sensitivity to geranyl pyrophosphate and farnesyl pyrophosphate, and in their thermal stabilities. This work adds to the understanding of the structural basis of enzyme inhibition and thermostability in mevalonate kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lygie Esquirol
- Environment, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Janet Newman
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Tom Nebl
- Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Colin Scott
- Environment, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Claudia Vickers
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
- Synbio Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Frank Sainsbury
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
- Synbio Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Thomas S. Peat
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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6
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Wu T, Hornsby M, Zhu L, Yu JC, Shokat KM, Gestwicki JE. Protocol for performing and optimizing differential scanning fluorimetry experiments. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102688. [PMID: 37943662 PMCID: PMC10663957 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) is a widely used technique for determining the apparent melting temperature (Tma) of a purified protein. Here, we present a protocol for performing and optimizing DSF experiments. We describe steps for designing and performing the experiment, analyzing data, and optimization. We provide benchmarks for typical Tmas and ΔTmas, standard assay conditions, and upper and lower limits of commonly altered experimental variables. We also detail common pitfalls of DSF and ways to avoid, identify, and overcome them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiasean Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Michael Hornsby
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 941583, USA
| | - Lawrence Zhu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Joshua C Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Kevan M Shokat
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 941583, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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7
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Llowarch P, Usselmann L, Ivanov D, Holdgate GA. Thermal unfolding methods in drug discovery. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:021305. [PMID: 38510342 PMCID: PMC10903397 DOI: 10.1063/5.0144141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Thermal unfolding methods, applied in both isolated protein and cell-based settings, are increasingly used to identify and characterize hits during early drug discovery. Technical developments over recent years have facilitated their application in high-throughput approaches, and they now are used more frequently for primary screening. Widespread access to instrumentation and automation, the ability to miniaturize, as well as the capability and capacity to generate the appropriate scale and quality of protein and cell reagents have all played a part in these advances. As the nature of drug targets and approaches to their modulation have evolved, these methods have broadened our ability to provide useful chemical start points. Target proteins without catalytic function, or those that may be difficult to express and purify, are amenable to these methods. Here, we provide a review of the applications of thermal unfolding methods applied in hit finding during early drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy Llowarch
- High Throughput Screening, Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Usselmann
- High Throughput Screening, Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, United Kingdom
| | - Delyan Ivanov
- High Throughput Screening, Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, United Kingdom
| | - Geoffrey A. Holdgate
- High Throughput Screening, Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, United Kingdom
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8
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Joho Y, Vongsouthi V, Spence MA, Ton J, Gomez C, Tan LL, Kaczmarski JA, Caputo AT, Royan S, Jackson CJ, Ardevol A. Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction Identifies Structural Changes Underlying the Evolution of Ideonella sakaiensis PETase and Variants with Improved Stability and Activity. Biochemistry 2023; 62:437-450. [PMID: 35951410 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The improved production, recycling, and removal of plastic waste, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), are pressing environmental and economic issues for society. Biocatalytic (enzymatic) PET depolymerization is potentially a sustainable, low-energy solution to PET recycling, especially when compared with current disposal methods such as landfills, incineration, or gasification. IsPETase has been extensively studied for its use in PET depolymerization; however, its evolution from cutinases is not fully understood, and most engineering studies have neglected the majority of the available sequence space remote from the active site. In this study, ancestral protein reconstruction (ASR) has been used to trace the evolutionary trajectory from ancient serine hydrolases to IsPETase, while ASR and the related design approach, protein repair one-stop shop, were used to identify enzyme variants with improved activity and stability. Kinetic and structural characterization of these variants reveals new insights into the evolution of PETase activity and the role of second-shell mutations around the active site. Among the designed and reconstructed variants, we identified several with melting points 20 °C higher than that of IsPETase and two variants with significantly higher catalytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Joho
- Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.,Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Vanessa Vongsouthi
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Matthew A Spence
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Jennifer Ton
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Chloe Gomez
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Li Lynn Tan
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Joe A Kaczmarski
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Synthetic Biology, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Alessandro T Caputo
- Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Santana Royan
- Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Colin J Jackson
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Synthetic Biology, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Albert Ardevol
- Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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9
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Engrola FSS, Paquete-Ferreira J, Santos-Silva T, Correia MAS, Leisico F, Santos MFA. Screening of Buffers and Additives for Protein Stabilization by Thermal Shift Assay: A Practical Approach. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2652:199-213. [PMID: 37093477 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3147-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Thermal shift assay (TSA), also commonly designed by differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) or ThermoFluor, is a technique relatively easy to implement and perform, useful in a myriad of applications. In addition to versatility, it is also rather inexpensive, making it suitable for high-throughput approaches. TSA uses a fluorescent dye to monitor the thermal denaturation of the protein under study and determine its melting temperature (Tm). One of its main applications is to identify the best buffers and additives that enhance protein stability.Understanding the TSA operating mode and the main methodological steps is a central key to designing effective experiments and retrieving meaningful conclusions. This chapter intends to present a straightforward TSA protocol, with different troubleshooting tips, to screen effective protein stabilizers such as buffers and additives, as well as data treatment and analysis. TSA results provide conditions in which the protein of interest is stable and therefore suitable to carry out further biophysical and structural characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa S S Engrola
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - João Paquete-Ferreira
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Teresa Santos-Silva
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Márcia A S Correia
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal.
- UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Francisco Leisico
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal.
- UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal.
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, UMR 5075, University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, Grenoble, France.
| | - Marino F A Santos
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal.
- UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal.
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10
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Satta A, Esquirol L, Ebert BE, Newman J, Peat TS, Plan M, Schenk G, Vickers CE. Molecular characterization of cyanobacterial short-chain prenyltransferases and discovery of a novel GGPP phosphatase. FEBS J 2022; 289:6672-6693. [PMID: 35704353 PMCID: PMC9796789 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes with strong potential to be used for industrial terpenoid production. However, the key enzymes forming the principal terpenoid building blocks, called short-chain prenyltransferases (SPTs), are insufficiently characterized. Here, we examined SPTs in the model cyanobacteria Synechococcus elongatus sp. PCC 7942 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Each species has a single putative SPT (SeCrtE and SyCrtE, respectively). Sequence analysis identified these as type-II geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthases (GGPPSs) with high homology to GGPPSs found in the plastids of green plants and other photosynthetic organisms. In vitro analysis demonstrated that SyCrtE is multifunctional, producing geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP; C20 ) primarily but also significant amounts of farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP, C15 ) and geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP, C10 ); whereas SeCrtE appears to produce only GGPP. The crystal structures were solved to 2.02 and 1.37 Å, respectively, and the superposition of the structures against the GGPPS of Synechococcus elongatus sp. PCC 7002 yield a root mean square deviation of 0.8 Å (SeCrtE) and 1.1 Å (SyCrtE). We also discovered that SeCrtE is co-encoded in an operon with a functional GGPP phosphatase, suggesting metabolic pairing of these two activities and a putative function in tocopherol biosynthesis. This work sheds light on the activity of SPTs and terpenoid synthesis in cyanobacteria. Understanding native prenyl phosphate metabolism is an important step in developing approaches to engineering the production of different chain-length terpenoids in cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Satta
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and BiotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaAustralia,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science PlatformBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Lygie Esquirol
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug DiscoveryGriffith UniversityNathanAustralia
| | - Birgitta E. Ebert
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and BiotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaAustralia
| | - Janet Newman
- CSIRO Biomedical ProgramParkvilleAustralia,School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular SciencesUniversity of New South WalesKensingtonAustralia
| | - Thomas S. Peat
- CSIRO Biomedical ProgramParkvilleAustralia,School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular SciencesUniversity of New South WalesKensingtonAustralia
| | - Manuel Plan
- Metabolomics Australia (Queensland Node), Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaAustralia
| | - Gerhard Schenk
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and BiotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaAustralia,School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaAustralia,Sustainable Minerals InstituteThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaAustralia
| | - Claudia E. Vickers
- CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science PlatformBrisbaneAustralia,Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug DiscoveryGriffith UniversityNathanAustralia,ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic BiologyQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneAustralia
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11
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Bogomolovas J, Gravenhorst P, Mayans O. Production and analysis of titin kinase: Exploiting active/inactive kinase homologs in pseudokinase validation. Methods Enzymol 2022; 667:147-181. [PMID: 35525541 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Protein pseudokinases are key regulators of the eukaryotic cell. Understanding their unconventional molecular mechanisms relies on deciphering their putative potential to perform phosphotransfer, their scaffolding properties and the nature of their regulation. Titin pseudokinase (TK) is the defining member of a family of poorly characterized muscle-specific kinases thought to act as sensors and transducers of mechanical signals in the sarcomere. The functional mechanisms of TK remain obscure due to the challenges posed by its production and analysis. Here, we provide guidelines and tailored research approaches for the study of TK, including profiting from its close structure-function relationship to the catalytically active homolog twitchin kinase (TwcK) from C. elegans. We describe a methodological pipeline to produce recombinant TK and TwcK samples; design, prioritize and validate mutated and truncated variants; assess sample stability and perform activity assays. The strategy is exportable to other pseudokinase members of the TK-like kinase family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius Bogomolovas
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Olga Mayans
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
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12
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Gedgaudas M, Baronas D, Kazlauskas E, Petrauskas V, Matulis D. Thermott: a comprehensive online tool for protein–ligand binding constant determination. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:2076-2079. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Barthels F, Hammerschmidt SJ, Fischer TR, Zimmer C, Kallert E, Helm M, Kersten C, Schirmeister T. A low-cost 3D-printable differential scanning fluorometer for protein and RNA melting experiments. HARDWAREX 2022; 11:e00256. [PMID: 35509940 PMCID: PMC9058602 DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2022.e00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) is a widely used biophysical technique with applications to drug discovery and protein biochemistry. DSF experiments are commonly performed in commercial real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) thermal cyclers or nanoDSF instruments. Here, we report the construction, validation, and example applications of an open-source DSF system for 176 €, which, in addition to protein-DSF experiments, also proved to be a versatile biophysical instrument for less conventional RNA-DSF experiments. Using 3D-printed parts made of polyoxymethylene, we were able to fabricate a thermostable machine chassis for protein-melting experiments. The combination of blue high-power LEDs as the light source and stage light foil as filter components was proven to be a reliable and affordable alternative to conventional optics equipment for the detection of SYPRO Orange or Sybr Gold fluorescence. The ESP32 microcontroller is the core piece of this openDSF instrument, while the in-built I2S interface was found to be a powerful analog-to-digital converter for fast acquisition of fluorescence and temperature data. Airflow heating and inline temperature control by thermistors enabled high-accuracy temperature management in PCR tubes (±0.1 °C) allowing us to perform high-resolution thermal shift assays (TSA) from exemplary biological applications.
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14
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Samuel ELG, Holmes SL, Young DW. Processing binding data using an open-source workflow. J Cheminform 2021; 13:99. [PMID: 34895330 PMCID: PMC8666039 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-021-00577-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The thermal shift assay (TSA)—also known as differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF), thermofluor, and Tm shift—is one of the most popular biophysical screening techniques used in fragment-based ligand discovery (FBLD) to detect protein–ligand interactions. By comparing the thermal stability of a target protein in the presence and absence of a ligand, potential binders can be identified. The technique is easy to set up, has low protein consumption, and can be run on most real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instruments. While data analysis is straightforward in principle, it becomes cumbersome and time-consuming when the screens involve multiple 96- or 384-well plates. There are several approaches that aim to streamline this process, but most involve proprietary software, programming knowledge, or are designed for specific instrument output files. We therefore developed an analysis workflow implemented in the Konstanz Information Miner (KNIME), a free and open-source data analytics platform, which greatly streamlined our data processing timeline for 384-well plates. The implementation is code-free and freely available to the community for improvement and customization to accommodate a wide range of instrument input files and workflows. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Errol L G Samuel
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Secondra L Holmes
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Damian W Young
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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15
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Martin-Malpartida P, Hausvik E, Underhaug J, Torner C, Martinez A, Macias MJ. HTSDSF Explorer, A Novel Tool to Analyze High-throughput DSF Screenings. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167372. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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16
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Structure-guided selection of puromycin N-acetyltransferase mutants with enhanced selection stringency for deriving mammalian cell lines expressing recombinant proteins. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5247. [PMID: 33664348 PMCID: PMC7933286 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84551-9] [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: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Puromycin and the Streptomyces alboniger-derived puromycin N-acetyltransferase (PAC) enzyme form a commonly used system for selecting stably transfected cultured cells. The crystal structure of PAC has been solved using X-ray crystallography, revealing it to be a member of the GCN5-related N-acetyltransferase (GNAT) family of acetyltransferases. Based on structures in complex with acetyl-CoA or the reaction products CoA and acetylated puromycin, four classes of mutations in and around the catalytic site were designed and tested for activity. Single-residue mutations were identified that displayed a range of enzymatic activities, from complete ablation to enhanced activity relative to wild-type (WT) PAC. Cell pools of stably transfected HEK293 cells derived using two PAC mutants with attenuated activity, Y30F and A142D, were found to secrete up to three-fold higher levels of a soluble, recombinant target protein than corresponding pools derived with the WT enzyme. A third mutant, Y171F, appeared to stabilise the intracellular turnover of PAC, resulting in an apparent loss of selection stringency. Our results indicate that the structure-guided manipulation of PAC function can be utilised to enhance selection stringency for the derivation of mammalian cell lines secreting elevated levels of recombinant proteins.
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17
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Dong L, McKinstry WJ, Pan L, Newman J, Ren B. Crystal structure of fungal tannase from Aspergillus niger. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 77:267-277. [DOI: 10.1107/s2059798320016484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Tannases are serine esterases that were first discovered in fungi more than one and half centuries ago. They catalyze the hydrolysis of the gallolyl ester bonds in gallotannins to release gallic acid, which is an important intermediate in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Since their discovery, fungal tannases have found wide industrial applications, although there is scarce knowledge about these enzymes at the molecular level, including their catalytic and substrate-binding sites. While this lack of knowledge hinders engineering efforts to modify the enzymes, many tannases have been isolated from various fungal strains in a search for the desired enzymatic properties. Here, the first crystal structure of a fungal tannase, that from Aspergillus niger, is reported. The enzyme possesses a typical α/β-hydrolase-fold domain with a large inserted cap domain, which together form a bowl-shaped hemispherical shape with a surface concavity surrounded by N-linked glycans. Gallic acid is bound at the junction of the two domains within the concavity by forming two hydrogen-bonding networks with neighbouring residues. One is formed around the carboxyl group of the gallic acid and involves residues from the hydrolase-fold domain, including those from the catalytic triad, which consists of Ser206, His485 and Asp439. The other is formed around the three hydroxyl groups of the compound, with the involvement of residues mainly from the cap domain, including Gln238, Gln239, His242 and Ser441. Gallic acid is bound in a sandwich-like mode by forming a hydrophobic contact with Ile442. All of these residues are found to be highly conserved among fungal and yeast tannases.
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18
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Burley KH, Cuthbert BJ, Basu P, Newcombe J, Irimpan EM, Quechol R, Foik IP, Mobley DL, Beste DJV, Goulding CW. Structural and Molecular Dynamics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Malic Enzyme, a Potential Anti-TB Drug Target. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:174-188. [PMID: 33356117 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is the most lethal bacterial infectious disease worldwide. It is notoriously difficult to treat, requiring a cocktail of antibiotics administered over many months. The dense, waxy outer membrane of the TB-causing agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), acts as a formidable barrier against uptake of antibiotics. Subsequently, enzymes involved in maintaining the integrity of the Mtb cell wall are promising drug targets. Recently, we demonstrated that Mtb lacking malic enzyme (MEZ) has altered cell wall lipid composition and attenuated uptake by macrophages. These results suggest that MEZ contributes to lipid biosynthesis by providing reductants in the form of NAD(P)H. Here, we present the X-ray crystal structure of MEZ to 3.6 Å. We use biochemical assays to demonstrate MEZ is dimeric in solution and to evaluate the effects of pH and allosteric regulators on its kinetics and thermal stability. To assess the interactions between MEZ and its substrate malate and cofactors, Mn2+ and NAD(P)+, we ran a series of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. First, the MD analysis corroborates our empirical observations that MEZ is unusually flexible, which persists even with the addition of substrate and cofactors. Second, the MD simulations reveal that dimeric MEZ subunits alternate between open and closed states, and that MEZ can stably bind its NAD(P)+ cofactor in multiple conformations, including an inactive, compact NAD+ form. Together the structure of MEZ and insights from its dynamics can be harnessed to inform the design of MEZ inhibitors that target Mtb and not human malic enzyme homologues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Piyali Basu
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Newcombe
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Dany J. V. Beste
- Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
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19
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Newman J, Nebl T, Van H, Peat TS. The X-ray crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of Ssr4, a Schizosaccharomyces pombe chromatin-remodelling protein. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2020; 76:583-589. [PMID: 33263569 PMCID: PMC7716260 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x20015216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ssr4 is a yeast protein from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and is an essential part of the chromatin-remodelling [SWI/SNF and RSC (remodelling the structure of chromatin)] complexes found in S. pombe. These complexes (or their homologues) regulate gene expression in eukaryotic organisms, affecting a large number of genes both positively and negatively. The downstream effects are seen in development, and in humans have implications for disease such as cancer. The chromatin structure is altered by modifying the DNA-histone contacts, thus opening up or closing down sections of DNA to specific transcription factors that regulate the transcription of genes. The Ssr4 sequence has little homology to other sequences in the Protein Data Bank, so the structure was solved using an iodine derivative with SAD phasing. The structure of the N-terminal domain is an antiparallel β-sheet of seven strands with α-helices on one side and random coil on the other. The structure is significantly different to deposited structures and was used as a target in the most recent Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP; https://predictioncenter.org/) competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Newman
- Biomedical Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Tom Nebl
- Biomedical Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Huy Van
- Biomedical Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Thomas S. Peat
- Biomedical Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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20
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Dennis ML, Newman J, Dolezal O, Hattarki M, Surjadi RN, Nuttall SD, Pham T, Nebl T, Camerino M, Khoo PS, Monahan BJ, Peat TS. Crystal structures of human ENPP1 in apo and bound forms. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2020; 76:889-898. [PMID: 32876064 PMCID: PMC7466750 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798320010505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in humans, and recent work has focused on the area of immuno-oncology, in which the immune system is used to specifically target cancerous cells. Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) is an emerging therapeutic target in human cancers owing to its role in degrading cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), an agonist of the stimulator of interferon genes (STING). The available structures of ENPP1 are of the mouse enzyme, and no structures are available with anything other than native nucleotides. Here, the first X-ray crystal structures of the human ENPP1 enzyme in an apo form, with bound nucleotides and with two known inhibitors are presented. The availability of these structures and a robust crystallization system will allow the development of structure-based drug-design campaigns against this attractive cancer therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L. Dennis
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Cancer Therapeutics CRC, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Janet Newman
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Olan Dolezal
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Meghan Hattarki
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Regina N. Surjadi
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Stewart D. Nuttall
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Tam Pham
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Tom Nebl
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Michelle Camerino
- Cancer Therapeutics CRC, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Medicinal Chemistry Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Poh Sim Khoo
- Cancer Therapeutics CRC, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Children’s Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Brendon J. Monahan
- Cancer Therapeutics CRC, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas S. Peat
- Biomedical Manufacturing Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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21
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Chua JPS, Go MK, Osothprarop T, Mcdonald S, Karabadzhak AG, Yew WS, Peisajovich S, Nirantar S. Evolving a Thermostable Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:1725-1735. [PMID: 32497424 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) catalyzes template free incorporation of arbitrary nucleotides onto single-stranded DNA. Due to this unique feature, TdT is widely used in biotechnology and clinical applications. One particularly tantalizing use is the synthesis of long de novo DNA molecules by TdT-mediated iterative incorporation of a 3' reversibly blocked nucleotide, followed by deblocking. However, wild-type (WT) TdT is not optimized for the incorporation of 3' modified nucleotides, and TdT engineering is hampered by the fact that TdT is marginally stable and only present in mesophilic organisms. We sought to first evolve a thermostable TdT variant to serve as backbone for subsequent evolution to enable efficient incorporation of 3'-modified nucleotides. A thermostable variant would be a good starting point for such an effort, as evolution to incorporate bulky modified nucleotides generally results in lowered stability. In addition, a thermostable TdT would also be useful when blunt dsDNA is a substrate as higher temperature could be used to melt dsDNA. Here, we developed an assay to identify thermostable TdT variants. After screening about 10 000 TdT mutants, we identified a variant, named TdT3-2, that is 10 °C more thermostable than WT TdT, while preserving the catalytic properties of the WT enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Puay Suan Chua
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599
- Illumina Singapore Pte, Ltd., 29 Woodlands Industrial Park E1, North Tech Building, Singapore 757716
| | - Maybelle Kho Go
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599
| | - Trina Osothprarop
- Illumina Inc., 5200 Illumina Way, San Diego, California 92122, United States
| | - Seth Mcdonald
- Illumina Inc., 5200 Illumina Way, San Diego, California 92122, United States
| | | | - Wen Shan Yew
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597
- NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599
| | - Sergio Peisajovich
- Illumina Inc., 5200 Illumina Way, San Diego, California 92122, United States
| | - Saurabh Nirantar
- Illumina Singapore Pte, Ltd., 29 Woodlands Industrial Park E1, North Tech Building, Singapore 757716
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22
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Wójcik M, Szala K, van Merkerk R, Quax WJ, Boersma YL. Engineering the specificity of Streptococcus pyogenes sortase A by loop grafting. Proteins 2020; 88:1394-1400. [PMID: 32501594 PMCID: PMC7586933 DOI: 10.1002/prot.25958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sortases are a group of enzymes displayed on the cell‐wall of Gram‐positive bacteria. They are responsible for the attachment of virulence factors onto the peptidoglycan in a transpeptidation reaction through recognition of a pentapeptide substrate. Most housekeeping sortases recognize one specific pentapeptide motif; however, Streptococcus pyogenes sortase A (SpSrtA WT) recognizes LPETG, LPETA and LPKLG motifs. Here, we examined SpSrtA's flexible substrate specificity by investigating the role of the β7/β8 loop in determining substrate specificity. We exchanged the β7/β8 loop in SpSrtA with corresponding β7/β8 loops from Staphylococcus aureus (SaSrtA WT) and Bacillus anthracis (BaSrtA WT). While the BaSrtA‐derived variant showed no enzymatic activity toward either LPETG or LPETA substrates, the activity of the SaSrtA‐derived mutant toward the LPETA substrate was completely abolished. Instead, the mutant had an improved activity toward LPETG, the preferred substrate of SaSrtA WT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Wójcik
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kamil Szala
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald van Merkerk
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wim J Quax
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ykelien L Boersma
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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23
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Zafar M, Shah MA, Shehzad A, Tariq A, Habib M, Muddassar M, Shah MS, Iqbal M, Hemmatzadeh F, Rahman M. Characterization of the highly immunogenic VP2 protrusion domain as a diagnostic antigen for members of Birnaviridae family. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:3391-3402. [PMID: 32088761 PMCID: PMC7222154 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10458-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Birnaviridae is a family of viruses (birnaviruses) which consists of four genera, members of which cause diseases in fish, birds, mollusks, and insects. The genome of birnaviruses encodes the highly immunogenic VP2 capsid protein. In order to demonstrate that the VP2 protein can be exploited as a diagnostic antigen for birnaviruses, we developed a lateral flow assay based on the surface-exposed VP2 protrusion domain of a representative birnavirus, infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) of serotype 1 which causes the highly devastating infectious bursal disease in chickens. The biophysical characterization of the purified domain reveals that the domain predominantly consists of β-sheets, exists in a trimeric form, and remains folded at high temperatures, making it suitable for diagnostic purposes. Owing to its highly immunogenic nature and excellent biophysical properties, we employed the VP2 protrusion domain in a gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow assay for rapid detection of anti-IBDV antibodies in serum samples of infected chickens. Our results indicate that the domain binds anti-IBDV antibodies with high specificity during laboratory testing and on-site testing. The lateral flow assay reported here yields comparable results in a qualitative manner as obtained through a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). As VP2 is a common capsid protein of birnaviruses, the lateral flow assay can be generalized for other birnaviruses, and members of Tetraviridae and Nodaviridae families which contain homologous VP2 capsid proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Zafar
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology Group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan.,Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan.,School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia,, 5371, Australia
| | - Majid Ali Shah
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology Group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan.,Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Aamir Shehzad
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology Group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan.,Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Anam Tariq
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology Group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan.,Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mudasser Habib
- Vaccine Development Group, Animal Sciences Division, NIAB, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Muddassar
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS-University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Mazhar Iqbal
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology Group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan.,Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Farhid Hemmatzadeh
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia,, 5371, Australia.
| | - Moazur Rahman
- Drug Discovery and Structural Biology Group, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan. .,Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan. .,School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia,, 5371, Australia.
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24
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Infante E, Stannard A, Board SJ, Rico-Lastres P, Panagaki F, Beedle AE, Rajan VS, Rostkova E, Lezamiz A, Wang YJ, Breen SG, Shanahan C, Roca-Cusachs P, Garcia-Manyes S. The mechanical stability of proteins regulates their translocation rate into the cell nucleus. NATURE PHYSICS 2019; 15:973-981. [PMID: 37484710 PMCID: PMC7614795 DOI: 10.1038/s41567-019-0551-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The translocation of mechanosensitive transcription factors (TFs) across the nuclear envelope is a crucial step in cellular mechanotransduction. Yet the molecular mechanisms by which external mechanical cues control the nuclear shuttling dynamics of TFs through the nuclear pore complex (NPC) to activate gene expression are poorly understood. Here, we show that the nuclear import rate of myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTFA) - a protein that regulates cytoskeletal dynamics via the activation of the TF serum response factor (SRF) - inversely correlates with the protein's nanomechanical stability and does not relate to its thermodynamic stability. Tagging MRTFA with mechanically resistant proteins results in the downregulation of SRF-mediated myosin light-chain 9 (MYL9) gene expression and subsequent slowing down of cell migration. We conclude that the mechanical unfolding of proteins regulates their nuclear translocation rate through the NPC, and highlight the role of the NPC as a selective mechanosensor able to discriminate forces as low as ~10 pN. The modulation of the mechanical stability of TFs may represent a new strategy for the control of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Infante
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Andrew Stannard
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Stephanie J. Board
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Palma Rico-Lastres
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Fani Panagaki
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Amy E.M. Beedle
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Vinoth Sundar Rajan
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Elena Rostkova
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Ainhoa Lezamiz
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Yong Jian Wang
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Samuel Gulaidi Breen
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
| | - Catherine Shanahan
- Cardiovascular Division, James Black Centre, King’s College London, London SE5 9NU, UK Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and
| | - Pere Roca-Cusachs
- Technology (BIST) and University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Garcia-Manyes
- Department of Physics and Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
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25
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Sun C, Li Y, Yates EA, Fernig DG. SimpleDSFviewer: A tool to analyze and view differential scanning fluorimetry data for characterizing protein thermal stability and interactions. Protein Sci 2019; 29:19-27. [PMID: 31394001 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) is a widely used thermal shift assay for measuring protein stability and protein-ligand interactions that are simple, cheap, and amenable to high throughput. However, data analysis remains a challenge, requiring improved methods. Here, the program SimpleDSFviewer, a user-friendly interface, is described to help the researchers who apply DSF technique in their studies. SimpleDSFviewer integrates melting curve (MC) normalization, smoothing, and melting temperature (Tm) analysis and directly previews analyzed data, providing an efficient analysis tool for DSF. SimpleDSFviewer is developed in Matlab, and it is freely available for all users to use in Matlab workspace or with Matlab Runtime. It is easy to use and an efficient tool for researchers to preview and analyze their data in a very short time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changye Sun
- Henan Key Laboratory of Medical Tissue Regeneration, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, China.,Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Edwin A Yates
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - David G Fernig
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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26
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Lee PH, Huang XX, Teh BT, Ng LM. TSA-CRAFT: A Free Software for Automatic and Robust Thermal Shift Assay Data Analysis. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2019; 24:606-612. [PMID: 30744467 PMCID: PMC6537141 DOI: 10.1177/2472555218823547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Thermal shift assay (TSA) is an increasingly popular technique used for identifying protein stabilizing conditions or interacting ligands in X-ray crystallography and drug discovery applications. Although the setting up and running of TSA reactions is a relatively simple process, the subsequent analysis of TSA data, especially in high-throughput format, requires substantial amount of effort if conducted manually. We therefore developed the Thermal Shift Assay-Curve Rapid and Automatic Fitting Tool (TSA-CRAFT), a freely available software that enable automatic analysis of TSA data of any throughput. TSA-CRAFT directly reads real-time PCR instrument data files and displays the analyzed results in a web browser. This software features streamlined data processing and Boltzmann equation fitting, which is demonstrated in this study to provide more accurate data analysis than the commonly used first-derivative method. TSA-CRAFT is freely available as a cross-operating system-compatible standalone tool ( https://sourceforge.net/projects/tsa-craft/ ) and also as a freely accessible web server ( http://tbtlab.org/tsacraft.html ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Hsien Lee
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore,
National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xi Xiao Huang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore,
National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bin Tean Teh
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore,
National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenome, Division
of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Programme,
Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology,
Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Ley-Moy Ng
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore,
National University of Singapore, Singapore
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27
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A novel decarboxylating amidohydrolase involved in avoiding metabolic dead ends during cyanuric acid catabolism in Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206949. [PMID: 30399173 PMCID: PMC6219798 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanuric acid is a common environmental contaminant and a metabolic intermediate in the catabolism of s-triazine compounds, including atrazine and other herbicides. Cyanuric acid is catabolized via a number of bacterial pathways, including one first identified in Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP, which is encoded by a single, five-gene operon (atzDGEHF) found on a self-transmissible plasmid. The discovery of two of the five genes (atzG and atzH) was reported in 2018 and although the function of atzG was determined, the role of atzH was unclear. Here, we present the first in vitro reconstruction of the complete, five-protein cyanuric acid catabolism pathway, which indicates that AtzH may be an amidase responsible for converting 1,3-dicarboxyurea (the AtzE product) to allophanate (the AtzF substrate). We have solved the AtzH structure (a DUF3225 protein from the NTF2 superfamily) and used it to predict the substrate-binding pocket. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments suggest that two residues (Tyr22 and Arg46) are needed for catalysis. We also show that atzH homologs are commonly found in Proteobacteria associated with homologs of the atzG and atzE genes. The genetic context of these atzG-atzE-atzH clusters imply that they have a role in the catabolism of nitrogenous compounds. Moreover, their presence in many genomes in the absence of homologs of atzD and atzF suggests that the atzG-atzE-atzH cluster may pre-date the evolution of the cyanuric acid catabolism operon.
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28
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Bergsdorf C, Wright SK. A Guide to Run Affinity Screens Using Differential Scanning Fluorimetry and Surface Plasmon Resonance Assays. Methods Enzymol 2018; 610:135-165. [PMID: 30390797 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2018.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 30 years, drug discovery has evolved from a pure phenotypic approach to an integrated target-based strategy. The implementation of high-throughput biochemical and cellular assays has enabled the screening of large compound libraries which has become an important and often times the main source of new chemical matter that serve as starting point for medicinal chemistry efforts. In addition, biophysical methods measuring the physical interaction (affinity) between a low molecular weight ligand and a target protein became an integral part of hit validation/optimization to rule out false positives due to assay artifacts. Recent advances in throughput, robustness, and sensitivity of biophysical affinity screening methods have broadened their application in hit identification and validation such that they can now complement classical functional readouts. As a result, new target classes can be accessed that have not been amenable to functional assays. In this chapter, two affinity screening methods, differential scanning fluorimetry and surface plasmon resonance, which are broadly utilized in both academia and pharmaceutical industry are discussed in respect to their use in hit identification and validation. These methods exemplify how assays which differ in complexity, throughput, and information content can support the hit identification/validation process. This chapter focuses on the practical aspects and caveats of these techniques in order to enable the reader to establish their own affinity-based screens in both formats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - S Kirk Wright
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States
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29
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Lu G, Tandang-Silvas MR, Dawson AC, Dawson TJ, Groppe JC. Hypoxia-selective allosteric destabilization of activin receptor-like kinases: A potential therapeutic avenue for prophylaxis of heterotopic ossification. Bone 2018; 112:71-89. [PMID: 29626545 PMCID: PMC9851731 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2018.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Heterotopic ossification (HO), the pathological extraskeletal formation of bone, can arise from blast injuries, severe burns, orthopedic procedures and gain-of-function mutations in a component of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway, the ACVR1/ALK2 receptor serine-threonine (protein) kinase, causative of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP). All three ALKs (-2, -3, -6) that play roles in bone morphogenesis contribute to trauma-induced HO, hence are well-validated pharmacological targets. That said, development of inhibitors, typically competitors of ATP binding, is inherently difficult due to the conserved nature of the active site of the 500+ human protein kinases. Since these enzymes are regulated via inherent plasticity, pharmacological chaperone-like drugs binding to another (allosteric) site could hypothetically modulate kinase conformation and activity. To test for such a mechanism, a surface pocket of ALK2 kinase formed largely by a key allosteric substructure was targeted by supercomputer docking of drug-like compounds from a virtual library. Subsequently, the effects of docked hits were further screened in vitro with purified recombinant kinase protein. A family of compounds with terminal hydrogen-bonding acceptor groups was identified that significantly destabilized the protein, inhibiting activity. Destabilization was pH-dependent, putatively mediated by ionization of a histidine within the allosteric substructure with decreasing pH. In vivo, nonnative proteins are degraded by proteolysis in the proteasome complex, or cellular trashcan, allowing for the emergence of therapeutics that inhibit through degradation of over-active proteins implicated in the pathology of diseases and disorders. Because HO is triggered by soft-tissue trauma and ensuing hypoxia, dependency of ALK destabilization on hypoxic pH imparts selective efficacy on the allosteric inhibitors, providing potential for safe prophylactic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guorong Lu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX 75246, United States
| | - Mary R Tandang-Silvas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX 75246, United States
| | - Alyssa C Dawson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX 75246, United States
| | - Trenton J Dawson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX 75246, United States
| | - Jay C Groppe
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX 75246, United States.
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30
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Coussot G, Faye C, Le Postollec A, Dobrijevic M. A methodological approach for the thermal stability and stress exposure studies of a model antibody. Anal Biochem 2018; 548:23-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2018.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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31
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Esquirol L, Peat TS, Wilding M, Liu JW, French NG, Hartley CJ, Onagi H, Nebl T, Easton CJ, Newman J, Scott C. An unexpected vestigial protein complex reveals the evolutionary origins of an s-triazine catabolic enzyme. J Biol Chem 2018. [PMID: 29523689 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.001996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanuric acid is a metabolic intermediate of s-triazines, such as atrazine (a common herbicide) and melamine (used in resins and plastics). Cyanuric acid is mineralized to ammonia and carbon dioxide by the soil bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP via three hydrolytic enzymes (AtzD, AtzE, and AtzF). Here, we report the purification and biochemical and structural characterization of AtzE. Contrary to previous reports, we found that AtzE is not a biuret amidohydrolase, but instead it catalyzes the hydrolytic deamination of 1-carboxybiuret. X-ray crystal structures of apo AtzE and AtzE bound with the suicide inhibitor phenyl phosphorodiamidate revealed that the AtzE enzyme complex consists of two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. We also show that AtzE forms an α2β2 heterotetramer with a previously unidentified 68-amino acid-long protein (AtzG) encoded in the cyanuric acid mineralization operon from Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. Moreover, we observed that AtzG is essential for the production of soluble, active AtzE and that this obligate interaction is a vestige of their shared evolutionary origin. We propose that AtzEG was likely recruited into the cyanuric acid-mineralizing pathway from an ancestral glutamine transamidosome that required protein-protein interactions to enforce the exclusion of solvent from the transamidation reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lygie Esquirol
- From the Biocatalysis and Synthetic Biology Team and.,the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, and
| | - Thomas S Peat
- CSIRO Biomedical Manufacturing, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Matthew Wilding
- the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, and.,CSIRO Biomedical Manufacturing, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Jian-Wei Liu
- From the Biocatalysis and Synthetic Biology Team and
| | | | | | - Hideki Onagi
- the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, and
| | - Thomas Nebl
- CSIRO Biomedical Manufacturing, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Christopher J Easton
- the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, and
| | - Janet Newman
- CSIRO Biomedical Manufacturing, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Colin Scott
- From the Biocatalysis and Synthetic Biology Team and .,Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, CSIRO Land and Water, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601
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32
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Esquirol L, Peat TS, Wilding M, Lucent D, French NG, Hartley CJ, Newman J, Scott C. Structural and biochemical characterization of the biuret hydrolase (BiuH) from the cyanuric acid catabolism pathway of Rhizobium leguminasorum bv. viciae 3841. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192736. [PMID: 29425231 PMCID: PMC5806882 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Biuret deamination is an essential step in cyanuric acid mineralization. In the well-studied atrazine degrading bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP, the amidase AtzE catalyzes this step. However, Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841 uses an unrelated cysteine hydrolase, BiuH, instead. Herein, structures of BiuH, BiuH with bound inhibitor and variants of BiuH are reported. The substrate is bound in the active site by a hydrogen bonding network that imparts high substrate specificity. The structure of the inactive Cys175Ser BiuH variant with substrate bound in the active site revealed that an active site cysteine (Cys175), aspartic acid (Asp36) and lysine (Lys142) form a catalytic triad, which is consistent with biochemical studies of BiuH variants. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations highlighted the presence of three channels from the active site to the enzyme surface: a persistent tunnel gated by residues Val218 and Gln215 forming a potential substrate channel and two smaller channels formed by Val28 and a mobile loop (including residues Phe41, Tyr47 and Met51) that may serve as channels for co-product (ammonia) or co-substrate (water).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lygie Esquirol
- CSIRO Biocatalysis and Synthetic Biology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Thomas S. Peat
- CSIRO Biomedical Manufacturing, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Wilding
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- CSIRO Biomedical Manufacturing, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Del Lucent
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Physics, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Nigel G. French
- CSIRO Biocatalysis and Synthetic Biology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Carol J. Hartley
- CSIRO Biocatalysis and Synthetic Biology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Janet Newman
- CSIRO Biomedical Manufacturing, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Colin Scott
- CSIRO Biocatalysis and Synthetic Biology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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33
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Newman J, Sharp JA, Enjapoori AK, Bentley J, Nicholas KR, Adams TE, Peat TS. Structural characterization of a novel monotreme-specific protein with antimicrobial activity from the milk of the platypus. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2018; 74:39-45. [PMID: 29372906 PMCID: PMC5947691 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x17017708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Monotreme lactation protein (MLP) is a recently identified protein with antimicrobial activity. It is present in the milk of monotremes and is unique to this lineage. To characterize MLP and to gain insight into the potential role of this protein in the evolution of lactation, the crystal structure of duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) MLP was determined at 1.82 Å resolution. This is the first structure to be reported for this novel, mammalian antibacterial protein. MLP was expressed as a FLAG epitope-tagged protein in mammalian cells and crystallized readily, with at least three space groups being observed (P1, C2 and P21). A 1.82 Å resolution native data set was collected from a crystal in space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 51.2, b = 59.7, c = 63.1 Å, α = 80.15, β = 82.98, γ = 89.27°. The structure was solved by SAD phasing using a protein crystal derivatized with mercury in space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 92.7, b = 73.2, c = 56.5 Å, β = 90.28°. MLP comprises a monomer of 12 helices and two short β-strands, with much of the N-terminus composed of loop regions. The crystal structure of MLP reveals no three-dimensional similarity to any known structures and reveals a heretofore unseen fold, supporting the idea that monotremes may be a rich source for the identification of novel proteins. It is hypothesized that MLP in monotreme milk has evolved to specifically support the unusual lactation strategy of this lineage and may have played a central role in the evolution of these mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Newman
- Biomedical Manufacturing, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Julie A. Sharp
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3217, Australia
| | | | - John Bentley
- Biomedical Manufacturing, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Kevin R. Nicholas
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3217, Australia
| | - Timothy E. Adams
- Biomedical Manufacturing, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Thomas S. Peat
- Biomedical Manufacturing, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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34
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Guidelines to reach high-quality purified recombinant proteins. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 102:81-92. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8623-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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35
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Banjara S, Caria S, Dixon LK, Hinds MG, Kvansakul M. Structural Insight into African Swine Fever Virus A179L-Mediated Inhibition of Apoptosis. J Virol 2017; 91:e02228-16. [PMID: 28053104 PMCID: PMC5331815 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02228-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death is a tightly controlled process critical for the removal of damaged or infected cells. Pro- and antiapoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family are pivotal mediators of this process. African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a large DNA virus, the only member of the Asfarviridae family, and harbors A179L, a putative Bcl-2 like protein. A179L has been shown to bind to several proapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins; however, the hierarchy of binding and the structural basis for apoptosis inhibition are currently not understood. We systematically evaluated the ability of A179L to bind proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members and show that A179L is the first antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein to bind to all major death-inducing mammalian Bcl-2 proteins. We then defined the structural basis for apoptosis inhibition of A179L by determining the crystal structures of A179L bound to both Bid and Bax BH3 motifs. Our findings provide a mechanistic understanding for the potent antiapoptotic activity of A179L by identifying it as the first panprodeath Bcl-2 binder and serve as a platform for more-detailed investigations into the role of A179L during ASFV infection.IMPORTANCE Numerous viruses have acquired strategies to subvert apoptosis by encoding proteins capable of sequestering proapoptotic host proteins. African swine fever virus (ASFV), a large DNA virus and the only member of the Asfarviridae family, encodes the protein A179L, which functions to prevent apoptosis. We show that A179L is unusual among antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins in being able to physically bind to all core death-inducing mammalian Bcl-2 proteins. Currently, little is known regarding the molecular interactions between A179L and the proapoptotic Bcl-2 members. Using the crystal structures of A179L bound to two of the identified proapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, Bid and Bax, we now provide a three-dimensional (3D) view of how A179L sequesters host proapoptotic proteins, which is crucial for subverting premature host cell apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Banjara
- Department of Biochemistry & Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sofia Caria
- Department of Biochemistry & Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Mark G Hinds
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marc Kvansakul
- Department of Biochemistry & Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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36
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Galea CA, Roberts KD, Zhu Y, Thompson PE, Li J, Velkov T. Functional Characterization of the Unique Terminal Thioesterase Domain from Polymyxin Synthetase. Biochemistry 2017; 56:657-668. [PMID: 28071053 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b01139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Polymyxins remain one of the few antibiotics available for treating antibiotic resistant bacteria. Here we describe polymyxin B thioesterase which performs the final step in polymyxin B biosynthesis. Isolated thioesterase catalyzed cyclization of an N-acetylcystamine polymyxin B analogue to form polymyxin B. The thioesterase contained a catalytic cysteine unlike most thioesterases which possess a serine. Supporting this, incubation of polymyxin B thioesterase with reducing agents abolished enzymatic activity, while mutation of the catalytic cysteine to serine significantly decreased activity. NMR spectroscopy demonstrated that uncyclized polymyxin B was disordered in solution, unlike other thioesterase substrates which adopt a transient structure similar to their product. Modeling showed the thioesterase substrate-binding cleft was highly negatively charged, suggesting a mechanism for the cyclization of the substrate. These studies provide new insights into the role of polymyxin thioesterase in polymyxin biosynthesis and highlight its potential use for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of polymyxin lipopeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yan Zhu
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University , Parkville, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | | | - Jian Li
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University , Parkville, Victoria 3800, Australia
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37
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Wilding M, Scott C, Newman J, Peat TS. Crystal structure of a putrescine aminotransferase from Pseudomonas sp. strain AAC. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2017; 73:29-35. [PMID: 28045391 PMCID: PMC5287375 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x16019658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The putrescine aminotransferase KES24511 from Pseudomonas sp. strain AAC was previously identified as an industrially relevant enzyme based on the discovery that it is able to promiscuously catalyse the transamination of 12-aminododecanoic acid. Here, the cloning, heterologous expression, purification and successful crystallization of the KES24511 protein are reported, which ultimately generated crystals adopting space group I2. The crystals diffracted X-rays to 2.07 Å resolution and data were collected using the microfocus beamline of the Australian Synchrotron. The structure was solved using molecular replacement, with a monomer from PDB entry 4a6t as the search model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Wilding
- Land and Water, CSIRO, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Colin Scott
- Land and Water, CSIRO, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Janet Newman
- Biomedical Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Thomas S. Peat
- Biomedical Program, CSIRO, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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38
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Multivalent Interactions of Human Primary Amine Oxidase with the V and C22 Domains of Sialic Acid-Binding Immunoglobulin-Like Lectin-9 Regulate Its Binding and Amine Oxidase Activity. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166935. [PMID: 27893774 PMCID: PMC5125647 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin-9 (Siglec-9) on leukocyte surface is a counter-receptor for endothelial cell surface adhesin, human primary amine oxidase (hAOC3), a target protein for anti-inflammatory agents. This interaction can be used to detect inflammation and cancer in vivo, since the labeled peptides derived from the second C2 domain (C22) of Siglec-9 specifically bind to the inflammation-inducible hAOC3. As limited knowledge on the interaction between Siglec-9 and hAOC3 has hampered both hAOC3-targeted drug design and in vivo imaging applications, we have now produced and purified the extracellular region of Siglec-9 (Siglec-9-EC) consisting of the V, C21 and C22 domains, modeled its 3D structure and characterized the hAOC3–Siglec-9 interactions using biophysical methods and activity/inhibition assays. Our results assign individual, previously unknown roles for the V and C22 domains. The V domain is responsible for the unusually tight Siglec-9–hAOC3 interactions whereas the intact C22 domain of Siglec-9 is required for modulating the enzymatic activity of hAOC3, crucial for the hAOC3-mediated leukocyte trafficking. By characterizing the Siglec-9-EC mutants, we could conclude that R120 in the V domain likely interacts with the terminal sialic acids of hAOC3 attached glycans whereas residues R284 and R290 in C22 are involved in the interactions with the active site channel of hAOC3. Furthermore, the C22 domain binding enhances the enzymatic activity of hAOC3 although the sialic acid-binding capacity of the V domain of Siglec-9 is abolished by the R120S mutation. To conclude, our results prove that the V and C22 domains of Siglec-9-EC interact with hAOC3 in a multifaceted and unique way, forming both glycan-mediated and direct protein-protein interactions, respectively. The reported results on the mechanism of the Siglec-9–hAOC3 interaction are valuable for the development of hAOC3-targeted therapeutics and diagnostic tools.
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Abbott JA, Livingston NM, Egri SB, Guth E, Francklyn CS. Characterization of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase stability and substrate interaction by differential scanning fluorimetry. Methods 2016; 113:64-71. [PMID: 27794454 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2016.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 10/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) is a fluorescence-based assay to evaluate protein stability by determining protein melting temperatures. Here, we describe the application of DSF to investigate aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS) stability and interaction with ligands. Employing three bacterial AARS enzymes as model systems, methods are presented here for the use of DSF to measure the apparent temperatures at which AARSs undergo melting transitions, and the effect of AARS substrates and inhibitors. One important observation is that the extent of temperature stability realized by an AARS in response to a particular bound ligand cannot be predicted a priori. The DSF method thus serves as a rapid and highly quantitative approach to measure AARS stability, and the ability of ligands to influence the temperature at which unfolding transitions occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie A Abbott
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Nathan M Livingston
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Shawn B Egri
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Ethan Guth
- Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 05663, USA
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Deller MC, Kong L, Rupp B. Protein stability: a crystallographer's perspective. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS 2016; 72:72-95. [PMID: 26841758 PMCID: PMC4741188 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x15024619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Protein stability is a topic of major interest for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and food industries, in addition to being a daily consideration for academic researchers studying proteins. An understanding of protein stability is essential for optimizing the expression, purification, formulation, storage and structural studies of proteins. In this review, discussion will focus on factors affecting protein stability, on a somewhat practical level, particularly from the view of a protein crystallographer. The differences between protein conformational stability and protein compositional stability will be discussed, along with a brief introduction to key methods useful for analyzing protein stability. Finally, tactics for addressing protein-stability issues during protein expression, purification and crystallization will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc C Deller
- Stanford ChEM-H, Macromolecular Structure Knowledge Center, Stanford University, Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Room 097, MC5082, Stanford, CA 94305-4125, USA
| | - Leopold Kong
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Building 8, Room 1A03, 8 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Bernhard Rupp
- Department of Forensic Crystallography, k.-k. Hofkristallamt, 91 Audrey Place, Vista, CA 92084, USA
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Cherak SJ, Turner RJ. Influence of GTP on system specific chaperone - Twin arginine signal peptide interaction. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 465:753-7. [PMID: 26299930 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.08.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Many bacterial respiratory redox enzymes depend on the twin-arginine translocase (Tat) system for translocation and membrane insertion. Tat substrates contain an N-terminal twin-arginine (SRRxFLK) motif serving as the targeting signal towards the translocon. Many Tat substrates have a system specific chaperone - redox enzyme maturation protein (REMP) - for final folding and assembly prior to Tat binding. The REMP DmsD strongly interacts with the twin-arginine motif of the DmsA signal sequence of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) reductase. In this study, we have utilized the in vitro protein-protein interaction technique of an affinity pull down assay, as well as protein thermal stability measurement via differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) to investigate the interaction of guanosine nucleotides (GNPs) with DmsD. Here we have shown highly cooperative binding of DmsD with GTP. A dissociative ligand-binding style isotherm was generated upon GTP titration into the DmsD:DmsAL interaction, yielding sigmoidal release of DmsD with a Hill coefficient of 2.09 and a dissociation constant of 0.99 mM. DSF further illustrated the change in thermal stability upon DmsD interaction with DmsAL and GTP. These results imply the possibility of DmsD detection and binding of GTP during the DMSO protein maturation mechanism, from ribosomal translation to membrane targeting and final assembly. Conceivably, GTP is shown to act as a molecular regulator in the biochemical pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephana J Cherak
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Raymond J Turner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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