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Gavryushov S, Bashilov A, Cherashev-Tumanov KV, Kuzmich NN, Burykina TI, Izotov BN. Interaction of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists with Cannabinoid Receptor I: Insights into Activation Molecular Mechanism. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14874. [PMID: 37834323 PMCID: PMC10574015 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) have become a wide group of new psychoactive substances since the 2010s. For the last few years, the X-ray structures of the complexes of cannabinoid receptor I (CB1) with SCRAs as well as the complexes of CB1 with its antagonist have been published. Based on those data, SCRA-CB1 interactions are analyzed in detail, using molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. The molecular mechanism of the conformational transformation of the transmembrane domain of CB1 caused by its interaction with SCRA is studied. These conformational changes allosterically modulate the CB1-Gi complex, providing activation of the Gi protein. Based on the X-ray-determined structures of the CB1-ligand complexes, a stable apo conformation of inactive CB1 with a relatively low potential barrier of receptor activation was modeled. For that model, molecular dynamic simulations of SCRA binding to CB1 led to the active state of CB1, which allowed us to explore the key features of this activation and the molecular mechanism of the receptor's structural transformation. The simulated CB1 activation is in accordance with the previously published experimental data for the activation at protein mutations or structural changes of ligands. The key feature of the suggested activation mechanism is the determination of the stiff core of the CB1 transmembrane domain and the statement that the entire conformational transformation of the receptor to the active state is caused by a shift of alpha helix TM7 relative to this core. The shift itself is caused by protein-ligand interactions. It was verified via steered molecular dynamics simulations of the X-ray-determined structures of the inactive receptor, which resulted in the active conformation of CB1 irrespective of the placement of agonist ligand in the receptor's active site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei Gavryushov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova Str. 32, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 2-4 Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Str., Moscow 119991, Russia; (A.B.); (K.V.C.-T.); (T.I.B.); (B.N.I.)
| | - Anton Bashilov
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 2-4 Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Str., Moscow 119991, Russia; (A.B.); (K.V.C.-T.); (T.I.B.); (B.N.I.)
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Bolshoy Boulevard 30, Bld. 1, Moscow 121205, Russia
| | - Konstantin V. Cherashev-Tumanov
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 2-4 Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Str., Moscow 119991, Russia; (A.B.); (K.V.C.-T.); (T.I.B.); (B.N.I.)
| | - Nikolay N. Kuzmich
- The Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Institute for Drug Discovery, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel;
| | - Tatyana I. Burykina
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 2-4 Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Str., Moscow 119991, Russia; (A.B.); (K.V.C.-T.); (T.I.B.); (B.N.I.)
| | - Boris N. Izotov
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 2-4 Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Str., Moscow 119991, Russia; (A.B.); (K.V.C.-T.); (T.I.B.); (B.N.I.)
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2
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Kishi KE, Kato HE. Pump-like channelrhodopsins: Not just bridging the gap between ion pumps and ion channels. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 79:102562. [PMID: 36871323 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins are microbial rhodopsins that work as light-gated ion channels. Their importance has become increasingly recognized due to their ability to control the membrane potential of specific cells in a light-dependent manner. This technology, termed optogenetics, has revolutionized neuroscience, and numerous channelrhodopsin variants have been isolated or engineered to expand the utility of optogenetics. Pump-like channelrhodopsins (PLCRs), one of the recently discovered channelrhodopsin subfamilies, have attracted broad attention due to their high sequence similarity to ion-pumping rhodopsins and their distinct properties, such as high light sensitivity and ion selectivity. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the structure-function relationships of PLCRs and discuss the challenges and opportunities of channelrhodopsin research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichiro E Kishi
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. https://twitter.com/K_E_Kishi
| | - Hideaki E Kato
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; FOREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.
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3
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Hatakeyama A, Sugano E, Sayama T, Watanabe Y, Suzuki T, Tabata K, Endo Y, Sakajiri T, Fukuda T, Ozaki T, Tomita H. Properties of a Single Amino Acid Residue in the Third Transmembrane Domain Determine the Kinetics of Ambient Light-Sensitive Channelrhodopsin. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24055054. [PMID: 36902480 PMCID: PMC10003734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24055054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins have been utilized in gene therapy to restore vision in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and their channel kinetics are an important factor to consider in such applications. We investigated the channel kinetics of ComV1 variants with different amino acid residues at the 172nd position. Patch clamp methods were used to record the photocurrents induced by stimuli from diodes in HEK293 cells transfected with plasmid vectors. The channel kinetics (τon and τoff) were considerably altered by the replacement of the 172nd amino acid and was dependent on the amino acid characteristics. The size of amino acids at this position correlated with τon and decay, whereas the solubility correlated with τon and τoff. Molecular dynamic simulation indicated that the ion tunnel constructed by H172, E121, and R306 widened due to H172A variant, whereas the interaction between A172 and the surrounding amino acids weakened compared with H172. The bottleneck radius of the ion gate constructed with the 172nd amino acid affected the photocurrent and channel kinetics. The 172nd amino acid in ComV1 is a key residue for determining channel kinetics as its properties alter the radius of the ion gate. Our findings can be used to improve the channel kinetics of channelrhodopsins.
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Shionoya T, Mizuno M, Kandori H, Mizutani Y. Contact-Mediated Retinal-Opsin Coupling Enables Proton Pumping in Gloeobacter Rhodopsin. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:7857-7869. [PMID: 36173382 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c04208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
When a chromophore embedded in a photoreceptive protein undergoes a reaction upon photoexcitation, the photoreaction triggers structural changes in the protein moiety that are necessary for the function of the protein. It is thus essential to elucidate the coupling between the chromophore and protein moiety to understand the functional mechanism for photoreceptive proteins, but the mechanism by which this coupling occurs remains poorly understood. Here, we show that nonbonded atomic contacts play an essential role in driving functionally important structural changes following photoisomerization of the chromophore in Gloeobacter rhodopsin (GR). Time-resolved ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy revealed that the substitution of Trp222, which contacts with methyl groups of the retinal chromophore, with a Phe residue reduced the extent of structural change. The proton-pumping activity of the GR mutant was as small as 9% of that of the wild type. Time-resolved visible absorption and resonance Raman spectra showed that the photocycle of the mutant proceeded to the L intermediate following the all-trans to 13-cis photoisomerization step but did not result in the deprotonation of the chromophore. The present results demonstrate that the atomic contacts between the chromophore and the Trp222 side chain induce the structural changes necessary for proton transfer. The requirement for dense atomic packing in a protein structure for the efficient propagation of structural changes through a coupling mechanism is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Shionoya
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Misao Mizuno
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Hideki Kandori
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8555, Japan
| | - Yasuhisa Mizutani
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
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5
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Kishi KE, Kim YS, Fukuda M, Inoue M, Kusakizako T, Wang PY, Ramakrishnan C, Byrne EFX, Thadhani E, Paggi JM, Matsui TE, Yamashita K, Nagata T, Konno M, Quirin S, Lo M, Benster T, Uemura T, Liu K, Shibata M, Nomura N, Iwata S, Nureki O, Dror RO, Inoue K, Deisseroth K, Kato HE. Structural basis for channel conduction in the pump-like channelrhodopsin ChRmine. Cell 2022; 185:672-689.e23. [PMID: 35114111 PMCID: PMC7612760 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
ChRmine, a recently discovered pump-like cation-conducting channelrhodopsin, exhibits puzzling properties (large photocurrents, red-shifted spectrum, and extreme light sensitivity) that have created new opportunities in optogenetics. ChRmine and its homologs function as ion channels but, by primary sequence, more closely resemble ion pump rhodopsins; mechanisms for passive channel conduction in this family have remained mysterious. Here, we present the 2.0 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of ChRmine, revealing architectural features atypical for channelrhodopsins: trimeric assembly, a short transmembrane-helix 3, a twisting extracellular-loop 1, large vestibules within the monomer, and an opening at the trimer interface. We applied this structure to design three proteins (rsChRmine and hsChRmine, conferring further red-shifted and high-speed properties, respectively, and frChRmine, combining faster and more red-shifted performance) suitable for fundamental neuroscience opportunities. These results illuminate the conduction and gating of pump-like channelrhodopsins and point the way toward further structure-guided creation of channelrhodopsins for applications across biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichiro E Kishi
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoon Seok Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Masahiro Fukuda
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Inoue
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tsukasa Kusakizako
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Peter Y Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Eamon F X Byrne
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Elina Thadhani
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joseph M Paggi
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Toshiki E Matsui
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keitaro Yamashita
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Takashi Nagata
- Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan; PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
| | - Masae Konno
- Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan; PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
| | - Sean Quirin
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maisie Lo
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tyler Benster
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tomoko Uemura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Sakyo, Japan
| | - Kehong Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Sakyo, Japan
| | - Mikihiro Shibata
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, Japan; High-Speed AFM for Biological Application Unit, Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Norimichi Nomura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Sakyo, Japan
| | - So Iwata
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Sakyo, Japan; RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ron O Dror
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Keiichi Inoue
- Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; CNC Program, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Hideaki E Kato
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan; FOREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan.
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6
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Bondar AN. Mechanisms of long-distance allosteric couplings in proton-binding membrane transporters. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2022; 128:199-239. [PMID: 35034719 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Membrane transporters that use proton binding and proton transfer for function couple local protonation change with changes in protein conformation and water dynamics. Changes of protein conformation might be required to allow transient formation of hydrogen-bond networks that bridge proton donor and acceptor pairs separated by long distances. Inter-helical hydrogen-bond networks adjust rapidly to protonation change, and ensure rapid response of the protein structure and dynamics. Membrane transporters with known three-dimensional structures and proton-binding groups inform on general principles of protonation-coupled protein conformational dynamics. Inter-helical hydrogen bond motifs between proton-binding carboxylate groups and a polar sidechain are observed in unrelated membrane transporters, suggesting common principles of coupling protonation change with protein conformational dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana-Nicoleta Bondar
- University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, Măgurele, Romania; Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Computational Biomedicine, Jülich, Germany.
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Xin Q, Cheng J, Wang H, Zhang W, Lu H, Zhou J, Lo GV, Dou Y, Yuan S. Modeling the syn-cycle in the light activated opening of the channelrhodopsin-2 ion channel. RSC Adv 2022; 12:6515-6524. [PMID: 35424642 PMCID: PMC8981705 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra08521b] [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: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ion channel of channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is activated by absorbing light. The light stimulates retinal to isomerize to start the photocycle. There are two pathways for photocycles, which are caused by isomerization of the retinal from all-trans, 15-anti to 13-cis, 15-anti in the dark-adapted state (anti-cycle) and from 13-cis, 15-syn to all-trans, 15-syn in the light-adapted state (syn-cycle). In this work, the structure of the syn-cycle intermediate and mechanism of channel opening were studied by molecular dynamics (MD) and steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations. Due to the lack of crystal structure of intermediates in the syn-cycle of ChR2, the intermediate models were constructed from the homologous intermediates in the anti-cycle. The isomerization of retinal was shown to cause the central gate (CG) hydrogen bond network to rearrange, cutting the link between TM2 and TM7. TM2 is moved by the intrahelical hydrogen bond of E90 and K93, and induced the intracellular gate (ICG) to expand. The ion penetration pathway between TM1, TM2, TM3 and TM7 in the P500* state was observed by MD simulations. However, this channel is not fully opened compared with the homologous P500 state in the anti-cycle. In addition, the protons on Schiff bases were found to be unable to form hydrogen bonds with the counter residues (E123 and D253) in the P500* state, preventing an evolution of the P500* state to a P390-like state in the syn-cycle. Modelling the syn-cycle is a series of operations on the ChR2 crystal structure (PDB ID: 6EID). By replacement and isomerization, we obtained P500* and P480 intermediates. A feasible explanation that no P390* was observed in experiment was inferred.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xin
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 40065, China
| | - Jie Cheng
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 40065, China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Wenying Zhang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 40065, China
| | - Hong Lu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 40065, China
| | - Junpeng Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 40065, China
| | - Glenn V. Lo
- Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences, Nicholls State University, P.O. Box 2022, Thibodaux, LA 70310, USA
| | - Yusheng Dou
- Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences, Nicholls State University, P.O. Box 2022, Thibodaux, LA 70310, USA
| | - Shuai Yuan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 40065, China
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8
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Development of an optogenetic gene sensitive to daylight and its implications in vision restoration. NPJ Regen Med 2021; 6:64. [PMID: 34650094 PMCID: PMC8516861 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-021-00177-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetic gene-mediated therapy for restoring vision is thought to be a useful treatment for blind patients. However, light sensitivity achieved using this gene therapy is inferior to that of daylight vision. To increase light sensitivity, we designed three mutants using a bioinformatics approach. Nucleotide sequences encoding two sites in the extracellular loops (ex1, ex3) of mVChR1 close to simulated ion-conducting pathways were replaced by homologous amino acid-encoding sequences of ChR1 or ChR2. The light sensitivity of ex3mV1 was higher than that of mVChR1 at 405–617 nm. Visual responses were restored in Royal College of Surgeons rats with genetically degenerating photoreceptor cells transfected with ex3mV1Co, wherein transmembrane of sixth (TM6) in ex3mV1 was additionally replaced with the corresponding domain of CoChR; these rats responded to light in the order of μW/mm2. Thus, ex3mV1Co might be useful for the restoration of advanced visual function.
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9
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Adam S, Wiebeler C, Schapiro I. Structural Factors Determining the Absorption Spectrum of Channelrhodopsins: A Case Study of the Chimera C1C2. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:6302-6313. [PMID: 34255519 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins are photosensitive proteins that trigger flagella motion in single-cell algae and have been successfully utilized in optogenetic applications. In optogenetics, light is used to activate neural cells in living organisms, which can be achieved by exploiting the ion channel signaling of channelrhodopsins. Tailoring channelrhodopsins for such applications includes the tuning of the absorption maximum. In order to establish rational design and to obtain a desired spectral shift, a basic understanding of the absorption spectrum is required. We have studied the chimera C1C2 as a representative of this protein family and the first member with an available crystal structure. For this purpose, we sampled the conformations of C1C2 using quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical molecular dynamics and subjected the resulting snapshots of the trajectory to excitation energy calculations using ADC(2) and simplified time-dependent density functional theory. In contrast to previous reports, we found that different hydrogen-bonding networks-involving the retinal protonated Schiff base, the putative counterions E162 and D292, and water molecules-had only a small impact on the absorption spectrum. However, in the case of deprotonated E162, increasing the distance to the Schiff base hydrogen-bonding partner led to a systematic blue shift. The β-ionone ring rotation was identified as another important contributor. Yet the most important factors were found to be the bond length alternation and bond order alternation that were linearly correlated to the absorption maximum by up to 62 and 82%, respectively. We ascribe this novel insight into the structural basis of the absorption spectrum to our enhanced protein setup that includes membrane embedding as well as long and extensive sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suliman Adam
- Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Christian Wiebeler
- Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Igor Schapiro
- Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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10
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VanGordon MR, Prignano LA, Dempski RE, Rick SW, Rempe SB. Channelrhodopsin C1C2: Photocycle kinetics and interactions near the central gate. Biophys J 2021; 120:1835-1845. [PMID: 33705762 PMCID: PMC8204341 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins (ChR) are light-sensitive cation channels used in optogenetics, a technique that applies light to control cells (e.g., neurons) that have been modified genetically to express those channels. Although mutations are known to affect pore kinetics, little is known about how mutations induce changes at the molecular scale. To address this issue, we first measured channel opening and closing rates of a ChR chimera (C1C2) and selected variants (N297D, N297V, and V125L). Then, we used atomistic simulations to correlate those rates with changes in pore structure, hydration, and chemical interactions among key gating residues of C1C2 in both closed and open states. Overall, the experimental results show that C1C2 and its mutants do not behave like ChR2 or its analogous variants, except V125L, making C1C2 a unique channel. Our atomistic simulations confirmed that opening of the channel and initial hydration of the gating regions between helices I, II, III, and VII of the channel occurs with 1) the presence of 13-cis retinal; 2) deprotonation of a glutamic acid gating residue, E129; and 3) subsequent weakening of the central gate hydrogen bond between the same glutamic acid E129 and asparagine N297 in the central region of the pore. Also, an aspartate (D292) is the unambiguous primary proton acceptor for the retinal Schiff base in the hydrated channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika R VanGordon
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Lindsey A Prignano
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Robert E Dempski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Steven W Rick
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Susan B Rempe
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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11
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Liang R, Yu JK, Meisner J, Liu F, Martinez TJ. Electrostatic Control of Photoisomerization in Channelrhodopsin 2. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:5425-5437. [PMID: 33794085 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2) is the most commonly used tool in optogenetics. Because of its faster photocycle compared to wild-type (WT) ChR2, the E123T mutant of ChR2 is a useful optogenetic tool when fast neuronal stimulation is needed. Interestingly, in spite of its faster photocycle, the initial step of the photocycle in E123T (photoisomerization of retinal protonated Schiff base or RPSB) was found experimentally to be much slower than that of WT ChR2. The E123T mutant replaces the negatively charged E123 residue with a neutral T123 residue, perturbing the electric field around the RPSB. Understanding the RPSB photoisomerization mechanism in ChR2 mutants will provide molecular-level insights into how ChR2 photochemical reactivity can be controlled, which will lay the foundation for improving the design of optogenetic tools. In this work, we combine ab initio nonadiabatic dynamics simulation, excited state free energy calculation, and reaction path search to comprehensively characterize the RPSB photoisomerization mechanism in the E123T mutant of ChR2. Our simulation agrees with previous experiments in predicting a red-shifted absorption spectrum and significant slowdown of photoisomerization in the E123T mutant. Interestingly, our simulations predict similar photoisomerization quantum yields for the mutant and WT despite the differences in excited-state lifetime and absorption maximum. Upon mutation, the neutralization of the negative charge on the E123 residue increases the isomerization barrier, alters the reaction pathway, and changes the relative stability of two fluorescent states. Our findings provide new insight into the intricate role of the electrostatic environment on the RPSB photoisomerization mechanism in microbial rhodopsins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruibin Liang
- Department of Chemistry and The PULSE Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Jimmy K Yu
- Department of Chemistry and The PULSE Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jan Meisner
- Department of Chemistry and The PULSE Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Chemistry and The PULSE Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Todd J Martinez
- Department of Chemistry and The PULSE Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
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12
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Structure-Function Relationship of Channelrhodopsins. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1293:35-53. [PMID: 33398806 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-8763-4_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Ion-translocating rhodopsins, especially channelrhodopsins (ChRs), have attracted broad attention as a powerful tool to modulate the membrane potential of cells with light (optogenetics). Because of recent biophysical, spectroscopic, and computational studies, including the structural determination of cation and anion ChRs, our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying light-gated ion conduction has been greatly advanced. In this chapter, I first describe the background of rhodopsin family proteins including ChR, and how the optogenetics technology has been established from the discovery of first ChR in 2002. I later introduce the recent findings of the structure-function relationship of ChR by comparing the crystal structures of cation and anion ChRs. I further discuss the future goal in the fields of ChR research and optogenetic tool development.
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13
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Priest C, VanGordon MR, Rempe C, Chaudhari MI, Stevens MJ, Rick S, Rempe SB. Computing Potential of the Mean Force Profiles for Ion Permeation Through Channelrhodopsin Chimera, C1C2. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2191:17-28. [PMID: 32865736 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0830-2_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Umbrella sampling, coupled with a weighted histogram analysis method (US-WHAM), can be used to construct potentials of mean force (PMFs) for studying the complex ion permeation pathways of membrane transport proteins. Despite the widespread use of US-WHAM, obtaining a physically meaningful PMF can be challenging. Here, we provide a protocol to resolve that issue. Then, we apply that protocol to compute a meaningful PMF for sodium ion permeation through channelrhodopsin chimera, C1C2, for illustration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad Priest
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Monika R VanGordon
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Steve Rick
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA
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14
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Cheng J, Zhang W, Zhou S, Ran X, Shang Y, Lo GV, Dou Y, Yuan S. The effect on ion channel of different protonation states of E90 in channelrhodopsin-2: a molecular dynamics simulation. RSC Adv 2021; 11:14542-14551. [PMID: 35424009 PMCID: PMC8697799 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra01879e] [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: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is a cationic channel protein that has been extensively studied in optogenetics. The ion channel is opened via a series of proton transfers and H-bond changes during the photocycle but the detailed mechanism is still unknown. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with enhanced sampling were performed on the dark-adapted state (i.e., D470) and two photocycle intermediates (P1500 and P2390) to study the proton transfer path of the Schiff base and the subsequent conformational changes. The results suggest there are two possible proton transfer pathways from the Schiff base to proton acceptors (i.e., E123 or D253), depending on the protonation of E90. If E90 is protonated in the P1500 state, the proton on the Schiff base will transfer to E123. The polyene chain of 13-cis retinal tilts and opens the channel that detours the blocking central gate (CG) and forms a narrow channel through the transmembrane helices (TM) 2, 3, 6 and 7. In contrast, if E90 deprotonates after retinal isomerization, the primary proton acceptor is D253, and an almost-open channel through TM1, 2, 3 and 7 is generated. The channel diameter is very close to the experimental value. The potential mean force (PMF) suggests that the free energy is extremely low for ions passing through this channel. With E90 protonated, the proton acceptor of RSBH+ is E123 with a narrow channel along TM3; while with E90 deprotonated, proton transfer from RSBH+ to D253 generates an approximately open channel along TM2.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Cheng
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence
- Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications
- Chongqing 40065
- China
| | - Wenying Zhang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence
- Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications
- Chongqing 40065
- China
| | - Shuangyan Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence
- Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications
- Chongqing 40065
- China
| | - Xu Ran
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence
- Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications
- Chongqing 40065
- China
| | - Yiwen Shang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence
- Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications
- Chongqing 40065
- China
| | - Glenn V. Lo
- Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences
- Nicholls State University
- Thibodaux
- USA
| | - Yusheng Dou
- Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences
- Nicholls State University
- Thibodaux
- USA
| | - Shuai Yuan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence
- Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications
- Chongqing 40065
- China
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15
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Nagasaka Y, Hososhima S, Kubo N, Nagata T, Kandori H, Inoue K, Yawo H. Gate-keeper of ion transport-a highly conserved helix-3 tryptophan in a channelrhodopsin chimera, C1C2/ChRWR. Biophys Physicobiol 2020; 17:59-70. [PMID: 33173715 PMCID: PMC7593130 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bsj-2020007] [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: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial rhodopsin is a large family of membrane proteins having seven transmembrane helices (TM1-7) with an all-trans retinal (ATR) chromophore that is covalently bound to Lys in the TM7. The Trp residue in the middle of TM3, which is homologous to W86 of bacteriorhodopsin (BR), is highly conserved among microbial rhodopsins with various light-driven functions. However, the significance of this Trp for the ion transport function of microbial rhodopsins has long remained unknown. Here, we replaced the W163 (BR W86 counterpart) of a channelrhodopsin (ChR), C1C2/ChRWR, which is a chimera between ChR1 and 2, with a smaller aromatic residue, Phe to verify its role in the ion transport. Under whole-cell patch clamp recordings from the ND7/23 cells that were transfected with the DNA plasmid coding human codon optimized C1C2/ChRWR (hWR) or its W163F mutant (hWR-W163F), the photocurrents were evoked by a pulsatile light at 475 nm. The ion-transporting activity of hWR was strongly altered by the W163F mutation in 3 points: (1) the H+ leak at positive membrane potential (Vm) and its light-adaptation, (2) the attenuation of cation channel activity and (3) the manifestation of outward H+ pump activity. All of these results strongly suggest that W163 has a role in stabilizing the structure involved in the gating-on and -off of the cation channel, the role of “gate keeper”. We can attribute the attenuation of cation channel activity to the incomplete gating-on and the H+ leak to the incomplete gating-off.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiro Nagasaka
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.,Department of Advanced Materials Science, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
| | - Shoko Hososhima
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Naoko Kubo
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.,Department of Physiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Takashi Nagata
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.,Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO) , Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Hideki Kandori
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan.,OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Keiichi Inoue
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
| | - Hiromu Yawo
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
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16
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Siemers M, Lazaratos M, Karathanou K, Guerra F, Brown LS, Bondar AN. Bridge: A Graph-Based Algorithm to Analyze Dynamic H-Bond Networks in Membrane Proteins. J Chem Theory Comput 2019; 15:6781-6798. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b00697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Malte Siemers
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics, Arnimallee 14, D14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michalis Lazaratos
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics, Arnimallee 14, D14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Konstantina Karathanou
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics, Arnimallee 14, D14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Federico Guerra
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics, Arnimallee 14, D14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Leonid S. Brown
- Department of Physics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Ana-Nicoleta Bondar
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics, Arnimallee 14, D14195 Berlin, Germany
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17
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Ryazantsev MN, Nikolaev DM, Struts AV, Brown MF. Quantum Mechanical and Molecular Mechanics Modeling of Membrane-Embedded Rhodopsins. J Membr Biol 2019; 252:425-449. [PMID: 31570961 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-019-00095-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Computational chemistry provides versatile methods for studying the properties and functioning of biological systems at different levels of precision and at different time scales. The aim of this article is to review the computational methodologies that are applicable to rhodopsins as archetypes for photoactive membrane proteins that are of great importance both in nature and in modern technologies. For each class of computational techniques, from methods that use quantum mechanics for simulating rhodopsin photophysics to less-accurate coarse-grained methodologies used for long-scale protein dynamics, we consider possible applications and the main directions for improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail N Ryazantsev
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, 26 Universitetskii pr, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 198504
| | - Dmitrii M Nikolaev
- Saint-Petersburg Academic University - Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 194021
| | - Andrey V Struts
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.,Laboratory of Biomolecular NMR, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 199034
| | - Michael F Brown
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA. .,Department of Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
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18
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Formation Mechanism of Ion Channel in Channelrhodopsin-2: Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Steering Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20153780. [PMID: 31382458 PMCID: PMC6695816 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20153780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is a light-activated and non-selective cationic channel protein that can be easily expressed in specific neurons to control neuronal activity by light. Although ChR2 has been extensively used as an optogenetic tool in neuroscience research, the molecular mechanism of cation channel formation following retinal photoisomerization in ChR2 is not well understood. In this paper, studies of the closed and opened state ChR2 structures are presented. The formation of the cationic channel is elucidated in atomic detail using molecular dynamics simulations on the all-trans-retinal (ChR2-trans) configuration of ChR2 and its isomerization products, 13-cis-retinal (ChR2-cis) configuration, respectively. Photoisomerization of the retinal-chromophore causes the destruction of interactions among the crucial residues (e.g., E90, E82, N258, and R268) around the channel and the extended H-bond network mediated by numerous water molecules, which opens the pore. Steering molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations show that the electrostatic interactions at the binding sites in intracellular gate (ICG) and central gate (CG) can influence the transmembrane transport of Na+ in ChR2-cis obviously. Potential of mean force (PMF) constructed by SMD and umbrella sampling also found the existing energy wells at these two binding sites during the transportation of Na+. These wells partly hinder the penetration of Na+ into cytoplasm through the ion channel. This investigation provides a theoretical insight on the formation mechanism of ion channels and the mechanism of ion permeation.
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19
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Liang R, Liu F, Martínez TJ. Nonadiabatic Photodynamics of Retinal Protonated Schiff Base in Channelrhodopsin 2. J Phys Chem Lett 2019; 10:2862-2868. [PMID: 31083920 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b00701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2) is a light-gated ion channel and an important tool in optogenetics. Photoisomerization of retinal protonated Schiff base (RPSB) in ChR2 triggers channel activation. Despite the importance of ChR2 in optogenetics, the detailed mechanism for photoisomerization and channel activation is still not fully understood. Here, we report on computer simulations to investigate the photoisomerization mechanism and its effect on the activation of ChR2. Nonadiabatic dynamics simulation of ChR2 was carried out using the ab initio multiple spawning (AIMS) method and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) with a restricted ensemble Kohn-Sham (REKS) treatment of the QM region. Our results agree well with spectroscopic measurements and reveal that the RPSB isomerization is highly specific around the C13=C14 bond and follows the "aborted bicycle-pedal" mechanism. In addition, RPSB photoisomerization facilitates its deprotonation and partially increases the hydration level in the channel, which could trigger subsequent channel opening and ion conduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruibin Liang
- Department of Chemistry and The PULSE Institute , Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , 2575 Sand Hill Road , Menlo Park , California 94025 , United States
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Chemistry and The PULSE Institute , Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , 2575 Sand Hill Road , Menlo Park , California 94025 , United States
| | - Todd J Martínez
- Department of Chemistry and The PULSE Institute , Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , 2575 Sand Hill Road , Menlo Park , California 94025 , United States
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20
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Krause BS, Kaufmann JCD, Kuhne J, Vierock J, Huber T, Sakmar TP, Gerwert K, Bartl FJ, Hegemann P. Tracking Pore Hydration in Channelrhodopsin by Site-Directed Infrared-Active Azido Probes. Biochemistry 2019; 58:1275-1286. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b01211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S. Krause
- Institut für Biologie, Experimentelle Biophysik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Joel C. D. Kaufmann
- Institut für Biologie, Biophysikalische Chemie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Institut für medizinische Physik und Biophysik, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens Kuhne
- Lehrstuhl für Biophysik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Johannes Vierock
- Institut für Biologie, Experimentelle Biophysik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Huber
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Signal Transduction, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Thomas P. Sakmar
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Signal Transduction, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division for Neurogeriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Alfred Nobels Allé 23, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Klaus Gerwert
- Lehrstuhl für Biophysik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Franz J. Bartl
- Institut für Biologie, Biophysikalische Chemie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Institut für medizinische Physik und Biophysik, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Hegemann
- Institut für Biologie, Experimentelle Biophysik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
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21
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Hollingsworth SA, Dror RO. Molecular Dynamics Simulation for All. Neuron 2018; 99:1129-1143. [PMID: 30236283 PMCID: PMC6209097 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1023] [Impact Index Per Article: 170.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The impact of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in molecular biology and drug discovery has expanded dramatically in recent years. These simulations capture the behavior of proteins and other biomolecules in full atomic detail and at very fine temporal resolution. Major improvements in simulation speed, accuracy, and accessibility, together with the proliferation of experimental structural data, have increased the appeal of biomolecular simulation to experimentalists-a trend particularly noticeable in, although certainly not limited to, neuroscience. Simulations have proven valuable in deciphering functional mechanisms of proteins and other biomolecules, in uncovering the structural basis for disease, and in the design and optimization of small molecules, peptides, and proteins. Here we describe, in practical terms, the types of information MD simulations can provide and the ways in which they typically motivate further experimental work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Hollingsworth
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ron O Dror
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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22
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Tsukamoto T, Kikuchi C, Suzuki H, Aizawa T, Kikukawa T, Demura M. Implications for the impairment of the rapid channel closing of Proteomonas sulcata anion channelrhodopsin 1 at high Cl - concentrations. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13445. [PMID: 30194401 PMCID: PMC6128917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31742-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural anion channelrhodopsins (ACRs) have recently received increased attention because of their effectiveness in optogenetic manipulation for neuronal silencing. In this study, we focused on Proteomonas sulcata ACR1 (PsuACR1), which has rapid channel closing kinetics and a rapid recovery to the initial state of its anion channel function that is useful for rapid optogenetic control. To reveal the anion concentration dependency of the channel function, we investigated the photochemical properties of PsuACR1 using spectroscopic techniques. Recombinant PsuACR1 exhibited a Cl− dependent spectral red-shift from 531 nm at 0.1 mM to 535 nm at 1000 mM, suggesting that it binds Cl− in the initial state with a Kd of 5.5 mM. Flash-photolysis experiments revealed that the photocycle was significantly changed at high Cl− concentrations, which led not only to suppression of the accumulation of the M-intermediate involved in the Cl− non-conducting state but also to a drastic change in the equilibrium state of the other photo-intermediates. Because of this, the Cl− conducting state is protracted by one order of magnitude, which implies an impairment of the rapid channel closing of PsuACR1 in the presence of high concentrations of Cl−.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Tsukamoto
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan. .,Global Station for Soft Matter, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan. .,Division of Macromolecular Functions, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan. .,Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.
| | - Chihiro Kikuchi
- Division of Macromolecular Functions, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.,Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Hiromu Suzuki
- Division of Macromolecular Functions, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Tomoyasu Aizawa
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.,Global Station for Soft Matter, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan.,Division of Macromolecular Functions, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.,Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Takashi Kikukawa
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.,Global Station for Soft Matter, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan.,Division of Macromolecular Functions, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.,Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Makoto Demura
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.,Global Station for Soft Matter, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan.,Division of Macromolecular Functions, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan.,Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
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23
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Kato HE, Kim YS, Paggi JM, Evans KE, Allen WE, Richardson C, Inoue K, Ito S, Ramakrishnan C, Fenno LE, Yamashita K, Hilger D, Lee SY, Berndt A, Shen K, Kandori H, Dror RO, Kobilka BK, Deisseroth K. Structural mechanisms of selectivity and gating in anion channelrhodopsins. Nature 2018; 561:349-354. [PMID: 30158697 PMCID: PMC6317992 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0504-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Both designed and natural anion-conducting channelrhodopsins (dACRs and nACRs, respectively) have been widely applied in optogenetics (enabling selective inhibition of target-cell activity during animal behaviour studies), but each class exhibits performance limitations, underscoring trade-offs in channel structure-function relationships. Therefore, molecular and structural insights into dACRs and nACRs will be critical not only for understanding the fundamental mechanisms of these light-gated anion channels, but also to create next-generation optogenetic tools. Here we report crystal structures of the dACR iC++, along with spectroscopic, electrophysiological and computational analyses that provide unexpected insights into pH dependence, substrate recognition, channel gating and ion selectivity of both dACRs and nACRs. These results enabled us to create an anion-conducting channelrhodopsin integrating the key features of large photocurrent and fast kinetics alongside exclusive anion selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideaki E Kato
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan.
| | - Yoon Seok Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joseph M Paggi
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn E Evans
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - William E Allen
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Claire Richardson
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Keiichi Inoue
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
- OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shota Ito
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Charu Ramakrishnan
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lief E Fenno
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Daniel Hilger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Soo Yeun Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andre Berndt
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kang Shen
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hideki Kandori
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
- OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ron O Dror
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Brian K Kobilka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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24
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Cheng C, Kamiya M, Takemoto M, Ishitani R, Nureki O, Yoshida N, Hayashi S. An Atomistic Model of a Precursor State of Light-Induced Channel Opening of Channelrhodopsin. Biophys J 2018; 115:1281-1291. [PMID: 30236783 PMCID: PMC6170652 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.08.024] [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: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are microbial light-gated ion channels with a retinal chromophore and are widely utilized in optogenetics to precisely control neuronal activity with light. Despite increasing understanding of their structures and photoactivation kinetics, the atomistic mechanism of light gating and ion conduction remains elusive. Here, we present an atomic structural model of a chimeric ChR in a precursor state of the channel opening determined by an accurate hybrid molecular simulation technique and a statistical theory of internal water distribution. The photoactivated structure features extensive tilt of the chromophore accompanied by redistribution of water molecules in its binding pocket, which is absent in previously known photoactivated structures of analogous photoreceptors, and widely agrees with structural and spectroscopic experimental evidence of ChRs. The atomistic model manifests a photoactivated ion-conduction pathway that is markedly different from a previously proposed one and successfully explains experimentally observed mutagenic effects on key channel properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Cheng
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Motoshi Kamiya
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Mizuki Takemoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryuichiro Ishitani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norio Yoshida
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
| | - Shigehiko Hayashi
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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25
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Adam S, Bondar AN. Mechanism by which water and protein electrostatic interactions control proton transfer at the active site of channelrhodopsin. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201298. [PMID: 30086158 PMCID: PMC6080761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins are light-sensitive ion channels whose reaction cycles involve conformation-coupled transfer of protons. Understanding how channelrhodopsins work is important for applications in optogenetics, where light activation of these proteins triggers changes in the transmembrane potential across excitable membranes. A fundamental open question is how the protein environment ensures that unproductive proton transfer from the retinal Schiff base to the nearby carboxylate counterion is avoided in the resting state of the channel. To address this question, we performed combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical proton transfer calculations with explicit treatment of the surrounding lipid membrane. The free energy profiles computed for proton transfer to the counterion, either via a direct jump or mediated by a water molecule, demonstrate that, when retinal is all-trans, water and protein electrostatic interactions largely favour the protonated retinal Schiff base state. We identified a conserved lysine group as an essential structural element for the proton transfer energetics in channelrhodopsins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suliman Adam
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Group, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ana-Nicoleta Bondar
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Physics, Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Group, Berlin, Germany
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26
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Abstract
Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is a light-sensitive ion channel widely used in optogenetics. Photoactivation triggers a trans-to-cis isomerization of a covalently bound retinal. Ensuing conformational changes open a cation-selective channel. We explore the structural dynamics in the early photocycle leading to channel opening by classical (MM) and quantum mechanical (QM) molecular simulations. With QM/MM simulations, we generated a protein-adapted force field for the retinal chromophore, which we validated against absorption spectra. In a 4-µs MM simulation of a dark-adapted ChR2 dimer, water entered the vestibules of the closed channel. Retinal all-trans to 13-cis isomerization, simulated with metadynamics, triggered a major restructuring of the charge cluster forming the channel gate. On a microsecond time scale, water penetrated the gate to form a membrane-spanning preopen pore between helices H1, H2, H3, and H7. This influx of water into an ion-impermeable preopen pore is consistent with time-resolved infrared spectroscopy and electrophysiology experiments. In the retinal 13-cis state, D253 emerged as the proton acceptor of the Schiff base. Upon proton transfer from the Schiff base to D253, modeled by QM/MM simulations, we obtained an early-M/P2390-like intermediate. Rapid rotation of the unprotonated Schiff base toward the cytosolic side effectively prevents its reprotonation from the extracellular side. From MM and QM simulations, we gained detailed insight into the mechanism of ChR2 photoactivation and early events in pore formation. By rearranging the network of charges and hydrogen bonds forming the gate, water emerges as a key player in light-driven ChR2 channel opening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Ardevol
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
| | - Gerhard Hummer
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
- Department of Physics, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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27
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Richards R, Dempski RE. Adjacent channelrhodopsin-2 residues within transmembranes 2 and 7 regulate cation selectivity and distribution of the two open states. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:7314-7326. [PMID: 28302720 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.770321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is a light-activated channel that can conduct cations of multiple valencies down the electrochemical gradient. Under continuous light exposure, ChR2 transitions from a high-conducting open state (O1) to a low-conducting open state (O2) with differing ion selectivity. The molecular basis for the O1 → O2 transition and how ChR2 modulates selectivity between states is currently unresolved. To this end, we used steered molecular dynamics, electrophysiology, and kinetic modeling to identify residues that contribute to gating and selectivity in discrete open states. Analysis of steered molecular dynamics experiments identified three transmembrane residues (Val-86, Lys-93, and Asn-258) that form a putative barrier to ion translocation. Kinetic modeling of photocurrents generated from ChR2 proteins with conservative mutations at these positions demonstrated that these residues contribute to cation selectivity (Val-86 and Asn-258), the transition between the two open states (Val-86), open channel stability, and the hydrogen-bonding network (K93I and K93N). These results suggest that this approach can be used to identify residues that contribute to the open-state transitions and the discrete ion selectivity within these states. With the rise of ChR2 use in optogenetics, it will be critical to identify residues that contribute to O1 or O2 selectivity and gating to minimize undesirable effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Richards
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts 01609
| | - Robert E Dempski
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts 01609
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28
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Zamani A, Sakuragi S, Ishizuka T, Yawo H. Kinetic characteristics of chimeric channelrhodopsins implicate the molecular identity involved in desensitization. Biophys Physicobiol 2017; 14:13-22. [PMID: 28409086 PMCID: PMC5289414 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.14.0_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin (ChR)-1 and ChR2 were the first-identified members of ChRs which are a growing subfamily of microbial-type rhodopsins. Light absorption drives the generation of a photocurrent in cell membranes expressing ChR2. However, the photocurrent amplitude attenuates and becomes steady-state during prolonged irradiation. This process, called desensitization or inactivation, has been attributed to the accumulation of intermediates less conductive to cations. Here we provided evidence that the dark-adapted (DA) photocurrent before desensitization is kinetically different from the light-adapted (LA) one after desensitization, that is, the deceleration of both basal-to-conductive and conductive-to-basal transitions. When the kinetics were compared between the DA and LA photocurrents for the ChR1/2 chimeras, the transmembrane helices, TM1 and TM2, were the determinants of both basal-to-conductive and conductive-to-basal transitions, whereas TM4 may contribute to the basal-to-conductive transitions and TM5 may contribute to the conductive-to-basal transitions, respectively. The fact that the desensitization-dependent decrease of the basal-to-conductive and conductive-to-basal transitions was facilitated by the TM1 exchange from ChR2 to ChR1 and reversed by the further TM2 exchange suggests that the conformation change for the channel gating is predominantly regulated by the interaction between TM1 and TM2. Although the exchange of TM1 from ChR2 to ChR1 showed no obvious influence on the spectral sensitivity, this exchange significantly induced the desensitization-dependent blue shift. Therefore, the TM1 and 2 are the main structures involved in two features of the desensitization, the stabilization of protein conformation and the charge distribution around the retinal-Schiff base (RSB+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alemeh Zamani
- Department of Developmental Biology and Neurosciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Shigeo Sakuragi
- Department of Developmental Biology and Neurosciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Toru Ishizuka
- Department of Developmental Biology and Neurosciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Hiromu Yawo
- Department of Developmental Biology and Neurosciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan.,Center for Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
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29
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Kato HE, Inoue K, Kandori H, Nureki O. The light-driven sodium ion pump: A new player in rhodopsin research. Bioessays 2016; 38:1274-1282. [PMID: 27859420 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201600065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Rhodopsins are one of the most studied photoreceptor protein families, and ion-translocating rhodopsins, both pumps and channels, have recently attracted broad attention because of the development of optogenetics. Recently, a new functional class of ion-pumping rhodopsins, an outward Na+ pump, was discovered, and following structural and functional studies enable us to compare three functionally different ion-pumping rhodopsins: outward proton pump, inward Cl- pump, and outward Na+ pump. Here, we review the current knowledge on structure-function relationships in these three light-driven pumps, mainly focusing on Na+ pumps. A structural and functional comparison reveals both unique and conserved features of these ion pumps, and enhances our understanding about how the structurally similar microbial rhodopsins acquired such diverse functions. We also discuss some unresolved questions and future perspectives in research of ion-pumping rhodopsins, including optogenetics application and engineering of novel rhodopsins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideaki E Kato
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Keiichi Inoue
- Department of Frontier Materials, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan.,OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hideki Kandori
- Department of Frontier Materials, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan.,OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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