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Serpa JJ, Popov KI, Petrotchenko EV, Dokholyan NV, Borchers CH. Structure of prion β-oligomers as determined by short-distance crosslinking constraint-guided discrete molecular dynamics simulations. Proteomics 2021; 21:e2000298. [PMID: 34482645 PMCID: PMC9285417 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202000298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The conversion of the native monomeric cellular prion protein (PrPC ) into an aggregated pathological β-oligomeric form (PrPβ ) and an infectious form (PrPSc ) is the central element in the development of prion diseases. The structure of the aggregates and the molecular mechanisms of the conformational changes involved in the conversion are still unknown. We applied mass spectrometry combined with chemical crosslinking, hydrogen/deuterium exchange, limited proteolysis, and surface modification for the differential characterization of the native and the urea+acid-converted prion β-oligomer structures to obtain insights into the mechanisms of conversion and aggregation. For the determination of the structure of the monomer and the dimer unit of the β-oligomer, we applied a recently-developed approach for de novo protein structure determination which is based on the incorporation of zero-length and short-distance crosslinking data as intra- and inter-protein constraints in discrete molecular dynamics simulations (CL-DMD). Based on all of the structural-proteomics experimental data and the computationally predicted structures of the monomer units, we propose the potential mode of assembly of the β-oligomer. The proposed β-oligomer assembly provides a clue on the β-sheet nucleation site, and how template-based conversion of the native prion molecule occurs, growth of the prion aggregates, and maturation into fibrils may occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Serpa
- University of Victoria -Genome British Columbia Proteomics Centre, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Konstantin I Popov
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Evgeniy V Petrotchenko
- Segal Cancer Proteomics Centre, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Center for Computational and Data-Intensive Science and Engineering, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christoph H Borchers
- Segal Cancer Proteomics Centre, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Center for Computational and Data-Intensive Science and Engineering, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia.,Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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2
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Teruya K, Nishizawa K, Oguma A, Sakasegawa Y, Kitamoto T, Doh-Ura K. Intermolecular crosslinking of abnormal prion protein is efficiently induced by a primuline-sensitized photoreaction. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2018; 1863:384-394. [PMID: 30447252 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In prion diseases, infectious pathogenic particles that are composed of abnormal prion proteins (PrPSc) accumulate in the brain. PrPSc is biochemically characterized by its protease-resistance core (PrPres), but its structural features have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that primuline, a fluorescent dye with photosensitization activity, dramatically enhances UV-irradiation-induced SDS-resistant PrPSc/res oligomer formation that can be detected by immunoblot analysis of prion-infected materials. This oligomer formation occurs specifically with PrPSc/res but not with normal prion protein, and it was demonstrated using purified PrPSc/res as well as unpurified materials. The oligomer formation proceeded in both primuline-dose- and UV irradiation time-dependent manners. Treatment with urea or formic acid did not break oligomers into monomers. Neither did the presence of aromatic amino acids modify oligomer formation. Analysis with a panel of anti-prion protein antibodies showed that the antibodies against the N-terminal region of PrPres were less reactive in the dimer than the monomer. These findings suggest that the primuline-sensitized photoreaction enhances intermolecular crosslinking of PrPSc/res molecules at a hydrophobic area of the N-terminal region of PrPres. In the screening of other compounds, photoreactive compounds such as luciferin exhibited a similar but lower activity with respect to oligomer formation than primuline. The enhanced photoreaction with these compounds will be useful for evaluating the structural features of PrPSc/res, especially the interactions between PrPSc/res molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Teruya
- Department of Neurochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Keiko Nishizawa
- Department of Neurochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ayumi Oguma
- Department of Neurochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yuji Sakasegawa
- Department of Neurochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tetsuyuki Kitamoto
- Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Katsumi Doh-Ura
- Department of Neurochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
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3
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Abstract
In this review, we detail our current knowledge of PrPSc structure on the basis of structural and computational studies. We discuss the progress toward an atomic resolution description of PrPSc and results from the broader field of amyloid studies that may further inform our knowledge of this structure. Moreover, we summarize work that investigates the role of PrPSc structure in its toxicity, transmissibility, and species specificity. We look forward to an atomic model of PrPSc, which is expected to bring diagnostics and/or therapeutics to the field of prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Lin Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), and Brain Research Institute (BRI), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - David S Eisenberg
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
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4
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Abstract
Prion diseases are characterized by the deposition of amyloids, misfolded conformers of the prion protein. The misfolded conformation is self-replicating, by a mechanism solely enciphered in the conformation of the protein. Because of low solubility and heterogeneous aggregate sizes, the detailed atomic structure of the infectious isoform is still unknown. Progress has, however, been made, and has allowed insights into the structural and disease-related mechanisms of prions. Many structural models have been proposed, and a number of them support a consensus trimeric β-helical model, significantly more complex than simple amyloid models. There is evidence that such complexity may be a necessary property of prion structure. Knowledge of the structure of prions will provide a greater understanding of the protein isoform conversion mechanism, and could eventually lead to rationally designed intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Stubbs
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 53723
| | - Jan Stöhr
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
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DeBenedictis EP, Ma D, Keten S. Structural predictions for curli amyloid fibril subunits CsgA and CsgB. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra08030a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
CsgA are the building blocks of curli fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. P. DeBenedictis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
- Northwestern University
- Evanston
- USA
| | - D. Ma
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
- Northwestern University
- Evanston
- USA
| | - S. Keten
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
- Northwestern University
- Evanston
- USA
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6
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Generating Bona Fide Mammalian Prions with Internal Deletions. J Virol 2016; 90:6963-6975. [PMID: 27226369 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00555-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Mammalian prions are PrP proteins with altered structures causing transmissible fatal neurodegenerative diseases. They are self-perpetuating through formation of beta-sheet-rich assemblies that seed conformational change of cellular PrP. Pathological PrP usually forms an insoluble protease-resistant core exhibiting beta-sheet structures but no more alpha-helical content, loosing the three alpha-helices contained in the correctly folded PrP. The lack of a high-resolution prion structure makes it difficult to understand the dynamics of conversion and to identify elements of the protein involved in this process. To determine whether completeness of residues within the protease-resistant domain is required for prions, we performed serial deletions in the helix H2 C terminus of ovine PrP, since this region has previously shown some tolerance to sequence changes without preventing prion replication. Deletions of either four or five residues essentially preserved the overall PrP structure and mutant PrP expressed in RK13 cells were efficiently converted into bona fide prions upon challenge by three different prion strains. Remarkably, deletions in PrP facilitated the replication of two strains that otherwise do not replicate in this cellular context. Prions with internal deletion were self-propagating and de novo infectious for naive homologous and wild-type PrP-expressing cells. Moreover, they caused transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in mice, with similar biochemical signatures and neuropathologies other than the original strains. Prion convertibility and transfer of strain-specific information are thus preserved despite shortening of an alpha-helix in PrP and removal of residues within prions. These findings provide new insights into sequence/structure/infectivity relationship for prions. IMPORTANCE Prions are misfolded PrP proteins that convert the normal protein into a replicate of their own abnormal form. They are responsible for invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorders. Other aggregation-prone proteins appear to have a prion-like mode of expansion in brains, such as in Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. To date, the resolution of prion structure remains elusive. Thus, to genetically define the landscape of regions critical for prion conversion, we tested the effect of short deletions. We found that, surprisingly, removal of a portion of PrP, the C terminus of alpha-helix H2, did not hamper prion formation but generated infectious agents with an internal deletion that showed characteristics essentially similar to those of original infecting strains. Thus, we demonstrate that completeness of the residues inside prions is not necessary for maintaining infectivity and the main strain-specific information, while reporting one of the few if not the only bona fide prions with an internal deletion.
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Müller H, Brener O, Andreoletti O, Piechatzek T, Willbold D, Legname G, Heise H. Progress towards structural understanding of infectious sheep PrP-amyloid. Prion 2015; 8:344-58. [PMID: 25482596 PMCID: PMC4601355 DOI: 10.4161/19336896.2014.983754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The still elusive structural difference of non-infectious and infectious amyloid of the mammalian prion protein (PrP) is a major pending milestone in understanding protein-mediated infectivity in neurodegenerative diseases. Preparations of PrP-amyloid proven to be infectious have never been investigated with a high-resolution technique. All available models to date have been based on low-resolution data. Here, we establish protocols for the preparation of infectious samples of full-length recombinant (rec) PrP-amyloid in NMR-sufficient amounts by spontaneous fibrillation and seeded fibril growth from brain extract. We link biological and structural data of infectious recPrP-amyloid, derived from bioassays, atomic force microscopy, and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Our data indicate a semi-mobile N-terminus, some residues with secondary chemical shifts typical of α-helical secondary structure in the middle part between ∼115 to ∼155, and a distinct β-sheet core C-terminal of residue ∼155. These findings are not in agreement with all current models for PrP-amyloid. We also provide evidence that samples seeded from brain extract may not differ in the overall arrangement of secondary structure elements, but rather in the flexibility of protein segments outside the β-core region. Taken together, our protocols provide an essential basis for the high-resolution characterization of non-infectious and infectious PrP-amyloid in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Müller
- a Institute of Complex Systems; ICS-6: Structural Biochemistry; Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) ; Jülich , Germany
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8
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Requena JR, Wille H. The structure of the infectious prion protein: experimental data and molecular models. Prion 2015; 8:60-6. [PMID: 24583975 PMCID: PMC7030906 DOI: 10.4161/pri.28368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The structures of the infectious prion protein, PrP(Sc), and that of its proteolytically truncated variant, PrP 27-30, have evaded experimental determination due to their insolubility and propensity to aggregate. Molecular modeling has been used to fill this void and to predict their structures, but various modeling approaches have produced significantly different models. The disagreement between the different modeling solutions indicates the limitations of this method. Over the years, in absence of a three-dimensional (3D) structure, a variety of experimental techniques have been used to gain insights into the structure of this biologically, medically, and agriculturally important isoform. Here, we present an overview of experimental results that were published in recent years, and which provided new insights into the molecular architecture of PrP(Sc) and PrP 27-30. Furthermore, we evaluate all published models in light of these recent, experimental data, and come to the conclusion that none of the models can accommodate all of the experimental constraints. Moreover, this conclusion constitutes an open invitation for renewed efforts to model the structure of PrP(Sc).
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9
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Peralta MDR, Karsai A, Ngo A, Sierra C, Fong KT, Hayre NR, Mirzaee N, Ravikumar KM, Kluber AJ, Chen X, Liu GY, Toney MD, Singh RR, Cox DL. Engineering amyloid fibrils from β-solenoid proteins for biomaterials applications. ACS NANO 2015; 9:449-463. [PMID: 25562726 DOI: 10.1021/nn5056089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Nature provides numerous examples of self-assembly that can potentially be implemented for materials applications. Considerable attention has been given to one-dimensional cross-β or amyloid structures that can serve as templates for wire growth or strengthen materials such as glue or cement. Here, we demonstrate controlled amyloid self-assembly based on modifications of β-solenoid proteins. They occur naturally in several contexts (e.g., antifreeze proteins, drug resistance proteins) but do not aggregate in vivo due to capping structures or distortions at their ends. Removal of these capping structures and regularization of the ends of the spruce budworm and rye grass antifreeze proteins yield micron length amyloid fibrils with predictable heights, which can be a platform for biomaterial-based self-assembly. The design process, including all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, purification, and self-assembly procedures are described. Fibril formation with the predicted characteristics is supported by evidence from thioflavin-T fluorescence, circular dichroism, dynamic light scattering, and atomic force microscopy. Additionally, we find evidence for lateral assembly of the modified spruce budworm antifreeze fibrils with sufficient incubation time. The kinetics of polymerization are consistent with those for other amyloid formation reactions and are relatively fast due to the preformed nature of the polymerization nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria D R Peralta
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics, and §Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter, University of California , 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, United States
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10
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Acevedo-Morantes CY, Wille H. The structure of human prions: from biology to structural models-considerations and pitfalls. Viruses 2014; 6:3875-92. [PMID: 25333467 PMCID: PMC4213568 DOI: 10.3390/v6103875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Revised: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a family of transmissible, progressive, and uniformly fatal neurodegenerative disorders that affect humans and animals. Although cross-species transmissions of prions are usually limited by an apparent “species barrier”, the spread ofa prion disease to humans by ingestion of contaminated food, or via other routes of exposure, indicates that animal prions can pose a significant public health risk. The infectious agent responsible for the transmission of prion diseases is a misfolded conformer of the prion protein, PrPSc, a pathogenic isoform of the host-encoded, cellular prion protein,PrPC. The detailed mechanisms of prion conversion and replication, as well as the high-resolution structure of PrPSc, are unknown. This review will discuss the general background related to prion biology and assess the structural models proposed to date,while highlighting the experimental challenges of elucidating the structure of PrPSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Y Acevedo-Morantes
- Department of Biochemistry and Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada.
| | - Holger Wille
- Department of Biochemistry and Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada.
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11
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Shirai T, Saito M, Kobayashi A, Asano M, Hizume M, Ikeda S, Teruya K, Morita M, Kitamoto T. Evaluating prion models based on comprehensive mutation data of mouse PrP. Structure 2014; 22:560-71. [PMID: 24560805 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2013.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2013] [Revised: 12/21/2013] [Accepted: 12/28/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The structural details of the essential entity of prion disease, fibril prion protein (PrP(Sc)), are still elusive despite the large body of evidence supporting the prion hypothesis. Five major working models of PrP(Sc) structure, which are not compatible with each other, have been proposed. However, no systematic evaluation has been performed on those models. We devised a method that combined systematic point mutation with threading on knowledge-based amino acid potentials. A comprehensive mutation experiment was performed on mouse prion protein, and the PrP(Sc) conversion efficiency of each mutant was examined. The models were evaluated based on the mutation data by using the threading method. Although the data turned out to be rather more consistent with the models that assumed a conversion of the N-terminal region of core PrP into a β helix than with others, substantial modifications were also required to further improve the current model based on recent experimental results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Shirai
- Department of Computer Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0829, Japan; Bioinformatics Research Division, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 5-3, Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8666 Japan.
| | - Mihoko Saito
- Department of Computer Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0829, Japan; Bioinformatics Research Division, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 5-3, Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8666 Japan
| | - Atsushi Kobayashi
- Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Research, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masahiro Asano
- Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Research, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masaki Hizume
- Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Research, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Shino Ikeda
- Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Research, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Kenta Teruya
- Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Research, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masanori Morita
- Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Research, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan; Research and Development Division, Benesis Corporation, Kitahama, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-850, Japan
| | - Tetsuyuki Kitamoto
- Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Research, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
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Molecular Dynamics Studies on Amyloidogenic Proteins. COMPUTATIONAL METHODS TO STUDY THE STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF BIOMOLECULES AND BIOMOLECULAR PROCESSES 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-28554-7_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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13
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Hagiwara K, Hara H, Hanada K. Species-barrier phenomenon in prion transmissibility from a viewpoint of protein science. J Biochem 2013; 153:139-45. [PMID: 23284000 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvs148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are fatal infectious neurodegenerative disorders. Their causative agents are prions, which are composed of disease-associated forms of prion protein (PrP(Sc)). Naturally occurring cases of TSEs are found in several mammalian species including humans, sheep, goats, minks, cattle and deer. Prions are also experimentally transmissible to other mammals such as mice, hamsters and monkeys, but interspecies transmission is often inefficient due to the 'species-barrier'. Studies have suggested that the barrier is not only simply determined by differences in amino acid sequences of cellular PrP (PrP(C)) among animal species, but also by prion strains which are closely associated with conformational properties of PrP(Sc) aggregates. Although the conformational properties of PrP(Sc) remain largely unknown, recent investigation of local structures of PrP(C) and, in particular, structural modelling of PrP(Sc) aggregates have provided molecular insight into this field. In this review, we discuss the species-barrier phenomenon in terms of the protein science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken'ichi Hagiwara
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
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14
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Salamat MK, Munoz-Montesino C, Moudjou M, Rezaei H, Laude H, Béringue V, Dron M. Mammalian prions: tolerance to sequence changes-how far? Prion 2012; 7:131-5. [PMID: 23232499 DOI: 10.4161/pri.23110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Upon prion infection, abnormal prion protein (PrP (Sc) ) self-perpetuate by conformational conversion of α-helix-rich PrP (C) into β sheet enriched form, leading to formation and deposition of PrP (Sc) aggregates in affected brains. However the process remains poorly understood at the molecular level and the regions of PrP critical for conversion are still debated. Minimal amino acid substitutions can impair prion replication at many places in PrP. Conversely, we recently showed that bona fide prions could be generated after introduction of eight and up to 16 additional amino acids in the H2-H3 inter-helix loop of PrP. Prion replication also accommodated the insertions of an octapeptide at different places in the last turns of H2. This reverse genetic approach reveals an unexpected tolerance of prions to substantial sequence changes in the protease-resistant part which is associated with infectivity. It also demonstrates that conversion does not require the presence of a specific sequence in the middle of the H2-H3 area. We discuss the implications of our findings according to different structural models proposed for PrP (Sc) and questioned the postulated existence of an N- or C-terminal prion domain in the protease-resistant region.
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15
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Skora L, Fonseca-Ornelas L, Hofele RV, Riedel D, Giller K, Watzlawik J, Schulz-Schaeffer WJ, Urlaub H, Becker S, Zweckstetter M. Burial of the polymorphic residue 129 in amyloid fibrils of prion stop mutants. J Biol Chem 2012; 288:2994-3002. [PMID: 23209282 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.423715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Misfolding of the natively α-helical prion protein into a β-sheet rich isoform is related to various human diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome. In humans, the disease phenotype is modified by a methionine/valine polymorphism at codon 129 of the prion protein gene. Using a combination of hydrogen/deuterium exchange coupled to NMR spectroscopy, hydroxyl radical probing detected by mass spectrometry, and site-directed mutagenesis, we demonstrate that stop mutants of the human prion protein have a conserved amyloid core. The 129 residue is deeply buried in the amyloid core structure, and its mutation strongly impacts aggregation. Taken together the data support a critical role of the polymorphic residue 129 of the human prion protein in aggregation and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukasz Skora
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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16
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Salamat K, Moudjou M, Chapuis J, Herzog L, Jaumain E, Béringue V, Rezaei H, Pastore A, Laude H, Dron M. Integrity of helix 2-helix 3 domain of the PrP protein is not mandatory for prion replication. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:18953-64. [PMID: 22511770 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.341677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The process of prion conversion is not yet well understood at the molecular level. The regions critical for the conformational change of PrP remain mostly debated and the extent of sequence change acceptable for prion conversion is poorly documented. To achieve progress on these issues, we applied a reverse genetic approach using the Rov cell system. This allowed us to test the susceptibility of a number of insertion mutants to conversion into prion in the absence of wild-type PrP molecules. We were able to propagate several prions with 8 to 16 extra amino acids, including a polyglycine stretch and His or FLAG tags, inserted in the middle of the protease-resistant fragment. These results demonstrate the possibility to increase the length of the loop between helices H2 and H3 up to 4-fold, without preventing prion replication. They also indicate that this loop probably remains unstructured in PrP(Sc). We also showed that bona fide prions can be produced following insertion of octapeptides in the two C-terminal turns of H2. These insertions do not interfere with the overall fold of the H2-H3 domain indicating that the highly conserved sequence of the terminal part of H2 is not critical for the conversion. Altogether these data showed that the amplitude of modifications acceptable for prion conversion in the core of the globular domain of PrP is much greater than one might have assumed. These observations should help to refine structural models of PrP(Sc) and elucidate the conformational changes underlying prions generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Salamat
- INRA, UR892 Virologie Immunologie Moléculaires, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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17
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Hayre NR, Singh RRP, Cox DL. Sequence-dependent stability test of a left-handed β-helix motif. Biophys J 2012; 102:1443-52. [PMID: 22455928 PMCID: PMC3309403 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2012.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2011] [Revised: 01/25/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The left-handed β-helix (LHBH) is an intriguing, rare structural pattern in polypeptides that has been implicated in the formation of amyloid aggregates. We used accurate all-atom replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations to study the relative stability of diverse sequences in the LHBH conformation. Ensemble-average coordinates from REMD served as a scoring criterion to identify sequences and threadings optimally suited to the LHBH, as in a fold recognition paradigm. We examined the repeatability of our REMD simulations, finding that single simulations can be reliable to a quantifiable extent. We find expected behavior for the positive and negative control cases of a native LHBH and intrinsically disordered sequences, respectively. Polyglutamine and a designed hexapeptide repeat show remarkable affinity for the LHBH motif. A structural model for misfolded murine prion protein was also considered, and showed intermediate stability under the given conditions. Our technique is found to be an effective probe of LHBH stability, and promises to be scalable to broader studies of this and potentially other novel or rare motifs. The superstable character of the designed hexapeptide repeat suggests theoretical and experimental follow-ups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natha R Hayre
- Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
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Mouse prion protein (PrP) segment 100 to 104 regulates conversion of PrP(C) to PrP(Sc) in prion-infected neuroblastoma cells. J Virol 2012; 86:5626-36. [PMID: 22398286 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.06606-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are characterized by the replicative propagation of disease-associated forms of prion protein (PrP(Sc); PrP refers to prion protein). The propagation is believed to proceed via two steps; the initial binding of the normal form of PrP (PrP(C)) to PrP(Sc) and the subsequent conversion of PrP(C) to PrP(Sc). We have explored the two-step model in prion-infected mouse neuroblastoma (ScN2a) cells by focusing on the mouse PrP (MoPrP) segment 92-GGTHNQWNKPSKPKTN-107, which is within a region previously suggested to be part of the binding interface or shown to differ in its accessibility to anti-PrP antibodies between PrP(C) and PrP(Sc). Exchanging the MoPrP segment with the corresponding chicken PrP segment (106-GGSYHNQKPWKPPKTN-121) revealed the necessity of MoPrP residues 99 to 104 for the chimeras to achieve the PrP(Sc) state, while segment 95 to 98 was replaceable with the chicken sequence. An alanine substitution at position 100, 102, 103, or 104 of MoPrP gave rise to nonconvertible mutants that associated with MoPrP(Sc) and interfered with the conversion of endogenous MoPrP(C). The interference was not evoked by a chimera (designated MCM2) in which MoPrP segment 95 to 104 was changed to the chicken sequence, though MCM2 associated with MoPrP(Sc). Incubation of the cells with a synthetic peptide composed of MoPrP residues 93 to 107 or alanine-substituted cognates did not inhibit the conversion, whereas an anti-P8 antibody recognizing the above sequence in PrP(C) reduced the accumulation of PrP(Sc) after 10 days of incubation of the cells. These results suggest the segment 100 to 104 of MoPrP(C) plays a key role in conversion after binding to MoPrP(Sc).
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Singh JP, Whitford PC, Hayre NR, Onuchic J, Cox DL. Massive conformation change in the prion protein: Using dual-basin structure-based models to find misfolding pathways. Proteins 2012; 80:1299-307. [PMID: 22274922 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2011] [Revised: 10/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
We employ all-atom structure-based models with a force field with multiple energetic basins for the C-terminal (residues 166-226) of the mammalian prion protein. One basin represents the known alpha-helical (αH) structure while the other represents the same residues in a left-handed beta-helical (LHBH) conformation. The LHBH structure has been proposed to help describe one class of in vitro grown fibrils, as well as possibly self-templating the conversion of normal cellular prion protein to the infectious form. Yet, it is unclear how the protein may make this global rearrangement. Our results demonstrate that the conformation changes are not strongly limited by large-scale geometry modification and that there may exist an overall preference for the LHBH conformation. Furthermore, our model presents novel intermediate trapping conformations with twisted LHBH structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse P Singh
- Department of Physics and the Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA.
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Shen X. Conformation and sequence evidence for two-fold symmetry in left-handed beta-helix fold. J Theor Biol 2011; 285:77-83. [PMID: 21708176 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2011.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2010] [Revised: 05/13/2011] [Accepted: 06/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The left-handed beta-helix (LβH) has received interest recently as it folds as a possible solution for the structure of misfolded proteins associated with prion and Huntington's diseases. Through a combination of sequence and structure analysis, we uncover a novel feature that is common to this unique fold: a two-fold symmetry in both sequence and structure, and this feature always coupled with extended loops in the middle of the helix. Since the results reveal a two-fold symmetric pattern both in the sequence and structure, it may indicate that the symmetry in tertiary structure is coded by the symmetry in primary sequence, which agrees with Anfisen's proposal that a protein's amino-acid sequence specify its three-dimensional structure. It may also indicate that LβH adopts a two-fold repeat pattern during the evolution process and symmetry helps maintaining the stability of the helix structure. The two-fold symmetric pattern and extended loops might be important in maintaining stability of helix proteins. This discovery can be useful in understanding the folding mechanisms of this protein fold and provide insights in the relation between sequences and structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojuan Shen
- Neural Engineering Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen University Town, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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Zhou ZL, Zhao JH, Liu HL, Wu JW, Liu KT, Chuang CK, Tsai WB, Ho Y. The Possible Structural Models for Polyglutamine Aggregation: A Molecular Dynamics Simulations Study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2011; 28:743-58. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2011.10508603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Yang S, Park S, Makowski L, Roux B. A rapid coarse residue-based computational method for x-ray solution scattering characterization of protein folds and multiple conformational states of large protein complexes. Biophys J 2009; 96:4449-63. [PMID: 19486669 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2009.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2008] [Revised: 02/17/2009] [Accepted: 03/04/2009] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a coarse residue-based computational method to rapidly compute the solution scattering profile from a protein with dynamical fluctuations. The method is built upon a coarse-grained (CG) representation of the protein. This CG representation takes advantage of the intrinsic low-resolution and CG nature of solution scattering data. It allows rapid scattering determination from a large number of conformations that can be extracted from CG simulations to obtain scattering characterization of protein conformations. The method includes several important elements, effective residue structure factors derived from the Protein Data Bank, explicit treatment of water molecules in the hydration layer at the surface of the protein, and an ensemble average of scattering from a variety of appropriate conformations to account for macromolecular flexibility. This simplified method is calibrated and illustrated to accurately reproduce the experimental scattering curve of Hen egg white lysozyme. We then illustrated the applications of this CG method by computing the solution scattering patterns of several representative protein folds and multiple conformational states. The results suggest that solution scattering data, when combined with the reliable computational method that we developed, show great potential for a better structural description of multidomain complexes in different functional states, and for recognizing structural folds when sequence similarity to a protein of known structure is low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sichun Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Gordon Center for Integrative Science, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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