1
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Karagöl A, Karagöl T, Zhang S. Molecular Dynamic Simulations Reveal that Water-Soluble QTY-Variants of Glutamate Transporters EAA1, EAA2 and EAA3 Retain the Conformational Characteristics of Native Transporters. Pharm Res 2024:10.1007/s11095-024-03769-0. [PMID: 39322794 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-024-03769-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Glutamate transporters play a crucial role in neurotransmitter homeostasis, but studying their structure and function is challenging due to their membrane-bound nature. This study aims to investigate whether water-soluble QTY-variants of glutamate transporters EAA1, EAA2 and EAA3 retain the conformational characteristics and dynamics of native membrane-bound transporters. METHODS Molecular dynamics simulations and comparative genomics were used to analyze the structural dynamics of both native transporters and their QTY-variants. Native transporters were simulated in lipid bilayers, while QTY-variants were simulated in aqueous solution. Lipid distortions, relative solvent accessibilities, and conformational changes were examined. Evolutionary conservation profiles were correlated with structural dynamics. Statistical analyses included multivariate analysis to account for confounding variables. RESULTS QTY-variants exhibited similar residue-wise conformational dynamics to their native counterparts, with correlation coefficients of 0.73 and 0.56 for EAA1 and EAA3, respectively (p < 0.001). Hydrophobic interactions of native helices correlated with water interactions of QTY- helices (rs = 0.4753, p < 0.001 for EAA1). QTY-variants underwent conformational changes resembling the outward-to-inward transition of native transporters. CONCLUSIONS Water-soluble QTY-variants retain key structural properties of native glutamate transporters and mimic aspects of native lipid interactions, including conformational flexibility. This research provides valuable insights into the conformational changes and molecular mechanisms of glutamate transport, potentially offering a new approach for studying membrane protein dynamics and drug interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alper Karagöl
- Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Taner Karagöl
- Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Shuguang Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Architecture, Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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2
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Qiu B, Boudker O. Structural basis of the excitatory amino acid transporter 3 substrate recognition. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.05.611541. [PMID: 39282329 PMCID: PMC11398500 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.05.611541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) reside on cell surfaces and uptake substrates, including L-glutamate, L-aspartate, and D-aspartate, using ion gradients. Among five EAATs, EAAT3 is the only isoform that can efficiently transport L-cysteine, a substrate for glutathione synthesis. Recent work suggests that EAAT3 also transports the oncometabolite R-2-hydroxyglutarate (R-2HG). Here, we examined the structural basis of substrate promiscuity by determining the cryo-EM structures of EAAT3 bound to different substrates. We found that L-cysteine binds to EAAT3 in thiolate form, and EAAT3 recognizes different substrates by fine-tuning local conformations of the coordinating residues. However, using purified human EAAT3, we could not observe R-2HG binding or transport. Imaging of EAAT3 bound to L-cysteine revealed several conformational states, including an outward-facing state with a semi-open gate and a disrupted sodium-binding site. These structures illustrate that the full gate closure, coupled with the binding of the last sodium ion, occurs after substrate binding. Furthermore, we observed that different substrates affect how the transporter distributes between a fully outward-facing conformation and intermediate occluded states on a path to the inward-facing conformation, suggesting that translocation rates are substrate-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Qiu
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
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3
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Chahinian H, Yahi N, Fantini J. Glutamate, Gangliosides, and the Synapse: Electrostatics at Work in the Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8583. [PMID: 39201269 PMCID: PMC11354842 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The synapse is a piece of information transfer machinery replacing the electrical conduction of nerve impulses at the end of the neuron. Like many biological mechanisms, its functioning is heavily affected by time constraints. The solution selected by evolution is based on chemical communication that, in theory, cannot compete with the speed of nerve conduction. Nevertheless, biochemical and biophysical compensation mechanisms mitigate this intrinsic weakness: (i) through the high concentrations of neurotransmitters inside the synaptic vesicles; (ii) through the concentration of neurotransmitter receptors in lipid rafts, which are signaling platforms; indeed, the presence of raft lipids, such as gangliosides and cholesterol, allows a fine tuning of synaptic receptors by these lipids; (iii) through the negative electrical charges of the gangliosides, which generate an attractive (for cationic neurotransmitters, such as serotonin) or repulsive (for anionic neurotransmitters, such as glutamate) electric field. This electric field controls the flow of glutamate in the tripartite synapse involving pre- and post-synaptic neurons and the astrocyte. Changes in the expression of brain gangliosides can disrupt the functioning of the glutamatergic synapse, causing fatal diseases, such as Rett syndrome. In this review, we propose an in-depth analysis of the role of gangliosides in the glutamatergic synapse, highlighting the primordial and generally overlooked role played by the electric field of synaptic gangliosides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jacques Fantini
- Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Aix-Marseille, INSERM UA16, 13015 Marseille, France; (H.C.); (N.Y.)
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4
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Borowska AM, Chiariello MG, Garaeva AA, Rheinberger J, Marrink SJ, Paulino C, Slotboom DJ. Structural basis of the obligatory exchange mode of human neutral amino acid transporter ASCT2. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6570. [PMID: 39095408 PMCID: PMC11297037 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50888-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
ASCT2 is an obligate exchanger of neutral amino acids, contributing to cellular amino acid homeostasis. ASCT2 belongs to the same family (SLC1) as Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters (EAATs) that concentrate glutamate in the cytosol. The mechanism that makes ASCT2 an exchanger rather than a concentrator remains enigmatic. Here, we employ cryo-electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the structural basis of the exchange mechanism of ASCT2. We establish that ASCT2 binds three Na+ ions per transported substrate and visits a state that likely acts as checkpoint in preventing Na+ ion leakage, both features shared with EAATs. However, in contrast to EAATs, ASCT2 retains one Na+ ion even under Na+-depleted conditions. We demonstrate that ASCT2 cannot undergo the structural transition in TM7 that is essential for the concentrative transport cycle of EAATs. This structural rigidity and the high-affinity Na+ binding site effectively confine ASCT2 to an exchange mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Borowska
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, Membrane Enzymology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Gabriella Chiariello
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Molecular Dynamics Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Alisa A Garaeva
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, Membrane Enzymology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Rheinberger
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, Membrane Enzymology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Biochemistry Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Molecular Dynamics Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Cristina Paulino
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, Membrane Enzymology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
- Biochemistry Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Dirk J Slotboom
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, Membrane Enzymology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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5
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Jiang Y, Miyagi A, Wang X, Qiu B, Boudker O, Scheuring S. HS-AFM single-molecule structural biology uncovers basis of transporter wanderlust kinetics. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:1286-1295. [PMID: 38632360 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01260-3] [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: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The Pyrococcus horikoshii amino acid transporter GltPh revealed, like other channels and transporters, activity mode switching, previously termed wanderlust kinetics. Unfortunately, to date, the basis of these activity fluctuations is not understood, probably due to a lack of experimental tools that directly access the structural features of transporters related to their instantaneous activity. Here, we take advantage of high-speed atomic force microscopy, unique in providing simultaneous structural and temporal resolution, to uncover the basis of kinetic mode switching in proteins. We developed membrane extension membrane protein reconstitution that allows the analysis of isolated molecules. Together with localization atomic force microscopy, principal component analysis and hidden Markov modeling, we could associate structural states to a functional timeline, allowing six structures to be solved from a single molecule, and an inward-facing state, IFSopen-1, to be determined as a kinetic dead-end in the conformational landscape. The approaches presented on GltPh are generally applicable and open possibilities for time-resolved dynamic single-molecule structural biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yining Jiang
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, and Molecular Biology Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Atsushi Miyagi
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, New York, NY, USA
| | - Biao Qiu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Olga Boudker
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Simon Scheuring
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, New York, NY, USA.
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, New York, NY, USA.
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6
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Li HZ, Pike ACW, Lotsaris I, Chi G, Hansen JS, Lee SC, Rödström KEJ, Bushell SR, Speedman D, Evans A, Wang D, He D, Shrestha L, Nasrallah C, Burgess-Brown NA, Vandenberg RJ, Dafforn TR, Carpenter EP, Sauer DB. Structure and function of the SIT1 proline transporter in complex with the COVID-19 receptor ACE2. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5503. [PMID: 38951531 PMCID: PMC11217458 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48921-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Proline is widely known as the only proteogenic amino acid with a secondary amine. In addition to its crucial role in protein structure, the secondary amino acid modulates neurotransmission and regulates the kinetics of signaling proteins. To understand the structural basis of proline import, we solved the structure of the proline transporter SIT1 in complex with the COVID-19 viral receptor ACE2 by cryo-electron microscopy. The structure of pipecolate-bound SIT1 reveals the specific sequence requirements for proline transport in the SLC6 family and how this protein excludes amino acids with extended side chains. By comparing apo and substrate-bound SIT1 states, we also identify the structural changes that link substrate release and opening of the cytoplasmic gate and provide an explanation for how a missense mutation in the transporter causes iminoglycinuria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanyu Z Li
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ashley C W Pike
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Irina Lotsaris
- Molecular Biomedicine Theme, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gamma Chi
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jesper S Hansen
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah C Lee
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Karin E J Rödström
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Simon R Bushell
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David Speedman
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam Evans
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dong Wang
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Didi He
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Leela Shrestha
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Chady Nasrallah
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicola A Burgess-Brown
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Robert J Vandenberg
- Molecular Biomedicine Theme, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | | | - Elisabeth P Carpenter
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - David B Sauer
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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7
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Reddy KD, Rasool B, Akher FB, Kutlešić N, Pant S, Boudker O. Evolutionary analysis reveals the origin of sodium coupling in glutamate transporters. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.03.569786. [PMID: 38106174 PMCID: PMC10723334 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.03.569786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Secondary active membrane transporters harness the energy of ion gradients to concentrate their substrates. Homologous transporters evolved to couple transport to different ions in response to changing environments and needs. The bases of such diversification, and thus principles of ion coupling, are unexplored. Employing phylogenetics and ancestral protein reconstruction, we investigated sodium-coupled transport in prokaryotic glutamate transporters, a mechanism ubiquitous across life domains and critical to neurotransmitter recycling in humans. We found that the evolutionary transition from sodium-dependent to independent substrate binding to the transporter preceded changes in the coupling mechanism. Structural and functional experiments suggest that the transition entailed allosteric mutations, making sodium binding dispensable without affecting ion-binding sites. Allosteric tuning of transporters' energy landscapes might be a widespread route of their functional diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna D. Reddy
- Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Burha Rasool
- Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Farideh Badichi Akher
- Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Nemanja Kutlešić
- Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Swati Pant
- Dept. of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Olga Boudker
- Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
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8
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Davies JS, Currie MJ, Dobson RCJ, Horne CR, North RA. TRAPs: the 'elevator-with-an-operator' mechanism. Trends Biochem Sci 2024; 49:134-144. [PMID: 38102017 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.11.006] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters are nutrient-uptake systems found in bacteria and archaea. These evolutionary divergent transporter systems couple a substrate-binding protein (SBP) to an elevator-type secondary transporter, which is a first-of-its-kind mechanism of transport. Here, we highlight breakthrough TRAP transporter structures and recent functional data that probe the mechanism of transport. Furthermore, we discuss recent structural and biophysical studies of the ion transporter superfamily (ITS) members and highlight mechanistic principles that are relevant for further exploration of the TRAP transporter system.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Davies
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael J Currie
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Renwick C J Dobson
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Christopher R Horne
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
| | - Rachel A North
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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9
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Drew D, Boudker O. Ion and lipid orchestration of secondary active transport. Nature 2024; 626:963-974. [PMID: 38418916 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07062-3] [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: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Transporting small molecules across cell membranes is an essential process in cell physiology. Many structurally diverse, secondary active transporters harness transmembrane electrochemical gradients of ions to power the uptake or efflux of nutrients, signalling molecules, drugs and other ions across cell membranes. Transporters reside in lipid bilayers on the interface between two aqueous compartments, where they are energized and regulated by symported, antiported and allosteric ions on both sides of the membrane and the membrane bilayer itself. Here we outline the mechanisms by which transporters couple ion and solute fluxes and discuss how structural and mechanistic variations enable them to meet specific physiological needs and adapt to environmental conditions. We then consider how general bilayer properties and specific lipid binding modulate transporter activity. Together, ion gradients and lipid properties ensure the effective transport, regulation and distribution of small molecules across cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Drew
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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10
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Marin E, Kovalev K, Poelman T, Veenstra R, Borshchevskiy V, Guskov A. Custom Design of a Humidifier Chamber for InMeso Crystallization. CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN 2024; 24:325-330. [PMID: 38188264 PMCID: PMC10767699 DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.3c01034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Membrane proteins are indispensable for every living organism, yet their structural organization remains underexplored. Despite the recent advancements in single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy and cryogenic electron tomography, which have significantly increased the structural coverage of membrane proteins across various kingdoms, certain scientific methods, such as time-resolved crystallography, still mostly rely on crystallization techniques, such as lipidic cubic phase (LCP) or in meso crystallization. In this study, we present an open-access blueprint for a humidity control chamber designed for LCP/in meso crystallization experiments using a Gryphon crystallization robot. Using this chamber, we have obtained crystals of a transmembrane aspartate transporter GltTk from Thermococcus kodakarensis in a lipidic environment using in meso crystallization. The data collected from these crystals allowed us to perform an analysis of lipids bound to the transporter. With this publication of our open-access design of a humidity chamber, we aim to improve the accessibility of in meso protein crystallization for the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egor Marin
- Groningen
Institute for Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kirill Kovalev
- European
Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Hamburg c/o DESY, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Rick Veenstra
- University
of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Albert Guskov
- Groningen
Institute for Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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11
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Fiorin G, Forrest LR, Faraldo-Gómez JD. Membrane free-energy landscapes derived from atomistic dynamics explain nonuniversal cholesterol-induced stiffening. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad269. [PMID: 37637198 PMCID: PMC10456217 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
All lipid membranes have inherent morphological preferences and resist deformation. Yet adaptations in membrane shape can and do occur at multiple length scales. While this plasticity is crucial for cellular physiology, the factors controlling the morphological energetics of lipid bilayers and the dominant mechanisms of membrane remodeling remain to be fully understood. An ongoing debate regarding the universality of the stiffening effect of cholesterol underscores the challenges facing this field, both experimentally and theoretically, even for simple lipid mixtures. On the computational side, we have argued that enhanced-sampling all-atom molecular dynamics simulations are uniquely suited for the quantification of membrane conformational energetics, as they minimize a priori assumptions and permit analysis of bilayers in deformed states. To showcase this approach, we examine reported inconsistencies between alternative experimental measurements of bending moduli for cholesterol-enriched membranes. Specifically, we analyze lipid bilayers with different chain saturation and compute free-energy landscapes for curvature deformations distributed over areas from ∼5 to ∼60 nm2 . These enhanced simulations, totaling over 100 μs of sampling time, enable us to directly quantify both bending and tilt moduli and to dissect the contributing factors and molecular mechanisms of curvature generation at each length scale. Our results show that the effects of cholesterol on bending rigidity are lipid-specific and suggest that this specificity arises from differences in the torsional dynamics of the acyl chains. In summary, we demonstrate that quantitative relationships can now be established between lipid structure and bending energetics, paving the way for addressing open fundamental questions in cell membrane mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Fiorin
- National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Lucy R Forrest
- National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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12
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Qiu B, Boudker O. Symport and antiport mechanisms of human glutamate transporters. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2579. [PMID: 37142617 PMCID: PMC10160106 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38120-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) uptake glutamate into glial cells and neurons. EAATs achieve million-fold transmitter gradients by symporting it with three sodium ions and a proton, and countertransporting a potassium ion via an elevator mechanism. Despite the availability of structures, the symport and antiport mechanisms still need to be clarified. We report high-resolution cryo-EM structures of human EAAT3 bound to the neurotransmitter glutamate with symported ions, potassium ions, sodium ions alone, or without ligands. We show that an evolutionarily conserved occluded translocation intermediate has a dramatically higher affinity for the neurotransmitter and the countertransported potassium ion than outward- or inward-facing transporters and plays a crucial role in ion coupling. We propose a comprehensive ion coupling mechanism involving a choreographed interplay between bound solutes, conformations of conserved amino acid motifs, and movements of the gating hairpin and the substrate-binding domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Qiu
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
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13
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Huang Y, Reddy KD, Bracken C, Qiu B, Zhan W, Eliezer D, Boudker O. Environmentally Ultrasensitive Fluorine Probe to Resolve Protein Conformational Ensembles by 19F NMR and Cryo-EM. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:8583-8592. [PMID: 37023263 PMCID: PMC10119980 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c01003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Limited chemical shift dispersion represents a significant barrier to studying multistate equilibria of large membrane proteins by 19F NMR. We describe a novel monofluoroethyl 19F probe that dramatically increases the chemical shift dispersion. The improved conformational sensitivity and line shape enable the detection of previously unresolved states in one-dimensional (1D) 19F NMR spectra of a 134 kDa membrane transporter. Changes in the populations of these states in response to ligand binding, mutations, and temperature correlate with population changes of distinct conformations in structural ensembles determined by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Thus, 19F NMR can guide sample preparation to discover and visualize novel conformational states and facilitate image analysis and three-dimensional (3D) classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Huang
- Department
of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell
Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, United States
- Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy
Chase, Maryland 20815, United States
| | - Krishna D. Reddy
- Department
of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell
Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, United States
- Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy
Chase, Maryland 20815, United States
| | - Clay Bracken
- Department
of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, United States
| | - Biao Qiu
- Department
of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell
Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, United States
| | - Wenhu Zhan
- Department
of Microbiology & Immunology, Weill
Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, United States
| | - David Eliezer
- Department
of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, United States
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department
of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell
Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, United States
- Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy
Chase, Maryland 20815, United States
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14
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Peyear TA, Andersen OS. Screening for bilayer-active and likely cytotoxic molecules reveals bilayer-mediated regulation of cell function. J Gen Physiol 2023; 155:e202213247. [PMID: 36763053 PMCID: PMC9948646 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
A perennial problem encountered when using small molecules (drugs) to manipulate cell or protein function is to assess whether observed changes in function result from specific interactions with a desired target or from less specific off-target mechanisms. This is important in laboratory research as well as in drug development, where the goal is to identify molecules that are unlikely to be successful therapeutics early in the process, thereby avoiding costly mistakes. We pursued this challenge from the perspective that many bioactive molecules (drugs) are amphiphiles that alter lipid bilayer elastic properties, which may cause indiscriminate changes in membrane protein (and cell) function and, in turn, cytotoxicity. Such drug-induced changes in bilayer properties can be quantified as changes in the monomer↔dimer equilibrium for bilayer-spanning gramicidin channels. Using this approach, we tested whether molecules in the Pathogen Box (a library of 400 drugs and drug-like molecules with confirmed activity against tropical diseases released by Medicines for Malaria Venture to encourage the development of therapies for neglected tropical diseases) are bilayer modifiers. 32% of the molecules in the Pathogen Box were bilayer modifiers, defined as molecules that at 10 µM shifted the monomer↔dimer equilibrium toward the conducting dimers by at least 50%. Correlation analysis of the molecules' reported HepG2 cell cytotoxicity to bilayer-modifying potency, quantified as the shift in the gramicidin monomer↔dimer equilibrium, revealed that molecules producing <25% change in the equilibrium had significantly lower probability of being cytotoxic than molecules producing >50% change. Neither cytotoxicity nor bilayer-modifying potency (quantified as the shift in the gramicidin monomer↔dimer equilibrium) was well predicted by conventional physico-chemical descriptors (hydrophobicity, polar surface area, etc.). We conclude that drug-induced changes in lipid bilayer properties are robust predictors of the likelihood of membrane-mediated off-target effects, including cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thasin A. Peyear
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate Program in Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. New York, NY, USA
| | - Olaf S. Andersen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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15
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Bogdanov M. The power and challenge of lipid (a)symmetry across the membrane and cell. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:1-6. [PMID: 36988943 PMCID: PMC10725184 DOI: 10.1042/etls20220088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Membrane asymmetry means that the two sides of membrane are structurally, physically and functionally different. Membrane asymmetry is largely related to the lipid sidedness and particularly to compositional (lipid head and acyl group) and physical (lipid packing order, charge, hydration and H-bonding interactions) differences in the inner and outer leaflets of lipid bilayer. Chemically, structurally and conformationally different non-covalent bound lipid molecules are physically fluid and deformable and enable to interact dynamically to form transient arrangements with asymmetry both perpendicular and parallel to the plane of the lipid bilayer. Although biological membranes are almost universally asymmetric however the asymmetry is not absolute since only drastic difference in the number of lipids per leaflet is found and symmetric arrangements are possible. Asymmetry is thought to direct and influence many core biological functions by altering the membrane's collective biochemical, biophysical and structural properties. Asymmetric transbilayer lipid distribution is found across all lipid classes, cells and near all endomembrane compartments. Why cell membranes are (a)symmetric and adopt almost exclusively highly entropically disfavored asymmetric state?
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Bogdanov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, U.S.A
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16
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Fiorin G, Forrest LR, Faraldo-Gómez JD. Membrane free-energy landscapes derived from atomistic dynamics explain nonuniversal cholesterol-induced stiffening. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.02.525347. [PMID: 36778237 PMCID: PMC9915699 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.02.525347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
All lipid membranes have inherent morphological preferences and resist deformation. Yet adaptations in membrane shape can and do occur at multiple length scales. While this plasticity is crucial for cellular physiology, the factors controlling the morphological energetics of lipid bilayers and the dominant mechanisms of membrane remodeling remain unclear. An ongoing debate regarding the universality of the stiffening effect of cholesterol underscores the challenges facing this field, both experimentally and theoretically, even for simple lipid mixtures. On the computational side, we have argued that enhanced- sampling all-atom molecular dynamics simulations are uniquely suited for quantification of membrane conformational energetics, not only because they minimize a-priori assumptions, but also because they permit analysis of bilayers in deformed states. To showcase this approach, we examine reported inconsistencies between alternative experimental measurements of bending moduli for cholesterol-enriched membranes. Specifically, we analyze lipid bilayers with different chain saturation, and compute free-energy landscapes for curvature deformations distributed over areas from ∼5 to ∼60 nm 2 . These enhanced simulations, totaling over 100 microseconds of sampling time, enable us to directly quantify both bending and tilt moduli, and to dissect the contributing factors and molecular mechanisms of curvature generation at each length scale. Our results show that cholesterol effects are lipid-specific, in agreement with giantvesicle measurements, and explain why experiments probing nanometer scale lipid dynamics diverge. In summary, we demonstrate that quantitative structure-mechanics relationships can now be established for heterogenous membranes, paving the way for addressing open fundamental questions in cell membrane mechanics. Significance Elucidating the energetics and mechanisms of membrane remodeling is an essential step towards understanding cell physiology. This problem is challenging, however, because membrane bending involves both large-scale and atomic-level dynamics, which are difficult to measure simultaneously. A recent controversy regarding the stiffening effect of cholesterol, which is ubiquitous in animal cells, illustrates this challenge. We show how enhanced molecular-dynamics simulations can bridge this length-scale gap and reconcile seemingly incongruent observations. This approach facilitates a conceptual connection between lipid chemistry and membrane mechanics, thereby providing a solid basis for future research on remodeling phenomena, such as in membrane trafficking or viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Fiorin
- National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lucy R Forrest
- National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
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17
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Hang TD, Hung HM, Beckers P, Desmet N, Lamrani M, Massie A, Hermans E, Vanommeslaeghe K. Structural investigation of human cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc− (Sxc−) using homology modeling and molecular dynamics. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1064199. [DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1064199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc− (Sxc−) belongs to the SLC7 family of plasma membrane transporters. It exports intracellular glutamate along the latter’s concentration gradient as a driving force for cellular uptake of cystine. Once imported, cystine is mainly used for the production of glutathione, a tripeptide thiol crucial in maintenance of redox homeostasis and protection of cells against oxidative stress. Overexpression of Sxc− has been found in several cancer cells, where it is thought to counteract the increased oxidative stress. In addition, Sxc− is important in the central nervous system, playing a complex role in regulating glutamatergic neurotransmission and glutamate toxicity. Accordingly, this transporter is considered a potential target for the treatment of cancer as well as neurodegenerative diseases. Till now, no specific inhibitors are available. We herein present four conformations of Sxc− along its transport pathway, obtained using multi-template homology modeling and refined by means of Molecular Dynamics. Comparison with a very recently released cryo-EM structure revealed an excellent agreement with our inward-open conformation. Intriguingly, our models contain a structured N-terminal domain that is unresolved in the experimental structures and is thought to play a gating role in the transport mechanism of other SLC7 family members. In contrast to the inward-open model, there is no direct experimental counterpart for the other three conformations we obtained, although they are in fair agreement with the other stages of the transport mechanism seen in other SLC7 transporters. Therefore, our models open the prospect for targeting alternative Sxc− conformations in structure-based drug design efforts.
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18
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Chen I, Wu Q, Font J, Ryan RM. The twisting elevator mechanism of glutamate transporters reveals the structural basis for the dual transport-channel functions. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 75:102405. [PMID: 35709614 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate transporters facilitate the removal of this excitatory neurotransmitter from the synapse. Increasing evidence indicates that this process is linked to intrinsic chloride channel activity that is thermodynamically uncoupled from substrate transport. A recent cryo-EM structure of GltPh - an archaeal homolog of the glutamate transporters - in an open channel state has shed light on the structural basis for channel opening formed at the interface of two domains within the transporter which is gated by two clusters of hydrophobic residues. These transporters cycle through several conformational states during the transport process, including the chloride conducting state, which appears to be stabilised by protein-membrane interactions and membrane deformation. Several point mutations that perturb the chloride conductance can have detrimental effects and are linked to the pathogenesis of the neurological disorder, episodic ataxia type 6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ichia Chen
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Qianyi Wu
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Josep Font
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Renae M Ryan
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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19
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Sauer DB, Marden JJ, Sudar JC, Song J, Mulligan C, Wang DN. Structural basis of ion - substrate coupling in the Na +-dependent dicarboxylate transporter VcINDY. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2644. [PMID: 35551191 PMCID: PMC9098524 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30406-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Na+-dependent dicarboxylate transporter from Vibrio cholerae (VcINDY) is a prototype for the divalent anion sodium symporter (DASS) family. While the utilization of an electrochemical Na+ gradient to power substrate transport is well established for VcINDY, the structural basis of this coupling between sodium and substrate binding is not currently understood. Here, using a combination of cryo-EM structure determination, succinate binding and site-directed cysteine alkylation assays, we demonstrate that the VcINDY protein couples sodium- and substrate-binding via a previously unseen cooperative mechanism by conformational selection. In the absence of sodium, substrate binding is abolished, with the succinate binding regions exhibiting increased flexibility, including HPinb, TM10b and the substrate clamshell motifs. Upon sodium binding, these regions become structurally ordered and create a proper binding site for the substrate. Taken together, these results provide strong evidence that VcINDY's conformational selection mechanism is a result of the sodium-dependent formation of the substrate binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Sauer
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jennifer J Marden
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Joseph C Sudar
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Jinmei Song
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | | | - Da-Neng Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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20
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Riederer EA, Moënne-Loccoz P, Valiyaveetil FI. Distinct roles of the Na + binding sites in the allosteric coupling mechanism of the glutamate transporter homolog, Glt Ph. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2121653119. [PMID: 35507872 PMCID: PMC9171649 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121653119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate transporters carry out the concentrative uptake of glutamate by harnessing the ionic gradients present across cellular membranes. A central step in the transport mechanism is the coupled binding of Na+ and substrate. The sodium coupled Asp transporter, GltPh is an archaeal homolog of glutamate transporters that has been extensively used to probe the transport mechanism. Previous studies have shown that hairpin-2 (HP2) functions as the extracellular gate for the aspartate binding site and plays a key role in the coupled binding of sodium and aspartate to GltPh. The binding sites for three Na+ ions (Na1-3) have been identified in GltPh, but the specific roles of the individual Na+ sites in the binding process have not been elucidated. In this study, we developed assays to probe Na+ binding to the Na1 and Na3 sites and to monitor the conformational switch in the NMDGT motif. We used these assays along with a fluorescence assay to monitor HP2 movement and EPR spectroscopy to show that Na+ binding to the Na3 site is required for the NMDGT conformational switch while Na+ binding to the Na1 site is responsible for the partial opening of HP2. Complete opening of HP2 requires the conformational switch of the NMDGT motif and therefore Na+ binding to both the Na1 and the Na3 sites. Based on our studies, we also propose an alternate pathway for the coupled binding of Na+ and Asp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika A. Riederer
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Pierre Moënne-Loccoz
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Francis I. Valiyaveetil
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239
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21
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Reddy KD, Ciftci D, Scopelliti AJ, Boudker O. The archaeal glutamate transporter homologue GltPh shows heterogeneous substrate binding. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:e202213131. [PMID: 35452090 PMCID: PMC9044058 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Integral membrane glutamate transporters couple the concentrative substrate transport to ion gradients. There is a wealth of structural and mechanistic information about this protein family. Recent studies of an archaeal homologue, GltPh, revealed transport rate heterogeneity, which is inconsistent with simple kinetic models; however, its structural and mechanistic determinants remain undefined. Here, we demonstrate that in a mutant GltPh, which exclusively populates the outward-facing state, at least two substates coexist in slow equilibrium, binding the substrate with different apparent affinities. Wild type GltPh shows similar binding properties, and modulation of the substate equilibrium correlates with transport rates. The low-affinity substate of the mutant is transient following substrate binding. Consistently, cryo-EM on samples frozen within seconds after substrate addition reveals the presence of structural classes with perturbed helical packing of the extracellular half of the transport domain in regions adjacent to the binding site. By contrast, an equilibrated structure does not show such classes. The structure at 2.2-Å resolution details a pattern of waters in the intracellular half of the domain and resolves classes with subtle differences in the substrate-binding site. We hypothesize that the rigid cytoplasmic half of the domain mediates substrate and ion recognition and coupling, whereas the extracellular labile half sets the affinity and dynamic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna D. Reddy
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Didar Ciftci
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY
| | | | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
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22
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Beckstein O, Naughton F. General principles of secondary active transporter function. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2022; 3:011307. [PMID: 35434715 PMCID: PMC8984959 DOI: 10.1063/5.0047967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Transport of ions and small molecules across the cell membrane against electrochemical gradients is catalyzed by integral membrane proteins that use a source of free energy to drive the energetically uphill flux of the transported substrate. Secondary active transporters couple the spontaneous influx of a "driving" ion such as Na+ or H+ to the flux of the substrate. The thermodynamics of such cyclical non-equilibrium systems are well understood, and recent work has focused on the molecular mechanism of secondary active transport. The fact that these transporters change their conformation between an inward-facing and outward-facing conformation in a cyclical fashion, called the alternating access model, is broadly recognized as the molecular framework in which to describe transporter function. However, only with the advent of high resolution crystal structures and detailed computer simulations, it has become possible to recognize common molecular-level principles between disparate transporter families. Inverted repeat symmetry in secondary active transporters has shed light onto how protein structures can encode a bi-stable two-state system. Based on structural data, three broad classes of alternating access transitions have been described as rocker-switch, rocking-bundle, and elevator mechanisms. More detailed analysis indicates that transporters can be understood as gated pores with at least two coupled gates. These gates are not just a convenient cartoon element to illustrate a putative mechanism but map to distinct parts of the transporter protein. Enumerating all distinct gate states naturally includes occluded states in the alternating access picture and also suggests what kind of protein conformations might be observable. By connecting the possible conformational states and ion/substrate bound states in a kinetic model, a unified picture emerges in which the symporter, antiporter, and uniporter functions are extremes in a continuum of functionality. As usual with biological systems, few principles and rules are absolute and exceptions are discussed as well as how biological complexity may be integrated in quantitative kinetic models that may provide a bridge from the structure to function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Beckstein
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
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23
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Wu Q, Akhter A, Pant S, Cho E, Zhu JX, Garner AR, Ohyama T, Tajkhorshid E, van Meyel DJ, Ryan RM. Ataxia-linked SLC1A3 mutations alter EAAT1 chloride channel activity and glial regulation of CNS function. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:154891. [PMID: 35167492 PMCID: PMC8970671 DOI: 10.1172/jci154891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters (EAATs) regulate extracellular glutamate by transporting it into cells, mostly glia, to terminate neurotransmission and to avoid neurotoxicity. EAATs are also chloride (Cl-) channels, but the physiological role of Cl- conductance through EAATs is poorly understood. Mutations of human EAAT1 (hEAAT1) have been identified in patients with episodic ataxia type 6 (EA6). One mutation showed increased Cl- channel activity and decreased glutamate transport, but the relative contributions of each function of hEAAT1 to mechanisms underlying the pathology of EA6 remain unclear. Here we investigated the effects of five additional EA6-related mutations on hEAAT1 function in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and on CNS function in a Drosophila melanogaster model of locomotor behavior. Our results indicate that mutations resulting in decreased hEAAT1 Cl- channel activity but with functional glutamate transport can also contribute to the pathology of EA6, highlighting the importance of Cl- homeostasis in glial cells for proper CNS function. We also identified a novel mechanism involving an ectopic sodium (Na+) leak conductance in glial cells. Together, these results strongly support the idea that EA6 is primarily an ion channelopathy of CNS glia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyi Wu
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Azman Akhter
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Shashank Pant
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States of America
| | - Eunjoo Cho
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jin Xin Zhu
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Tomoko Ohyama
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States of America
| | - Donald J van Meyel
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Renae M Ryan
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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24
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Ciftci D, Martens C, Ghani VG, Blanchard SC, Politis A, Huysmans GHM, Boudker O. Linking function to global and local dynamics in an elevator-type transporter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2025520118. [PMID: 34873050 PMCID: PMC8670510 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025520118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Transporters cycle through large structural changes to translocate molecules across biological membranes. The temporal relationships between these changes and function, and the molecular properties setting their rates, determine transport efficiency-yet remain mostly unknown. Using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, we compare the timing of conformational transitions and substrate uptake in the elevator-type transporter GltPh We show that the elevator-like movements of the substrate-loaded transport domain across membranes and substrate release are kinetically heterogeneous, with rates varying by orders of magnitude between individual molecules. Mutations increasing the frequency of elevator transitions and reducing substrate affinity diminish transport rate heterogeneities and boost transport efficiency. Hydrogen deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry reveals destabilization of secondary structure around the substrate-binding site, suggesting that increased local dynamics leads to faster rates of global conformational changes and confers gain-of-function properties that set transport rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didar Ciftci
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY 10065
| | - Chloe Martens
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London SE1 1DB, United Kingdom
| | - Vishnu G Ghani
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
| | - Scott C Blanchard
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105
| | - Argyris Politis
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London SE1 1DB, United Kingdom
| | - Gerard H M Huysmans
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065;
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065;
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY 10065
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065
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25
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Thermostability-based binding assays reveal complex interplay of cation, substrate and lipid binding in the bacterial DASS transporter, VcINDY. Biochem J 2021; 478:3847-3867. [PMID: 34643224 PMCID: PMC8652582 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The divalent anion sodium symporter (DASS) family of transporters (SLC13 family in humans) are key regulators of metabolic homeostasis, disruption of which results in protection from diabetes and obesity, and inhibition of liver cancer cell proliferation. Thus, DASS transporter inhibitors are attractive targets in the treatment of chronic, age-related metabolic diseases. The characterisation of several DASS transporters has revealed variation in the substrate selectivity and flexibility in the coupling ion used to power transport. Here, using the model DASS co-transporter, VcINDY from Vibrio cholerae, we have examined the interplay of the three major interactions that occur during transport: the coupling ion, the substrate, and the lipid environment. Using a series of high-throughput thermostability-based interaction assays, we have shown that substrate binding is Na+-dependent; a requirement that is orchestrated through a combination of electrostatic attraction and Na+-induced priming of the binding site architecture. We have identified novel DASS ligands and revealed that ligand binding is dominated by the requirement of two carboxylate groups in the ligand that are precisely distanced to satisfy carboxylate interaction regions of the substrate-binding site. We have also identified a complex relationship between substrate and lipid interactions, which suggests a dynamic, regulatory role for lipids in VcINDY's transport cycle.
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26
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Qu Q, Wang J, Li G, Chen R, Qu S. The Conformationally Sensitive Spatial Distance Between the TM3-4 Loop and Transmembrane Segment 7 in the Glutamate Transporter Revealed by Paired-Cysteine Mutagenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:737629. [PMID: 34621751 PMCID: PMC8490817 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.737629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters can maintain extracellular glutamate concentrations lower than neurotoxic levels by transferring neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft into surrounding glial cells and neurons. Previous work regarding the structural studies of GltPh, GltTK, excitatory amino acid transporter 1 (EAAT1), EAAT3 and alanine serine cysteine transporter 2 described the transport mechanism of the glutamate transporter in depth. However, much remains unknown about the role of the loop between transmembrane segment 3 and 4 during transport. To probe the function of this loop in the transport cycle, we engineered a pair of cysteine residues between the TM3-TM4 loop and TM7 in cysteine-less EAAT2. Here, we show that the oxidative cross-linking reagent CuPh inhibits transport activity of the paired mutant L149C/M414C, whereas DTT inhibits the effect of CuPh on transport activity of L149C/M414C. Additionally, we show that the effect of cross-linking in the mutant is due to the formation of the disulfide bond within the molecules of EAAT2. Further, L-glutamate or KCl protect, and D,L-threo-β-benzyloxy-aspartate (TBOA) increases, CuPh-induced inhibition in the L149C/M414 mutant, suggesting that the L149C and M414C cysteines are closer or farther away in the outward- or inward-facing conformations, respectively. Together, our findings provide evidence that the distance between TM3-TM4 loop and TM7 alter when substrates are transported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Qu
- Department of Neurology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ji Wang
- Department of Neurology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guiping Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rongqing Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaogang Qu
- Department of Neurology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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27
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Shekhar M, Terashi G, Gupta C, Sarkar D, Debussche G, Sisco NJ, Nguyen J, Mondal A, Vant J, Fromme P, Van Horn WD, Tajkhorshid E, Kihara D, Dill K, Perez A, Singharoy A. CryoFold: determining protein structures and data-guided ensembles from cryo-EM density maps. MATTER 2021; 4:3195-3216. [PMID: 35874311 PMCID: PMC9302471 DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy (EM) requires molecular modeling to refine structural details from data. Ensemble models arrive at low free-energy molecular structures, but are computationally expensive and limited to resolving only small proteins that cannot be resolved by cryo-EM. Here, we introduce CryoFold - a pipeline of molecular dynamics simulations that determines ensembles of protein structures directly from sequence by integrating density data of varying sparsity at 3-5 Å resolution with coarse-grained topological knowledge of the protein folds. We present six examples showing its broad applicability for folding proteins between 72 to 2000 residues, including large membrane and multi-domain systems, and results from two EMDB competitions. Driven by data from a single state, CryoFold discovers ensembles of common low-energy models together with rare low-probability structures that capture the equilibrium distribution of proteins constrained by the density maps. Many of these conformations, unseen by traditional methods, are experimentally validated and functionally relevant. We arrive at a set of best practices for data-guided protein folding that are controlled using a Python GUI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinal Shekhar
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, Department of Biochemistry, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Genki Terashi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Chitrak Gupta
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Daipayan Sarkar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Gaspard Debussche
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, Grenoble INP, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Nicholas J Sisco
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- The Biodesign Institute Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Jonathan Nguyen
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Arup Mondal
- Chemistry Department, Quantum Theory Project, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - John Vant
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Petra Fromme
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Wade D Van Horn
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- The Biodesign Institute Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, Department of Biochemistry, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Daisuke Kihara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Ken Dill
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Alberto Perez
- Chemistry Department, Quantum Theory Project, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Abhishek Singharoy
- The School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
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28
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Insights into the bilayer-mediated toppling mechanism of a folate-specific ECF transporter by cryo-EM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2105014118. [PMID: 34408021 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105014118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Energy-coupling factor (ECF)-type transporters are small, asymmetric membrane protein complexes (∼115 kDa) that consist of a membrane-embedded, substrate-binding protein (S component) and a tripartite ATP-hydrolyzing module (ECF module). They import micronutrients into bacterial cells and have been proposed to use a highly unusual transport mechanism, in which the substrate is dragged across the membrane by a toppling motion of the S component. However, it remains unclear how the lipid bilayer could accommodate such a movement. Here, we used cryogenic electron microscopy at 200 kV to determine structures of a folate-specific ECF transporter in lipid nanodiscs and detergent micelles at 2.7- and 3.4-Å resolution, respectively. The structures reveal an irregularly shaped bilayer environment around the membrane-embedded complex and suggest that toppling of the S component is facilitated by protein-induced membrane deformations. In this way, structural remodeling of the lipid bilayer environment is exploited to guide the transport process.
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29
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Chew TA, Zhang J, Feng L. High-Resolution Views and Transport Mechanisms of the NKCC1 and KCC Transporters. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167056. [PMID: 34022207 PMCID: PMC9722358 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs) are responsible for the coupled co-transport of Cl- with K+ and/or Na+ in an electroneutral manner. They play important roles in myriad fundamental physiological processes--from cell volume regulation to transepithelial solute transport and intracellular ion homeostasis--and are targeted by medicines commonly prescribed to treat hypertension and edema. After several decades of studies into the functions and pharmacology of these transporters, there have been several breakthroughs in the structural determination of CCC transporters. The insights provided by these new structures for the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransporter NKCC1 and the K+/Cl- cotransporters KCC1, KCC2, KCC3 and KCC4 have deepened our understanding of their molecular basis and transport function. This focused review discusses recent advances in the structural and mechanistic understanding of CCC transporters, including architecture, dimerization, functional roles of regulatory domains, ion binding sites, and coupled ion transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Chew
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jinru Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Liang Feng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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30
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Ernst M, Robertson JL. The Role of the Membrane in Transporter Folding and Activity. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167103. [PMID: 34139219 PMCID: PMC8756397 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis, folding, and function of membrane transport proteins are critical factors for defining cellular physiology. Since the stability of these proteins evolved amidst the lipid bilayer, it is no surprise that we are finding that many of these membrane proteins demonstrate coupling of their structure or activity in some way to the membrane. More and more transporter structures are being determined with some information about the surrounding membrane, and computational modeling is providing further molecular details about these solvation structures. Thus, the field is moving towards identifying which molecular mechanisms - lipid interactions, membrane perturbations, differential solvation, and bulk membrane effects - are involved in linking membrane energetics to transporter stability and function. In this review, we present an overview of these mechanisms and the growing evidence that the lipid bilayer is a major determinant of the fold, form, and function of membrane transport proteins in membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Ernst
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Janice L Robertson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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31
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Elucidating the Mechanism Behind Sodium-Coupled Neurotransmitter Transporters by Reconstitution. Neurochem Res 2021; 47:127-137. [PMID: 34347265 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03413-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Sodium-coupled neurotransmitter transporters play a fundamental role in the termination of synaptic neurotransmission, which makes them a major drug target. The reconstitution of these secondary active transporters into liposomes has shed light on their molecular transport mechanisms. From the earliest days of the reconstitution technique up to today's single-molecule studies, insights from live functioning transporters have been indispensable for our understanding of their physiological impact. The two classes of sodium-coupled neurotransmitter transporters, the neurotransmitter: sodium symporters and the excitatory amino acid transporters, have vastly different molecular structures, but complementary proteoliposome studies have sought to unravel their ion-dependence and transport kinetics. Furthermore, reconstitution experiments have been used on both protein classes to investigate the role of e.g. the lipid environment, of posttranslational modifications, and of specific amino acid residues in transport. Techniques that allow the detection of transport at a single-vesicle resolution have been developed, and single-molecule studies have started to reveal single transporter kinetics, which will expand our understanding of how transport across the membrane is facilitated at protein level. Here, we review a selection of the results and applications where the reconstitution of the two classes of neurotransmitter transporters has been instrumental.
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32
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Kinetic mechanism of Na +-coupled aspartate transport catalyzed by Glt Tk. Commun Biol 2021; 4:751. [PMID: 34140623 PMCID: PMC8211817 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02267-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well-established that the secondary active transporters GltTk and GltPh catalyze coupled uptake of aspartate and three sodium ions, but insight in the kinetic mechanism of transport is fragmentary. Here, we systematically measured aspartate uptake rates in proteoliposomes containing purified GltTk, and derived the rate equation for a mechanism in which two sodium ions bind before and another after aspartate. Re-analysis of existing data on GltPh using this equation allowed for determination of the turnover number (0.14 s−1), without the need for error-prone protein quantification. To overcome the complication that purified transporters may adopt right-side-out or inside-out membrane orientations upon reconstitution, thereby confounding the kinetic analysis, we employed a rapid method using synthetic nanobodies to inactivate one population. Oppositely oriented GltTk proteins showed the same transport kinetics, consistent with the use of an identical gating element on both sides of the membrane. Our work underlines the value of bona fide transport experiments to reveal mechanistic features of Na+-aspartate symport that cannot be observed in detergent solution. Combined with previous pre-equilibrium binding studies, a full kinetic mechanism of structurally characterized aspartate transporters of the SLC1A family is now emerging. Trinco et al. measure aspartate uptake rates in proteoliposomes containing purified prokaryotic Na+-coupled aspartate transporter GltTk. To overcome limitation of protein orientation, they use synthetic nanobody that blocks transporters from outside and reveal mechanistic features of Na+-aspartate symport that cannot be observed in detergent solution.
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33
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Ryan RM, Ingram SL, Scimemi A. Regulation of Glutamate, GABA and Dopamine Transporter Uptake, Surface Mobility and Expression. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:670346. [PMID: 33927596 PMCID: PMC8076567 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.670346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmitter transporters limit spillover between synapses and maintain the extracellular neurotransmitter concentration at low yet physiologically meaningful levels. They also exert a key role in providing precursors for neurotransmitter biosynthesis. In many cases, neurons and astrocytes contain a large intracellular pool of transporters that can be redistributed and stabilized in the plasma membrane following activation of different signaling pathways. This means that the uptake capacity of the brain neuropil for different neurotransmitters can be dynamically regulated over the course of minutes, as an indirect consequence of changes in neuronal activity, blood flow, cell-to-cell interactions, etc. Here we discuss recent advances in the mechanisms that control the cell membrane trafficking and biophysical properties of transporters for the excitatory, inhibitory and modulatory neurotransmitters glutamate, GABA, and dopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renae M. Ryan
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Susan L. Ingram
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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34
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Amphipathic environments for determining the structure of membrane proteins by single-particle electron cryo-microscopy. Q Rev Biophys 2021; 54:e6. [PMID: 33785082 DOI: 10.1017/s0033583521000044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, the structural biology of membrane proteins (MPs) has taken a new turn thanks to epoch-making technical progress in single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) as well as to improvements in sample preparation. The present analysis provides an overview of the extent and modes of usage of the various types of surfactants for cryo-EM studies. Digitonin, dodecylmaltoside, protein-based nanodiscs, lauryl maltoside-neopentyl glycol, glyco-diosgenin, and amphipols (APols) are the most popular surfactants at the vitrification step. Surfactant exchange is frequently used between MP purification and grid preparation, requiring extensive optimization each time the study of a new MP is undertaken. The variety of both the surfactants and experimental approaches used over the past few years bears witness to the need to continue developing innovative surfactants and optimizing conditions for sample preparation. The possibilities offered by novel APols for EM applications are discussed.
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35
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Qiu B, Matthies D, Fortea E, Yu Z, Boudker O. Cryo-EM structures of excitatory amino acid transporter 3 visualize coupled substrate, sodium, and proton binding and transport. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/10/eabf5814. [PMID: 33658209 PMCID: PMC7929514 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf5814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Human excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (hEAAT3) mediates glutamate uptake in neurons, intestine, and kidney. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of hEAAT3 in several functional states where the transporter is empty, bound to coupled sodium ions only, or fully loaded with three sodium ions, a proton, and the substrate aspartate. The structures suggest that hEAAT3 operates by an elevator mechanism involving three functionally independent subunits. When the substrate-binding site is near the cytoplasm, it has a remarkably low affinity for the substrate, perhaps facilitating its release and allowing the rapid transport turnover. The mechanism of the coupled uptake of the sodium ions and the substrate is conserved across evolutionarily distant families and is augmented by coupling to protons in EAATs. The structures further suggest a mechanism by which a conserved glutamate residue mediates proton symport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Qiu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Doreen Matthies
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Eva Fortea
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Zhiheng Yu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
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36
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Chen I, Pant S, Wu Q, Cater R, Sobti M, Vandenberg R, Stewart AG, Tajkhorshid E, Font J, Ryan R. Glutamate transporters have a chloride channel with two hydrophobic gates. Nature 2021; 591:327-331. [PMID: 33597752 PMCID: PMC7954978 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03240-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Glutamate is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and its precise control is vital to maintain normal brain function and to prevent excitotoxicity1. The removal of extracellular glutamate is achieved by plasma-membrane-bound transporters, which couple glutamate transport to sodium, potassium and pH gradients using an elevator mechanism2-5. Glutamate transporters also conduct chloride ions by means of a channel-like process that is thermodynamically uncoupled from transport6-8. However, the molecular mechanisms that enable these dual-function transporters to carry out two seemingly contradictory roles are unknown. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of a glutamate transporter homologue in an open-channel state, which reveals an aqueous cavity that is formed during the glutamate transport cycle. The functional properties of this cavity, combined with molecular dynamics simulations, reveal it to be an aqueous-accessible chloride permeation pathway that is gated by two hydrophobic regions and is conserved across mammalian and archaeal glutamate transporters. Our findings provide insight into the mechanism by which glutamate transporters support their dual function, and add information that will assist in mapping the complete transport cycle shared by the solute carrier 1A transporter family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ichia Chen
- Transporter Biology Group, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Shashank Pant
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Qianyi Wu
- Transporter Biology Group, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rosemary Cater
- Transporter Biology Group, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Meghna Sobti
- Molecular, Structural and Computational Biology Division, The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia.,St Vincent’s Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Robert Vandenberg
- Transporter Biology Group, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alastair G. Stewart
- Molecular, Structural and Computational Biology Division, The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia.,St Vincent’s Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA, Corresponding authors: Emad Tajkhorshid (), Josep Font (), Renae Ryan ()
| | - Josep Font
- Transporter Biology Group, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia, Corresponding authors: Emad Tajkhorshid (), Josep Font (), Renae Ryan ()
| | - Renae Ryan
- Transporter Biology Group, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia, Corresponding authors: Emad Tajkhorshid (), Josep Font (), Renae Ryan ()
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37
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Huysmans GHM, Ciftci D, Wang X, Blanchard SC, Boudker O. The high-energy transition state of the glutamate transporter homologue GltPh. EMBO J 2021; 40:e105415. [PMID: 33185289 PMCID: PMC7780239 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane transporters mediate cellular uptake of nutrients, signaling molecules, and drugs. Their overall mechanisms are often well understood, but the structural features setting their rates are mostly unknown. Earlier single-molecule fluorescence imaging of the archaeal model glutamate transporter homologue GltPh from Pyrococcus horikoshii suggested that the slow conformational transition from the outward- to the inward-facing state, when the bound substrate is translocated from the extracellular to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, is rate limiting to transport. Here, we provide insight into the structure of the high-energy transition state of GltPh that limits the rate of the substrate translocation process. Using bioinformatics, we identified GltPh gain-of-function mutations in the flexible helical hairpin domain HP2 and applied linear free energy relationship analysis to infer that the transition state structurally resembles the inward-facing conformation. Based on these analyses, we propose an approach to search for allosteric modulators for transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard H M Huysmans
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, USR 2000CNRSInstitut PasteurParisFrance
| | - Didar Ciftci
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Tri‐Institutional Training Program in Chemical BiologyNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Scott C Blanchard
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Tri‐Institutional Training Program in Chemical BiologyNew YorkNYUSA
- St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalMemphisTNUSA
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
- Tri‐Institutional Training Program in Chemical BiologyNew YorkNYUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteChevy ChaseMDUSA
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