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Tanwar N, Ojha R, Aggarwal S, Prajapati VK, Munde M. Design of inhibitor peptide sequences based on the interfacial knowledge of the protein G-IgG crystallographic complex and their binding studies with IgG. Eur Biophys J 2024; 53:159-170. [PMID: 38493432 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-024-01704-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPI) have emerged as valuable targets in medicinal chemistry due to their key roles in important biological processes. The modulation of PPI by small peptides offers an excellent opportunity to develop drugs against human diseases. Here, we exploited the knowledge of the binding interface of the IgG-protein G complex (PDB:1FCC) for designing peptides that can inhibit these complexes. Herein, we have designed several closely related peptides, and the comparison of results from experiments and computational studies indicated that all the peptides bind close to the expected binding site on IgG and the complexes are stable. A minimal sequence consisting of 11 amino acids (P5) with binding constants in the range of 100 nM was identified. We propose that the main affinity differences across the series of peptides arose from the presence of polar amino acid residues. Further, the molecular dynamic studies helped to understand the dynamic properties of complexes in terms of flexibility of residues and structural stability at the interface. The ability of P5 to compete with the protein G in recognizing IgG can help in the detection and purification of antibodies. Further, it can serve as a versatile tool for a better understanding of protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetu Tanwar
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Rupal Ojha
- Department of Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Soumya Aggarwal
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | | | - Manoj Munde
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India.
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Xiao M, Dhungel S, Azad R, Favaro DC, Rajesh RP, Gardner KH, Kikani CK. Signal-regulated Unmasking of Nuclear Localization Motif in the PAS Domain Regulates the Nuclear Translocation of PASK. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168433. [PMID: 38182104 PMCID: PMC10922792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
The ligand-regulated PAS domains are one of the most diverse signal-integrating domains found in proteins from prokaryotes to humans. By biochemically connecting cellular processes with their environment, PAS domains facilitate an appropriate cellular response. PAS domain-containing Kinase (PASK) is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase that plays important signaling roles in mammalian stem cells to establish stem cell fate. We have shown that the nuclear translocation of PASK is stimulated by differentiation signaling cues in muscle stem cells. However, the mechanistic basis of the regulation of PASK nucleo-cytoplasmic translocation remains unknown. Here, we show that the PAS-A domain of PASK contains a putative monopartite nuclear localization sequence (NLS) motif. This NLS is inhibited in cells through intramolecular association with a short linear motif, termed the PAS Interacting Motif (PIM), found upstream of the kinase domain. This interaction serves to retain PASK in the cytosol in the absence of signaling cues. Consistent with that, we show that metabolic inputs induce PASK nuclear import, likely by disrupting this association. We suggest that a route for such linkage may occur through the PAS-A ligand binding cavity. We show that PIM recruitment and artificial ligand binding to the PAS-A domain occur at neighboring locations that could facilitate metabolic control of the PAS-PIM interaction. Thus, the intramolecular interaction in PASK integrates metabolic signaling cues for nuclear translocation and could be targeted to control the balance between self-renewal and differentiation in stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Xiao
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40502, USA
| | - Sajina Dhungel
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40502, USA
| | - Roksana Azad
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA; Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center, City University of New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Denize C Favaro
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | | | - Kevin H Gardner
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, NY 10031, USA; Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry, Chemistry and Biology Ph.D. Programs, Graduate Center, City University of New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Chintan K Kikani
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40502, USA.
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Kuncewicz K, Battin C, Węgrzyn K, Sieradzan A, Wardowska A, Sikorska E, Giedrojć I, Smardz P, Pikuła M, Steinberger P, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S, Spodzieja M. Targeting the HVEM protein using a fragment of glycoprotein D to inhibit formation of the BTLA/HVEM complex. Bioorg Chem 2022; 122:105748. [PMID: 35325694 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy using blockade of immune checkpoints is mainly based on monoclonal antibodies. Despite the tremendous success achieved by using those molecules to block immune checkpoint proteins, antibodies possess some weaknesses, which means that there is still a need to search for new compounds as alternatives to antibodies. Many current approaches are focused on use of peptides/peptidomimetics to destroy receptor/ligand interactions. Our studies concern blockade of the BTLA/HVEM complex, which generates an inhibitory effect on the immune response resulting in tolerance to cancer cells. To design inhibitors of such proteins binding we based our work on the amino acid sequence and structure of a ligand of HVEM protein, namely glycoprotein D, which possesses the same binding site on HVEM as BTLA protein. To disrupt the BTLA and HVEM interaction we designed several peptides, all fragments of glycoprotein D, and tested their binding to HVEM using SPR and their ability to inhibit the BTLA/HVEM complex formation using ELISA tests and cellular reporter platforms. That led to identification of two peptides, namely gD(1-36)(K10C-D30C) and gD(1-36)(A12C-L25C), which interact with HVEM and possess blocking capacities. Both peptides are not cytotoxic to human PBMCs, and show stability in human plasma. We also studied the 3D structure of the gD(1-36)(K10C-D30C) peptide using NMR and molecular modeling methods. The obtained data reveal that it possesses an unstructured conformation and binds to HVEM in the same location as gD and BTLA. All these results suggest that peptides based on the binding fragment of gD protein represent promising immunomodulation agents for future cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claire Battin
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katarzyna Węgrzyn
- University of Gdańsk, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-307 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam Sieradzan
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna Wardowska
- Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Physiopathology, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Irma Giedrojć
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Pamela Smardz
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Michał Pikuła
- Medical University of Gdańsk, Department of Embryology, Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Immunology, Division of Immune Receptors and T cell Activation, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Marta Spodzieja
- University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Chemistry, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
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Chernysheva MG, Kasperovich AV, Skrabkova HS, Snitko AV, Arutyunyan AM, Badun GA. Lysozyme-dalargin self-organization at the aqueous-air and liquid-liquid interfaces. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2021; 202:111695. [PMID: 33740631 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2021.111695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
An experimental study of protein-peptide binding was performed by means of radiochemical and spectroscopic methods. Lysozyme and dalargin were chosen due to their biological and physiological importance. By means of tensiometry and radiochemical assays, it was found that dalargin possesses rather high surface activity at the aqueous-air and aqueous-p-xylene interfaces to be substituted by protein. Dalargin forms a hydrophobic complex with lysozyme in which the secondary structure of lysozyme is preserved. When lysozyme forms a mixed adsorption layer with dalargin at the aqueous-air surface, the peptide prevents protein from concentrating in the subsurface monolayer. In the presence of p-xylene protein in the interface, reorganization occurs quickly, so there is no lag in the interfacial tension time dependence. The interfacial tension in this case is controlled by protein and/or protein-peptide complexes. An increase in the enzymatic activity of lysozyme in the presence of dalargin was confirmed by a docking model that suggests the formation of hydrogen bonds between dalargin and amino acid residues in the active site.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hanna S Skrabkova
- Dpt. Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey V Snitko
- Dpt. Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander M Arutyunyan
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992, Moscow, Russia
| | - Gennadii A Badun
- Dpt. Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
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Abstract
We introduce a web server called GalaxyPepDock that predicts protein-peptide interactions based on templates. With the continuously increasing size of the protein structure database, the probability of finding related proteins for templates is increasing. GalaxyPepDock takes a protein structure and a peptide sequence as input and returns protein-peptide complex structures as output. Templates for protein-peptide complex structures are selected from the structure database considering similarity to the target protein structure and to putative protein-peptide interactions as estimated by protein structure alignment and peptide sequence alignment. Complex structures are then built from the template structures by template-based modeling. By further structure refinement that performs energy-based optimization, structural aspects that are missing in the template structures or that are not compatible with the given protein and peptide are refined. During the refinement, flexibilities of both protein and peptide induced by binding are considered. The atomistic protein-peptide interactions predicted by GalaxyPepDock can offer important clues for designing new peptides with desired binding properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasup Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-747, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaok Seok
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-747, Republic of Korea.
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Ohashi K, Otomo T. Identification and characterization of the linear region of ATG3 that interacts with ATG7 in higher eukaryotes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 463:447-52. [PMID: 26043688 PMCID: PMC4507496 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.05.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Transfer of GABARAP thioester from the E1 ATG7 to the E2 ATG3 requires the interaction between the N-terminal domain of ATG7 and the flexible region (FR) of ATG3. This interaction has been visualized in the yeast Atg7-Atg3 complex crystal structure, but remains to be defined in higher eukaryotes. Here, our NMR data precisely define the region of the FR of human ATG3 that interacts with ATG7 (RIA7) and demonstrate RIA7 partially overlaps with the E3-interacting region, explaining how the E1-E2 and E2-E3 interactions are mutually exclusive. Mutational analyses identify critical residues of the RIA7 for the E1 interaction and GABARAP transfer, advancing our understanding of a molecular mechanism of the autophagic conjugation cascade in higher eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuto Ohashi
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Takanori Otomo
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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