Structural insights into latency of the metallopeptidase ulilysin (lysargiNase) and its unexpected inhibition by a sulfonyl-fluoride inhibitor of serine peptidases

Peptidases are regulated by latency and inhibitors, as well as compatibilization and cofactors. Ulilysin from Methanosarcina acetivorans, also called lysargiNase, is an archaeal metallopeptidase (MP) that is biosynthesized as a zymogen with a 60-residue N-terminal prosegment (PS). In the presence of calcium, it self-activates to yield the mature enzyme, which specifically cleaves before basic residues and thus complements trypsin in proteomics workflows. Here, we obtained a low-resolution crystal structure of proulilysin, in which 28 protomers arranged as 14 dimers form a continuous double helix of 544 Å pitch that parallels cell axis b of the crystal. The PS includes two α-helices and obstructs the active-site cleft of the catalytic domain (CD) by traversing it in the opposite orientation of a substrate, and a cysteine blocks the catalytic zinc according to a "cysteine-switch mechanism". Moreover, the PS interacts through its first helix with an "S-loop" of the CD, which acts as an "activation segment" that lacks one of two essential calcium cations. Upon PS removal during maturation, the S-loop adopts its competent conformation and binds the second calcium ion. Next, we found that in addition to general MP inhibitors, ulilysin was competitively and reversibly inhibited by 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzenesulfonyl fluoride (AEBSF; K_i = 4 μM). This is a compound that normally forms an irreversible covalent complex with serine peptidases but does not inhibit MPs. A high-resolution crystal structure of the complex revealed that the inhibitor penetrates the specificity pocket of ulilysin. A primary amine of the inhibitor salt-bridges an aspartate at the pocket bottom, thus mimicking the basic side chain of substrates. In contrast, the sulfonyl fluoride warhead is not involved and the catalytic zinc ion is freely accessible. Thus, the usage of inhibitor cocktails of peptidases, which typically contain AEBSF at ∼25-fold higher concentrations than the determined K_i, should be avoided when working with ulilysin. Finally, the structure of the complex, which occurred as a crystallographic dimer recurring in previous mature ulilysin structures, unveiled an N-terminal product fragment that delineated the non-primed side of the cleft. These results complement prior structures of ulilysin with primed-side product fragments and inhibitors.

A unique network of attack, defence and competence on the outer membrane of the periodontitis pathogen Tannerella forsythia

Periodontopathogenic Tannerella forsythia uniquely secretes six peptidases of disparate catalytic classes and families that operate as virulence factors during infection of the gums, the KLIKK-peptidases. Their coding genes are immediately downstream of novel ORFs encoding the 98-132 residue potempins (Pot) A, B1, B2, C, D and E. These are outer-membrane-anchored lipoproteins that specifically and potently inhibit the respective downstream peptidase through stable complexes that protect the outer membrane of T. forsythia, as shown in vivo. Remarkably, PotA also contributes to bacterial fitness in vivo and specifically inhibits matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 12, a major defence component of oral macrophages, thus featuring a novel and highly-specific physiological MMP inhibitor. Information from 11 structures and high-confidence homology models showed that the potempins are distinct β-barrels with either a five-stranded OB-fold (PotA, PotC and PotD) or an eight-stranded up-and-down fold (PotE, PotB1 and PotB2), which are novel for peptidase inhibitors. Particular loops insert like wedges into the active-site cleft of the genetically-linked peptidases to specifically block them either via a new "bilobal" or the classic "standard" mechanism of inhibition. These results discover a unique, tightly-regulated proteolytic armamentarium for virulence and competence, the KLIKK-peptidase/potempin system.

Zymogenic latency in an ∼250-million-year-old astacin metallopeptidase

The horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus is one of few extant Limulus species, which date back to ∼250 million years ago under the conservation of a common Bauplan documented by fossil records. It possesses the only proteolytic blood-coagulation and innate immunity system outside vertebrates and is a model organism for the study of the evolution and function of peptidases. The astacins are a family of metallopeptidases that share a central ∼200-residue catalytic domain (CD), which is found in >1000 species across holozoans and, sporadically, bacteria. Here, the zymogen of an astacin from L. polyphemus was crystallized and its structure was solved. A 34-residue, mostly unstructured pro-peptide (PP) traverses, and thus blocks, the active-site cleft of the CD in the opposite direction to a substrate. A central `PP motif' (F<sup>35</sup>-E-G-D-I<sup>39</sup>) adopts a loop structure which positions Asp38 to bind the catalytic metal, replacing the solvent molecule required for catalysis in the mature enzyme according to an `aspartate-switch' mechanism. Maturation cleavage of the PP liberates the cleft and causes the rearrangement of an `activation segment'. Moreover, the mature N-terminus is repositioned to penetrate the CD moiety and is anchored to a buried `family-specific' glutamate. Overall, this mechanism of latency is reminiscent of that of the other three astacins with known zymogenic and mature structures, namely crayfish astacin, human meprin β and bacterial myroilysin, but each shows specific structural characteristics. Remarkably, myroilysin lacks the PP motif and employs a cysteine instead of the aspartate to block the catalytic metal.

An engineered protein-based submicromolar competitive inhibitor of the Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor aureolysin

Aureolysin, a secreted metallopeptidase (MP) from the thermolysin family, functions as a major virulence factor in Staphylococcus aureus. No specific aureolysin inhibitors have yet been described, making this an important target for the development of novel antimicrobial drugs in times of rampant antibiotic resistance. Although small-molecule inhibitors are currently more common in the clinic, therapeutic proteins and peptides (TPs) are favourable due to their high selectivity, which reduces off-target toxicity and allows dosage tuning. The greater wax moth Galleria mellonella produces a unique defensive protein known as the insect metallopeptidase inhibitor (IMPI), which selectively inhibits some thermolysins from pathogenic bacteria. We determined the ability of IMPI to inhibit aureolysin in vitro and used crystal structures to ascertain its mechanism of action. This revealed that IMPI uses the “standard mechanism”, which has been poorly characterised for MPs in general. Accordingly, we designed a cohort of 12 single and multiple point mutants, the best of which (I⁵⁷F) inhibited aureolysin with an estimated inhibition constant (K_i) of 346 nM. Given that animals lack thermolysins, our strategy may facilitate the development of safe TPs against staphylococcal infections, including strains resistant to conventional antibiotics.

Structural determinants of inhibition of Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipain K by KYT-36, a potent, selective, and bioavailable peptidase inhibitor

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a member of the dysbiotic oral microbiome and a "keystone pathogen" that causes severe periodontal disease, which is among the most prevalent infectious diseases. Part of the virulence factors secreted by P. gingivalis are the essential cysteine peptidases gingipain K (Kgp) and R (RgpA and RgpB), which account for 85% of the extracellular proteolytic activity of the pathogen and are thus prime targets for inhibition. We report the high-resolution (1.20 Å) complex structure of Kgp with KYT-36, a peptide-derived, potent, bioavailable and highly selective inhibitor, which is widely used for studies in vitro, in cells and in vivo. Sub-nanomolar inhibition of Kgp is achieved by tight binding to the active-site cleft, which is covered for its sub-sites S3 through S1' under establishment of nine hydrophobic interactions, 14 hydrogen bonds and one salt bridge. In addition, an inhibitor carbonyl carbon that mimics the scissile carbonyl of substrates is pyramidalized and just 2.02 Å away from the catalytic nucleophile of Kgp, C477Sγ. Thus, the crystal structure emulates a reaction intermediate of the first nucleophilic attack during catalysis of cysteine peptidases. The present study sets the pace for the development of tailored next-generation drugs to tackle P. gingivalis.

Split GFP Complementation as Reporter of Membrane Protein Expression and Stability in E. coli: A Tool to Engineer Stability in a LAT Transporter

Obtaining enough quantity of recombinant membrane transport proteins with optimal purity and stability for structural studies is a remarkable challenge. In this chapter, we describe a protocol to engineer SteT, the amino acid transporter of Bacillus subtilis, in order to improve its heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and its stability in detergent micelles. We built a library of 70 SteT mutants, combining a random mutagenesis protocol with a split GFP assay as reporter of protein folding and membrane insertion. Mutagenesis was restricted to residues situated in the transmembrane domains. Improved versions of SteT were successfully identified after analyzing the expression yield and monodispersity in detergent micelles of the library's members.

Stabilization of a prokaryotic LAT transporter by random mutagenesis

The knowledge of three-dimensional structures at atomic resolution of membrane transport proteins has improved considerably our understanding of their physiological roles and pathological implications. However, most structural biology techniques require an optimal candidate within a protein family for structural determination with (a) reasonable production in heterologous hosts and (b) good stability in detergent micelles. SteT, the Bacillus subtilis L-serine/L-threonine exchanger is the best-known prokaryotic paradigm of the mammalian L-amino acid transporter (LAT) family. Unfortunately, SteT's lousy stability after extracting from the membrane prevents its structural characterization. Here, we have used an approach based on random mutagenesis to engineer stability in SteT. Using a split GFP complementation assay as reporter of protein expression and membrane insertion, we created a library of 70 SteT mutants each containing random replacements of one or two residues situated in the transmembrane domains. Analysis of expression and monodispersity in detergent of this library permitted the identification of evolved versions of SteT with a significant increase in both expression yield and stability in detergent with respect to wild type. In addition, these experiments revealed a correlation between the yield of expression and the stability in detergent micelles. Finally, and based on protein delipidation and relipidation assays together with transport experiments, possible mechanisms of SteT stabilization are discussed. Besides optimizing a member of the LAT family for structural determination, our work proposes a new approach that can be used to optimize any membrane protein of interest.