Multivalent ions and biomolecules: Attempting a comprehensive perspective

Ions are ubiquitous in nature. They play a key role for many biological processes on the molecular scale, from molecular interactions, to mechanical properties, to folding, to self-organisation and assembly, to reaction equilibria, to signalling, to energy and material transport, to recognition etc. Going beyond monovalent ions to multivalent ions, the effects of the ions are frequently not only stronger (due to the obviously higher charge), but qualitatively different. A typical example is the process of binding of multivalent ions, such as Ca2+ , to a macromolecule and the consequences of this ion binding such as compaction, collapse, potential charge inversion and precipitation of the macromolecule. Here we review these effects and phenomena induced by multivalent ions for biological (macro)molecules, from the "atomistic/molecular" local picture of (potentially specific) interactions to the more global picture of phase behaviour including, e. g., crystallisation, phase separation, oligomerisation etc. Rather than attempting an encyclopedic list of systems, we rather aim for an embracing discussion using typical case studies. We try to cover predominantly three main classes: proteins, nucleic acids, and amphiphilic molecules including interface effects. We do not cover in detail, but make some comparisons to, ion channels, colloidal systems, and synthetic polymers. While there are obvious differences in the behaviour of, and the relevance of multivalent ions for, the three main classes of systems, we also point out analogies. Our attempt of a comprehensive discussion is guided by the idea that there are not only important differences and specific phenomena with regard to the effects of multivalent ions on the main systems, but also important similarities. We hope to bridge physico-chemical mechanisms, concepts of soft matter, and biological observations and connect the different communities further.

Investigating the dynamics and polyanion binding sites of fibroblast growth factor-1 using hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry

In this study, we examined the local dynamics of acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-1) as well as the binding sites of various polyanions including poly-sulfates (heparin and low MW heparin) and poly-phosphates (phytic acid and ATP) using hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HX-MS). For local dynamics, results are analyzed at the peptide level as well as in terms of buried amides employing crystallographic B-factors and compared with a residue level heat map generated from HX-MS results. Results show that strand 4 and 5 and the turn between them to be the most flexible regions as was previously seen by NMR. On the other hand, the C-terminal strands 8, 9, and 10 appear to be more rigid which is also consistent with crystallographic B-factors as well as local dynamics studies conducted by NMR. Crystal structures of FGF-1 in complex with heparin have shown that heparin binds to N-terminal Asn18 and to C-terminal Lys105, Tryp107, Lys112, Lys113, Arg119, Pro121, Arg122, Gln127, and Lys128 indicating electrostatic forces as dominant interactions. Heparin binding as determined by HX-MS is consistent with crystallography data. Previous studies have also shown that other polyanions including low MW heparin, phytic acid and ATP dramatically increase the thermal stability of FGF-1. Using HX-MS, we find other poly anions tested bind in a similar manner to heparin, primarily targeting the turns in the lysine rich C-terminal region of FGF-1 along with two distinct N-terminal regions that contains lysines and arginines/histidines. This confirms the interactions between FGF-1 and polyanions are primary directed by electrostatics.