| 1. |
- Sahin, Cagla, et al.
(författare)
-
Structural basis for dityrosine-mediated inhibition of alpha-synuclein fibrillation
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- α-synuclein (aSyn) is a small intrinsically disordered protein which can self-assemble into highly organized β-sheet structures that are found to accumulate in plaques in the brain of Parkinson’s Disease patients. Oxidative stress has been shown to be important for aSyn and its self-assembly. Here we characterize the molecular and structural effects that mild oxidation has on aSyn monomer and its aggregation. Using a combination of biophysical methods, SAXS and native ion mobility mass spectrometry, we find that oxidation leads to formation of intramolecular dityrosine cross-linkages that reduce aSyn’s size by a factor of √2. MD simulations support our experimental results showing a stable and compact aSyn conformation that prevents self-assembly and amyloid formation by steric hindrance, suggesting an important role of mild oxidation in preventing amyloid formation.
|
|
| 2. |
- Sahin, Cagla, et al.
(författare)
-
Structural Basis for Dityrosine-Mediated Inhibition of α-Synuclein Fibrillization
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Journal of the American Chemical Society. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0002-7863 .- 1520-5126. ; 144:27, s. 11949-11954
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is an intrinsically disordered protein which self-assembles into highly organized β-sheet structures that accumulate in plaques in brains of Parkinson’s disease patients. Oxidative stress influences α-Syn structure and self-assembly; however, the basis for this remains unclear. Here we characterize the chemical and physical effects of mild oxidation on monomeric α-Syn and its aggregation. Using a combination of biophysical methods, small-angle X-ray scattering, and native ion mobility mass spectrometry, we find that oxidation leads to formation of intramolecular dityrosine cross-linkages and a compaction of the α-Syn monomer by a factor of √2. Oxidation-induced compaction is shown to inhibit ordered self-assembly and amyloid formation by steric hindrance, suggesting an important role of mild oxidation in preventing amyloid formation.
|
|
| 3. |
- Abramsson, Mia L, et al.
(författare)
-
Charge engineering reveals the roles of ionizable side chains in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The role of ionizable side chains in the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of intact proteins remains hotly debated but has not been conclusively addressed because multiple chargeable sites are present in virtually all proteins. Using engineered soluble proteins, we show that ionizable side chains are completely dispensable for charging under native conditions, but if present, they are preferential protonation sites. The absence of ionizable side chains results in identical charge state distributions under native-like and denaturing conditions, whilst co-existing conformers can be distinguished using ion mobility separation. An excess of ionizable side chains, on the other hand, effectively modulates protein ion stability. We conclude that the sum of charges is governed solely by Coulombic terms, while their locations affect the stability of the protein in the gas phase.
|
|
| 4. |
- Abramsson, Mia L., et al.
(författare)
-
Charge Engineering Reveals the Roles of Ionizable Side Chains in Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry
- 2021
-
Ingår i: JACS Au. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2691-3704. ; 1:12, s. 2385-2393
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In solution, the charge of a protein is intricately linked to its stability, but electrospray ionization distorts this connection, potentially limiting the ability of native mass spectrometry to inform about protein structure and dynamics. How the behavior of intact proteins in the gas phase depends on the presence and distribution of ionizable surface residues has been difficult to answer because multiple chargeable sites are present in virtually all proteins. Turning to protein engineering, we show that ionizable side chains are completely dispensable for charging under native conditions, but if present, they are preferential protonation sites. The absence of ionizable side chains results in identical charge state distributions under native-like and denaturing conditions, while coexisting conformers can be distinguished using ion mobility separation. An excess of ionizable side chains, on the other hand, effectively modulates protein ion stability. In fact, moving a single ionizable group can dramatically alter the gas-phase conformation of a protein ion. We conclude that although the sum of the charges is governed solely by Coulombic terms, their locations affect the stability of the protein in the gas phase.
|
|
| 5. |
- Allison, Timothy M., et al.
(författare)
-
Complementing machine learning‐based structure predictions with native mass spectrometry
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Protein Science. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0961-8368 .- 1469-896X. ; 31:6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The advent of machine learning-based structure prediction algorithms such as AlphaFold2 (AF2) and RoseTTa Fold have moved the generation of accurate structural models for the entire cellular protein machinery into the reach of the scientific community. However, structure predictions of protein complexes are based on user-provided input and may require experimental validation. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a versatile, time-effective tool that provides information on post-translational modifications, ligand interactions, conformational changes, and higher-order oligomerization. Using three protein systems, we show that native MS experiments can uncover structural features of ligand interactions, homology models, and point mutations that are undetectable by AF2 alone. We conclude that machine learning can be complemented with MS to yield more accurate structural models on a small and large scale.
|
|
| 6. |
- Andersson, Marlene, et al.
(författare)
-
Biomimetic spinning of artificial spider silk from a chimeric minispidroin
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 13:3, s. 262-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Herein we present a chimeric recombinant spider silk protein (spidroin) whose aqueous solubility equals that of native spider silk dope and a spinning device that is based solely on aqueous buffers, shear forces and lowered pH. The process recapitulates the complex molecular mechanisms that dictate native spider silk spinning and is highly efficient; spidroin from one liter of bacterial shake-flask culture is enough to spin a kilometer of the hitherto toughest as-spun artificial spider silk fiber.
|
|
| 7. |
- Andersson, Marlene, et al.
(författare)
-
Biomimetic spinning of artificial spider silk from a chimeric minispidroin
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 254
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Herein we present a chimeric recombinant spider silk protein (spidroin) whose aqueous solubility equals that of native spider silk dope and a spinning device that is based solely on aqueous buffers, shear forces and lowered pH. The process recapitulates the complex molecular mechanisms that dictate native spider silk spinning and is highly efficient; spidroin from one liter of bacterial shake-flask culture is enough to spin a kilometer of the hitherto toughest as-spun artificial spider silk fiber.
|
|
| 8. |
- Andersson, Marlene, et al.
(författare)
-
Carbonic Anhydrase Generates CO2 and H+ That Drive Spider Silk Formation Via Opposite Effects on the Terminal Domains
- 2014
-
Ingår i: PLoS biology. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1544-9173 .- 1545-7885. ; 12:8, s. e1001921-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spider silk fibers are produced from soluble proteins (spidroins) under ambient conditions in a complex but poorly understood process. Spidroins are highly repetitive in sequence but capped by nonrepetitive N- and C-terminal domains (NT and CT) that are suggested to regulate fiber conversion in similar manners. By using ion selective microelectrodes we found that the pH gradient in the silk gland is much broader than previously known. Surprisingly, the terminal domains respond in opposite ways when pH is decreased from 7 to 5: Urea denaturation and temperature stability assays show that NT dimers get significantly stabilized and then lock the spidroins into multimers, whereas CT on the other hand is destabilized and unfolds into ThT-positive beta-sheet amyloid fibrils, which can trigger fiber formation. There is a high carbon dioxide pressure (pCO(2)) in distal parts of the gland, and a CO2 analogue interacts with buried regions in CT as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Activity staining of histological sections and inhibition experiments reveal that the pH gradient is created by carbonic anhydrase. Carbonic anhydrase activity emerges in the same region of the gland as the opposite effects on NT and CT stability occur. These synchronous events suggest a novel CO2 and proton-dependent lock and trigger mechanism of spider silk formation.
|
|
| 9. |
- Arndt, Tina, et al.
(författare)
-
Spidroin N-terminal domain forms amyloid-like fibril based hydrogels and provides a protein immobilization platform
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 13
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recombinant spider silk proteins (spidroins) have multiple potential applications in development of novel biomaterials, but their multimodal and aggregation-prone nature have complicated production and straightforward applications. Here, we report that recombinant miniature spidroins, and importantly also the N-terminal domain (NT) on its own, rapidly form self-supporting and transparent hydrogels at 37 °C. The gelation is caused by NT α-helix to β-sheet conversion and formation of amyloid-like fibrils, and fusion proteins composed of NT and green fluorescent protein or purine nucleoside phosphorylase form hydrogels with intact functions of the fusion moieties. Our findings demonstrate that recombinant NT and fusion proteins give high expression yields and bestow attractive properties to hydrogels, e.g., transparency, cross-linker free gelation and straightforward immobilization of active proteins at high density.
|
|
| 10. |
- Bolla, Jani Reddy, et al.
(författare)
-
A Mass-Spectrometry-Based Approach to Distinguish Annular and Specific Lipid Binding to Membrane Proteins
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Angewandte Chemie International Edition. - : Wiley. - 1433-7851 .- 1521-3773. ; 59:9, s. 3523-3528
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Membrane proteins engage in a variety of contacts with their surrounding lipids, but distinguishing between specifically bound lipids, and non-specific, annular interactions is a challenging problem. Applying native mass spectrometry to three membrane protein complexes with different lipid-binding properties, we explore the ability of detergents to compete with lipids bound in different environments. We show that lipids in annular positions on the presenilin homologue protease are subject to constant exchange with detergent. By contrast, detergent-resistant lipids bound at the dimer interface in the leucine transporter show decreased k(off) rates in molecular dynamics simulations. Turning to the lipid flippase MurJ, we find that addition of the natural substrate lipid-II results in the formation of a 1:1 protein-lipid complex, where the lipid cannot be displaced by detergent from the highly protected active site. In summary, we distinguish annular from non-annular lipids based on their exchange rates in solution.
|
|
| 11. |
- Cerrato, Carmine P. P., et al.
(författare)
-
Monitoring Disassembly and Cargo Release of Phase-Separated Peptide Coacervates with Native Mass Spectrometry
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Analytical Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0003-2700 .- 1520-6882. ; 95:29, s. 10869-10872
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Engineering liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS)of proteinsand peptides holds great promise for the development of therapeuticcarriers with intracellular delivery capability but requires accuratedetermination of their assembly properties in vitro, usually with fluorescently labeled cargo. Here, we use mass spectrometry(MS) to investigate redox-sensitive coacervate microdroplets (thedense phase formed during LLPS) assembled from a short His- and Tyr-richpeptide. We can monitor the enrichment of a reduced peptide in dilutephase as the microdroplets dissolve triggered by their redox-sensitiveside chain, thus providing a quantitative readout for disassembly.Furthermore, MS can detect the release of a short peptide from coacervatesunder reducing conditions. In summary, with MS, we can monitor thedisassembly and cargo release of engineered coacervates used as therapeuticcarriers without the need for additional labels.
|
|
| 12. |
- Chen, Gefei, et al.
(författare)
-
Bri2 BRICHOS client specificity and chaperone activity are governed by assembly state
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- . Protein misfolding and aggregation is increasingly being recognized as a cause of disease. In Alzheimer's disease the amyloid-beta peptide (A beta) misfolds into neurotoxic oligomers and assembles into amyloid fibrils. The Bri2 protein associated with Familial British and Danish dementias contains a BRICHOS domain, which reduces A beta fibrillization as well as neurotoxicity in vitro and in a Drosophila model, but also rescues proteins from irreversible nonfibrillar aggregation. How these different activities are mediated is not known. Here we show that Bri2 BRICHOS monomers potently prevent neuronal network toxicity of A beta, while dimers strongly suppress A beta fibril formation. The dimers assemble into high-molecular-weight oligomers with an apparent two-fold symmetry, which are efficient inhibitors of non-fibrillar protein aggregation. These results indicate that Bri2 BRICHOS affects qualitatively different aspects of protein misfolding and toxicity via different quaternary structures, suggesting a means to generate molecular chaperone diversity.
|
|
| 13. |
- Costeira-Paulo, Joana, et al.
(författare)
-
Lipids Shape the Electron Acceptor-Binding Site of the Peripheral Membrane Protein Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Cell Chemical Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2451-9456 .- 2451-9448. ; 25:3, s. 309-317
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The interactions between proteins and biological membranes are important for drug development, but remain notoriously refractory to structural investigation. We combine non-denaturing mass spectrometry (MS) with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to unravel the connections among co-factor, lipid, and inhibitor binding in the peripheral membrane protein dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), a key anticancer target. Interrogation of intact DHODH complexes by MS reveals that phospholipids bind via their charged head groups at a limited number of sites, while binding of the inhibitor brequinar involves simultaneous association with detergent molecules. MD simulations show that lipids support flexible segments in the membrane-binding domain and position the inhibitor and electron acceptor-binding site away from the membrane surface, similar to the electron acceptor-binding site in respiratory chain complex I. By complementing MS with MD simulations, we demonstrate how a peripheral membrane protein uses lipids to modulate its structure in a similar manner as integral membrane proteins.
|
|
| 14. |
- Gault, Joseph, et al.
(författare)
-
Mass Spectrometry Reveals the Direct Action of a Chemical Chaperone
- 2018
-
Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-7185. ; 9:14, s. 4082-4086
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite their fundamental biological importance and therapeutic potential, the interactions between chemical chaperones and proteins remain difficult to capture due to their transient and nonspecific nature. Using a simple mass spectrometric assay, we are able to follow the interactions between proteins and the chemical chaperone trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). In this manner, we directly observe that the counteraction of TMAO and the denaturant urea is driven by the exclusion of TMAO from the protein surface, whereas the surfactant lauryl dimethylamine-N-oxide cannot be displaced. Our results clearly demonstrate a direct chaperoning mechanism for TMAO, corroborating extensive computational studies, and pave the way for the use of nondenaturing mass spectrometry and related techniques to study chemical chaperones in molecular detail.
|
|
| 15. |
- Gupta, Kallol, et al.
(författare)
-
The role of interfacial lipids in stabilizing membrane protein oligomers
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 541:7637, s. 421-424
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Oligomerization of membrane proteins in response to lipid binding has a critical role in many cell-signalling pathways(1) but is often difficult to define(2) or predict(3). Here we report the development of a mass spectrometry platform to determine simultaneously the presence of interfacial lipids and oligomeric stability and to uncover how lipids act as key regulators of membrane-protein association. Evaluation of oligomeric strength for a dataset of 125 alpha-helical oligomeric membrane proteins reveals an absence of interfacial lipids in the mass spectra of 12 membrane proteins with high oligomeric stability. For the bacterial homologue of the eukaryotic biogenic transporters (LeuT(4), one of the proteins with the lowest oligomeric stability), we found a precise cohort of lipids within the dimer interface. Delipidation, mutation of lipid-binding sites or expression in cardiolipin-deficient Escherichia coli abrogated dimer formation. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed that cardiolipin acts as a bidentate ligand, bridging across subunits. Subsequently, we show that for the Vibrio splendidus sugar transporter SemiSWEET(5), another protein with low oligomeric stability, cardiolipin shifts the equilibrium from monomer to functional dimer. We hypothesized that lipids are essential for dimerization of the Na+/H+ antiporter NhaA from E. coli, which has the lowest oligomeric strength, but not for the substantially more stable homologous Thermus thermophilus protein NapA. We found that lipid binding is obligatory for dimerization of NhaA, whereas NapA has adapted to form an interface that is stable without lipids. Overall, by correlating interfacial strength with the presence of interfacial lipids, we provide a rationale for understanding the role of lipids in both transient and stable interactions within a range of a-helical membrane proteins, including G-protein-coupled receptors.
|
|
| 16. |
- Jaudzems, Kristaps, et al.
(författare)
-
pH-Dependent Dimerization of Spider Silk N-Terminal Domain Requires Relocation of a Wedged Tryptophan Side Chain
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Journal of Molecular Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-2836 .- 1089-8638. ; 422:4, s. 477-487
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Formation of spider silk from its constituent proteins-spidroins-involves changes from soluble helical/coil conformations to insoluble beta-sheet aggregates. This conversion needs to be regulated to avoid precocious aggregation proximally in the silk gland while still allowing rapid silk assembly in the distal parts. Lowering of pH from about 7 to 6 is apparently important for silk formation. The spidroin N-terminal domain (NT) undergoes stable dimerization and structural changes in this pH region, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we determine the NMR and crystal structures of Euprosthenops australis NT mutated in the dimer interface (A72R). Also, the NMR structure of wild-type (wt) E. australis NT at pH 7.2 and 300 mM sodium chloride was determined. The wt NT and A72R structures are monomers and virtually identical, but they differ from the subunit structure of dimeric wt NT mainly by having a tryptophan (W10) buried between helix 1 and helix 3, while W10 is surface exposed in the dimer. Wedging of the W10 side chain in monomeric NT tilts helix 3 approximately 5-6 angstrom into a position that is incompatible with that of the observed dimer structure. The structural differences between monomeric and dimeric NT domains explain the tryptophan fluorescence patterns of NT at pH 7 and pH 6 and indicate that the biological function of NT depends on conversion between the two conformations.
|
|
| 17. |
- Kaldmae, Margit, et al.
(författare)
-
A strategy for the identification of protein architectures directly from ion mobility mass spectrometry data reveals stabilizing subunit interactions in light harvesting complexes
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Protein Science. - : WILEY. - 0961-8368 .- 1469-896X. ; 28:6, s. 1024-1030
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biotechnological applications of protein complexes require detailed information about their structure and composition, which can be challenging to obtain for proteins from natural sources. Prominent examples are the ring-shaped phycoerythrin (PE) and phycocyanin (PC) complexes isolated from the light-harvesting antennae of red algae and cyanobacteria. Despite their widespread use as fluorescent probes in biotechnology and medicine, the structures and interactions of their noncrystallizable central subunits are largely unknown. Here, we employ ion mobility mass spectrometry to reveal varying stabilities of the PC and PE complexes and identify their closest architectural homologues among all protein assemblies in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). Our results suggest that the central subunits of PC and PE complexes, although absent from the crystal structures, may be crucial for their stability, and thus of unexpected importance for their biotechnological applications.
|
|
| 18. |
- Kaldmae, Margit, et al.
(författare)
-
Gas-Phase Collisions with Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Enable Activation-Controlled Protein Ion Charge Reduction
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1044-0305 .- 1879-1123. ; 30:8, s. 1385-1388
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Modulating protein ion charge is a useful tool for the study of protein folding and interactions by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Here, we investigate activation-dependent charge reduction of protein ions with the chemical chaperone trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). Based on experiments carried out on proteins ranging from 4.5 to 35kDa, we find that when combined with collisional activation, TMAO removes approximately 60% of the charges acquired under native conditions. Ion mobility measurements furthermore show that TMAO-mediated charge reduction produces the same end charge state and arrival time distributions for native-like and denatured protein ions. Our results suggest that gas-phase collisions between the protein ions and TMAO result in proton transfer, in line with previous findings for dimethyl- and trimethylamine. By adjusting the energy of the collisions experienced by the ions, it is possible to control the degree of charge reduction, making TMAO a highly dynamic charge reducer that opens new avenues for manipulating protein charge states in ESI-MS and for investigating the relationship between protein charge and conformation.
|
|
| 19. |
- Kaldmäe, Margit, et al.
(författare)
-
A “spindle and thread” mechanism unblocks p53 translation by modulating N-terminal disorder
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Structure. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-2126 .- 1878-4186. ; 30:5, s. 733-742, e1-e7
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Disordered proteins pose a major challenge to structural biology. A prominent example is the tumor suppressor p53, whose low expression levels and poor conformational stability hamper the development of cancer therapeutics. All these characteristics make it a prime example of “life on the edge of solubility.” Here, we investigate whether these features can be modulated by fusing the protein to a highly soluble spider silk domain (NT∗). The chimeric protein displays highly efficient translation and is fully active in human cancer cells. Biophysical characterization reveals a compact conformation, with the disordered transactivation domain of p53 wrapped around the NT∗ domain. We conclude that interactions with NT∗ help to unblock translation of the proline-rich disordered region of p53. Expression of partially disordered cancer targets is similarly enhanced by NT∗. In summary, we demonstrate that inducing co-translational folding via a molecular “spindle and thread” mechanism unblocks protein translation in vitro.
|
|
| 20. |
- Kronqvist, Nina, et al.
(författare)
-
Efficient protein production inspired by how spiders make silk
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Membrane proteins are targets of most available pharmaceuticals, but they are difficult to produce recombinantly, like many other aggregation-prone proteins. Spiders can produce silk proteins at huge concentrations by sequestering their aggregation-prone regions in micellar structures, where the very soluble N-terminal domain (NT) forms the shell. We hypothesize that fusion to NT could similarly solubilize non-spidroin proteins, and design a charge-reversed mutant (NT star) that is pH insensitive, stabilized and hypersoluble compared to wildtype NT. NT star-transmembrane protein fusions yield up to eight times more of soluble protein in Escherichia coli than fusions with several conventional tags. NT star enables transmembrane peptide purification to homogeneity without chromatography and manufacture of low-cost synthetic lung surfactant that works in an animal model of respiratory disease. NT star also allows efficient expression and purification of non-transmembrane proteins, which are otherwise refractory to recombinant production, and offers a new tool for reluctant proteins in general.
|
|
| 21. |
- Kronqvist, Nina, et al.
(författare)
-
Sequential pH-driven dimerization and stabilization of the N-terminal domain enables rapid spider silk formation
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 5:1, s. 3254-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mechanisms controlling the conversion of spider silk proteins into insoluble fibres, which happens in a fraction of a second and in a defined region of the silk glands, are still unresolved. The N-terminal domain changes conformation and forms a homodimer when pH is lowered from 7 to 6; however, the molecular details still remain to be determined. Here we investigate site-directed mutants of the N-terminal domain from Euprosthenops australis major ampullate spidroin 1 and find that the charged residues D40, R60 and K65 mediate intersubunit electrostatic interactions. Protonation of E79 and E119 is required for structural conversions of the subunits into a dimer conformation, and subsequent protonation of E84 around pH 5.7 leads to the formation of a fully stable dimer. These residues are highly conserved, indicating that the now proposed three-step mechanism prevents premature aggregation of spidroins and enables fast formation of spider silk fibres in general.
|
|
| 22. |
- Lama, Dilraj, et al.
(författare)
-
A druggable conformational switch in the c-MYC transactivation domain
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 15:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The c-MYC oncogene is activated in over 70% of all human cancers. The intrinsic disorder of the c-MYC transcription factor facilitates molecular interactions that regulate numerous biological pathways, but severely limits efforts to target its function for cancer therapy. Here, we use a reductionist strategy to characterize the dynamic and structural heterogeneity of the c-MYC protein. Using probe-based Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations and machine learning, we identify a conformational switch in the c-MYC amino-terminal transactivation domain (termed coreMYC) that cycles between a closed, inactive, and an open, active conformation. Using the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) to modulate the conformational landscape of coreMYC, we show through biophysical and cellular assays that the induction of a closed conformation impedes its interactions with the transformation/transcription domain-associated protein (TRRAP) and the TATA-box binding protein (TBP) which are essential for the transcriptional and oncogenic activities of c-MYC. Together, these findings provide insights into structure-activity relationships of c-MYC, which open avenues towards the development of shape-shifting compounds to target c-MYC as well as other disordered transcription factors for cancer treatment. Here, the authors identify a conformational switch in the amino-terminal transactivation domain of c-MYC, termed coreMYC, which cycles between a closed, inactive state and an open, active conformation. Polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is used to modulate the conformational landscape of coreMYC, stabilizing the closed and inactive conformation.
|
|
| 23. |
- Landreh, Michael, et al.
(författare)
-
Controlling release, unfolding and dissociation of membrane protein complexes in the gas phase through collisional cooling
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Chemical Communications. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1359-7345 .- 1364-548X. ; 51:85, s. 15582-15584
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mass spectrometry of intact membrane protein complexes requires removal of the detergent micelle by collisional activation. We demonstrate that the necessary energy can be obtained by adjusting the degree of collisional cooling in the ion source. This enables us to extend the energy regime for dissociation of membrane protein complexes.
|
|
| 24. |
- Landreh, Michael, et al.
(författare)
-
Effects of Detergent Micelles on Lipid Binding to Proteins in Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Analytical Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0003-2700 .- 1520-6882. ; 89:14, s. 7425-7430
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A wide variety of biological processes rely upon interactions between proteins and lipids, ranging from molecular transport to the organization of the cell membrane. It was recently established that electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is capable of capturing transient interactions between membrane proteins and their lipid environment, and a detailed understanding of the underlying processes is therefore of high importance. Here, we apply ESIMS to investigate the factors that govern complex formation in solution and gas phases by comparing nonselective lipid binding with soluble and membrane proteins. We find that exogenously added lipids did not bind to soluble proteins, suggesting that lipids have a low propensity to form electrospray ionization adducts. The presence of detergents at increasing micelle concentrations, on the other hand, resulted in moderate lipid binding to soluble proteins. A direct ESI-MS comparison of lipid binding to the soluble protein serum albumin and to the integral membrane protein NapA shows that soluble proteins acquire fewer lipid adducts. Our results suggest that protein lipid complexes form via contacts between proteins and mixed lipid/detergent micelles. For soluble proteins, these complexes arise from nonspecific contacts between the protein and detergent/lipid micelles in the electrospray droplet. For membrane proteins, lipids are incorporated into the surrounding micelle in solution, and complex formation occurs independently of the ESI process. We conclude that the lipids in the resulting complexes interact predominantly with sites located in the transmembrane segments, resulting in nativelike complexes that can be interrogated by MS.
|
|
| 25. |
- Landreh, Michael, et al.
(författare)
-
Integrating mass spectrometry with MD simulations reveals the role of lipids in Na+/H+ antiporters
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Na+/H+ antiporters are found in all kingdoms of life and exhibit catalysis rates that are among the fastest of all known secondary-active transporters. Here we combine ion mobility mass spectrometry and molecular dynamics simulations to study the conformational stability and lipid-binding properties of the Na+/H+ exchanger NapA from Thermus thermophilus and compare this to the prototypical antiporter NhaA from Escherichia coli and the human homologue NHA2. We find that NapA and NHA2, but not NhaA, form stable dimers and do not selectively retain membrane lipids. By comparing wild-type NapA with engineered variants, we show that the unfolding of the protein in the gas phase involves the disruption of inter-domain contacts. Lipids around the domain interface protect the native fold in the gas phase by mediating contacts between the mobile protein segments. We speculate that elevator-type antiporters such as NapA, and likely NHA2, use a subset of annular lipids as structural support to facilitate large-scale conformational changes within the membrane.
|
|
