1. |
- Abrami, Laurence, et al.
(author)
-
Palmitoylated acyl protein thioesterase APT2 deforms membranes to extract substrate acyl chains
- 2021
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Nature. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 17:4, s. 438-U173
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Acyl protein thioesterase APT2 interacts with membranes via its charged beta-tongue, becomes palmitoylated by ZDHHC3/7 and deforms the bilayer to extract substrate acyl chains. APT2 deacylation leads to its membrane release and degradation. Many biochemical reactions require controlled recruitment of proteins to membranes. This is largely regulated by posttranslational modifications. A frequent one is S-acylation, which consists of the addition of acyl chains and can be reversed by poorly understood acyl protein thioesterases (APTs). Using a panel of computational and experimental approaches, we dissect the mode of action of the major cellular thioesterase APT2 (LYPLA2). We show that soluble APT2 is vulnerable to proteasomal degradation, from which membrane binding protects it. Interaction with membranes requires three consecutive steps: electrostatic attraction, insertion of a hydrophobic loop and S-acylation by the palmitoyltransferases ZDHHC3 or ZDHHC7. Once bound, APT2 is predicted to deform the lipid bilayer to extract the acyl chain bound to its substrate and capture it in a hydrophobic pocket to allow hydrolysis. This molecular understanding of APT2 paves the way to understand the dynamics of APT2-mediated deacylation of substrates throughout the endomembrane system.
|
|
2. |
- Aebersold, Ruedi, et al.
(author)
-
How many human proteoforms are there?
- 2018
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 14:3, s. 206-214
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite decades of accumulated knowledge about proteins and their post-translational modifications (PTMs), numerous questions remain regarding their molecular composition and biological function. One of the most fundamental queries is the extent to which the combinations of DNA-, RNA-and PTM-level variations explode the complexity of the human proteome. Here, we outline what we know from current databases and measurement strategies including mass spectrometry-based proteomics. In doing so, we examine prevailing notions about the number of modifications displayed on human proteins and how they combine to generate the protein diversity underlying health and disease. We frame central issues regarding determination of protein-level variation and PTMs, including some paradoxes present in the field today. We use this framework to assess existing data and to ask the question, "How many distinct primary structures of proteins (proteoforms) are created from the 20,300 human genes?" We also explore prospects for improving measurements to better regularize protein-level biology and efficiently associate PTMs to function and phenotype.
|
|
3. |
- Aleksandrova, Elena V., et al.
(author)
-
Structural basis of Cfr-mediated antimicrobial resistance and mechanisms to evade it
- 2024
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Nature. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 20:7, s. 867-876
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The bacterial ribosome is an essential drug target as many clinically important antibiotics bind and inhibit its functional centers. The catalytic peptidyl transferase center (PTC) is targeted by the broadest array of inhibitors belonging to several chemical classes. One of the most abundant and clinically prevalent resistance mechanisms to PTC-acting drugs in Gram-positive bacteria is C8-methylation of the universally conserved A2503 nucleobase by Cfr methylase in 23S ribosomal RNA. Despite its clinical importance, a sufficient understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying Cfr-mediated resistance is currently lacking. Here, we report a set of high-resolution structures of the Cfr-modified 70S ribosome containing aminoacyl- and peptidyl-transfer RNAs. These structures reveal an allosteric rearrangement of nucleotide A2062 upon Cfr-mediated methylation of A2503 that likely contributes to the reduced potency of some PTC inhibitors. Additionally, we provide the structural bases behind two distinct mechanisms of engaging the Cfr-methylated ribosome by the antibiotics iboxamycin and tylosin.
|
|
4. |
- Andersson, Marlene, et al.
(author)
-
Biomimetic spinning of artificial spider silk from a chimeric minispidroin
- 2017
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 13:3, s. 262-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)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.
|
|
5. |
- Andersson, Marlene, et al.
(author)
-
Biomimetic spinning of artificial spider silk from a chimeric minispidroin
- 2017
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 254
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)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.
|
|
6. |
- Arrowsmith, CH, et al.
(author)
-
The promise and peril of chemical probes
- 2015
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4469 .- 1552-4450. ; 11:8, s. 536-541
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
7. |
- Blankenship, Connor M., et al.
(author)
-
Motif-dependent binding on the intervening domain regulates O-GlcNAc transferase
- 2023
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Nature. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 19:11, s. 1423-1431
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The modification of intracellular proteins with O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) moieties is a highly dynamic process that spatiotemporally regulates nearly every important cellular program. Despite its significance, little is known about the substrate recognition and regulation modes of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), the primary enzyme responsible for O-GlcNAc addition. In this study, we identified the intervening domain (Int-D), a poorly understood protein fold found only in metazoan OGTs, as a specific regulator of OGT protein–protein interactions and substrate modification. Using proteomic peptide phage display (ProP-PD) coupled with structural, biochemical and cellular characterizations, we discovered a strongly enriched peptide motif, employed by the Int-D to facilitate specific O-GlcNAcylation. We further show that disruption of Int-D binding dysregulates important cellular programs, including response to nutrient deprivation and glucose metabolism. These findings illustrate a mode of OGT substrate recognition and offer key insights into the biological roles of this unique domain.
|
|
8. |
- Bratovic, Majda, et al.
(author)
-
Bridge helix arginines play a critical role in Cas9 sensitivity to mismatches
- 2020
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 16:5, s. 587-595
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The RNA-programmable DNA-endonuclease Cas9 is widely used for genome engineering, where a high degree of specificity is required. To investigate which features of Cas9 determine the sensitivity to mismatches along the target DNA, we performed in vitro biochemical assays and bacterial survival assays in Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that arginines in the Cas9 bridge helix influence guide RNA, and target DNA binding and cleavage. They cluster in two groups that either increase or decrease the Cas9 sensitivity to mismatches. We show that the bridge helix is essential for R-loop formation and that R63 and R66 reduce Cas9 specificity by stabilizing the R-loop in the presence of mismatches. Additionally, we identify Q768 that reduces sensitivity of Cas9 to protospacer adjacent motif-distal mismatches. The Cas9_R63A/Q768A variant showed increased specificity in human cells. Our results provide a firm basis for function- and structure-guided mutagenesis to increase Cas9 specificity for genome engineering. Tuning CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease specificity enables precision genome engineering. Identifying arginine residues along the bridge helix of SpCas9 that mediate Cas9 mismatch sensitivity enabled engineering of Cas9 with increased specificity in human cells.
|
|
9. |
- Cegelski, Lynette, et al.
(author)
-
Small-molecule inhibitors target Escherichia coli amyloid biogenesis and biofilm formation
- 2009
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 5:12, s. 913-919
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Curli are functional extracellular amyloid fibers produced by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and other Enterobacteriaceae. Ring-fused 2-pyridones, such as FN075 and BibC6, inhibited curli biogenesis in UPEC and prevented the in vitro polymerization of the major curli subunit protein CsgA. The curlicides FN075 and BibC6 share a common chemical lineage with other ring-fused 2-pyridones termed pilicides. Pilicides inhibit the assembly of type1pili, which are required for pathogenesis during urinary tract infection. Notably, the curlicides retained pilicide activities and inhibited both curli-dependent and type 1–dependent biofilms. Furthermore, pretreatment of UPEC with FN075 significantly attenuated virulence in a mouse model of urinary tract infection. Curli and type 1pili exhibited exclusive and independent roles in promoting UPEC biofilms, and curli provided a fitness advantage in vivo. Thus, the ability of FN075 to block the biogenesis of both curli and type 1pili endows unique anti-biofilm and anti-virulence activities on these compounds.
|
|
10. |
- Chen, Ruibing, et al.
(author)
-
Engineering cofactor supply and recycling to drive phenolic acid biosynthesis in yeast
- 2022
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 18:5, s. 520-529
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Advances in synthetic biology enable microbial hosts to synthesize valuable natural products in an efficient, cost-competitive and safe manner. However, current engineering endeavors focus mainly on enzyme engineering and pathway optimization, leaving the role of cofactors in microbial production of natural products and cofactor engineering largely ignored. Here we systematically engineered the supply and recycling of three cofactors (FADH2, S-adenosyl-l-methion and NADPH) in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for high-level production of the phenolic acids caffeic acid and ferulic acid, the precursors of many pharmaceutical molecules. Tailored engineering strategies were developed for rewiring biosynthesis, compartmentalization and recycling of the cofactors, which enabled the highest production of caffeic acid (5.5 ± 0.2 g l−1) and ferulic acid (3.8 ± 0.3 g l−1) in microbial cell factories. These results demonstrate that cofactors play an essential role in driving natural product biosynthesis and the engineering strategies described here can be easily adopted for regulating the metabolism of other cofactors. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
|
|
11. |
|
|
12. |
- Davis, B, et al.
(author)
-
Voices of chemical biology
- 2021
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4469 .- 1552-4450. ; 17:1, s. 1-4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
13. |
- Edgar, Rebecca J., et al.
(author)
-
Discovery of glycerol phosphate modification on streptococcal rhamnose polysaccharides
- 2019
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 15:5, s. 463-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cell wall glycopolymers on the surface of Gram-positive bacteria are fundamental to bacterial physiology and infection biology. Here we identify gacH, a gene in the Streptococcus pyogenes group A carbohydrate (GAC) biosynthetic cluster, in two independent transposon library screens for its ability to confer resistance to zinc and susceptibility to the bactericidal enzyme human group IIA-secreted phospholipase A(2). Subsequent structural and phylogenetic analysis of the GacH extracellular domain revealed that GacH represents an alternative class of glycerol phosphate transferase. We detected the presence of glycerol phosphate in the GAC, as well as the serotype c carbohydrate from Streptococcus mutans, which depended on the presence of the respective gacH homologs. Finally, nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of GAC confirmed that glycerol phosphate is attached to approximately 25% of the GAC N-acetylglucosamine side-chains at the C6 hydroxyl group. This previously unrecognized structural modification impacts host-pathogen interaction and has implications for vaccine design.
|
|
14. |
- Escobar Galvis, Martha L., et al.
(author)
-
Transgenic or tumor-induced expression of heparanase upregulates sulfation of heparan sulfate
- 2007
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 3:12, s. 773-778
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) interact with numerous proteins of importance in animal development and homeostasis. Heparanase, which is expressed in normal tissues and upregulated in angiogenesis, cancer and inflammation, selectively cleaves β-glucuronidic linkages in HS chains. In a previous study, we transgenically overexpressed heparanase in mice to assess the overall effects of heparanase on HS metabolism. Metabolic labeling confirmed extensive fragmentation of HS in vivo. In the current study we found that in liver showing excessive heparanase overexpression, HSPG turnover is accelerated along with upregulation of HS N- and O-sulfation, thus yielding heparin-like chains without the domain structure typical of HS. Heparanase overexpression in other mouse organs and in human tumors correlated with increased 6-O-sulfation of HS, whereas the domain structure was conserved. The heavily sulfated HS fragments strongly promoted formation of ternary complexes with fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) or FGF2 and FGF receptor 1. Heparanase thus contributes to regulation of HS biosynthesis in a way that may promote growth factor action in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.
|
|
15. |
|
|
16. |
|
|
17. |
|
|
18. |
- Forsman, Ulrika, et al.
(author)
-
4-Nitrobenzoate inhibits coenzyme Q biosynthesis in mammalian cell cultures
- 2010
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 6:7, s. 515-517
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Coenzyme Q (Q) is an electron transporter in the respiratory chain and a lipid-soluble antioxidant that decreases in humans with age. Here we show that 4-nitrobenzoate inhibited 4-hydroxybenzoate: polyprenyl transferase (Coq2) in a competitive manner and dose-dependently decreased Q in mammalian cells without accumulation of Q intermediates. As 4-nitrobenzoate neither interfered with mitochondrial respiration nor induced oxidative stress, it should prove a valuable tool for studies on both Q deficiency and Q supplementation.
|
|
19. |
- Frandsen, K. E. H., et al.
(author)
-
The molecular basis of polysaccharide cleavage by lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases
- 2016
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 12:4, s. 298-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are copper-containing enzymes that oxidatively break down recalcitrant polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin. Since their discovery, LPMOs have become integral factors in the industrial utilization of biomass, especially in the sustainable generation of cellulosic bioethanol. We report here a structural determination of an LPMO-oligosaccharide complex, yielding detailed insights into the mechanism of action of these enzymes. Using a combination of structure and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, we reveal the means by which LPMOs interact with saccharide substrates. We further uncover electronic and structural features of the enzyme active site, showing how LPMOs orchestrate the reaction of oxygen with polysaccharide chains.
|
|
20. |
- Gladwin, MT, et al.
(author)
-
The emerging biology of the nitrite anion
- 2005
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 1:6, s. 308-314
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)
|
|
21. |
|
|
22. |
|
|
23. |
- Hakulinen, Jonna K, et al.
(author)
-
MraY-antibiotic complex reveals details of tunicamycin mode of action.
- 2017
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4469 .- 1552-4450. ; 13:3, s. 265-267
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The rapid increase of antibiotic resistance has created an urgent need to develop novel antimicrobial agents. Here we describe the crystal structure of the promising bacterial target phospho-N-acetylmuramoyl-pentapeptide translocase (MraY) in complex with the nucleoside antibiotic tunicamycin. The structure not only reveals the mode of action of several related natural-product antibiotics but also gives an indication on the binding mode of the MraY UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide and undecaprenyl-phosphate substrates.
|
|
24. |
- Hicks, Glenn
(author)
-
Braking plant endocytosis
- 2019
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 15, s. 553-555
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
25. |
- Hill, Sandra Malmgren, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
VCP/p97 regulates Beclin-1-dependent autophagy initiation
- 2021
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 17, s. 448-455
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Autophagy is an essential cellular process that removes harmful protein species, and autophagy upregulation may be able to protect against neurodegeneration and various pathogens. Here, we have identified the essential protein VCP/p97 (VCP, valosin-containing protein) as a novel regulator of autophagosome biogenesis, where VCP regulates autophagy induction in two ways, both dependent on Beclin-1. Utilizing small-molecule inhibitors of VCP ATPase activity, we show that VCP stabilizes Beclin-1 levels by promoting the deubiquitinase activity of ataxin-3 towards Beclin-1. VCP also regulates the assembly and activity of the Beclin-1-containing phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) complex I, thus regulating the production of PI(3)P, a key signaling lipid responsible for the recruitment of downstream autophagy factors. A decreased level of VCP, or inhibition of its ATPase activity, impairs starvation-induced production of PI(3)P and limits downstream recruitment of WIPI2, ATG16L and LC3, thereby decreasing autophagosome formation, illustrating an important role for VCP in early autophagy initiation.
|
|
26. |
- Hindie, Valerie, et al.
(author)
-
Structure and allosteric effects of low-molecular-weight activators on the protein kinase PDK1.
- 2009
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 5:10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Protein phosphorylation transduces a large set of intracellular signals. One mechanism by which phosphorylation mediates signal transduction is by prompting conformational changes in the target protein or interacting proteins. Previous work described an allosteric site mediating phosphorylation-dependent activation of AGC kinases. The AGC kinase PDK1 is activated by the docking of a phosphorylated motif from substrates. Here we present the crystallography of PDK1 bound to a rationally developed low-molecular-weight activator and describe the conformational changes induced by small compounds in the crystal and in solution using a fluorescence-based assay and deuterium exchange experiments. Our results indicate that the binding of the compound produces local changes at the target site, the PIF binding pocket, and also allosteric changes at the ATP binding site and the activation loop. Altogether, we present molecular details of the allosteric changes induced by small compounds that trigger the activation of PDK1 through mimicry of phosphorylation-dependent conformational changes.
|
|
27. |
- Jansson, Emmelie Å, et al.
(author)
-
A mammalian functional nitrate reductase that regulates nitrite and nitric oxide homeostasis
- 2008
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 4:7, s. 411-417
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inorganic nitrite (NO(2)(-)) is emerging as a regulator of physiological functions and tissue responses to ischemia, whereas the more stable nitrate anion (NO(3)(-)) is generally considered to be biologically inert. Bacteria express nitrate reductases that produce nitrite, but mammals lack these specific enzymes. Here we report on nitrate reductase activity in rodent and human tissues that results in formation of nitrite and nitric oxide (NO) and is attenuated by the xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitor allopurinol. Nitrate administration to normoxic rats resulted in elevated levels of circulating nitrite that were again attenuated by allopurinol. Similar effects of nitrate were seen in endothelial NO synthase-deficient and germ-free mice, thereby excluding vascular NO synthase activation and bacteria as the source of nitrite. Nitrate pretreatment attenuated the increase in systemic blood pressure caused by NO synthase inhibition and enhanced blood flow during post-ischemic reperfusion. Our findings suggest a role for mammalian nitrate reduction in regulation of nitrite and NO homeostasis.
|
|
28. |
- Kaltenbach, Miriam, et al.
(author)
-
Evolution of chalcone isomerase from a noncatalytic ancestor
- 2018
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 14:6, s. 548-555
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The emergence of catalysis in a noncatalytic protein scaffold is a rare, unexplored event. Chalcone isomerase (CHI), a key enzyme in plant flavonoid biosynthesis, is presumed to have evolved from a nonenzymatic ancestor related to the widely distributed fatty-acid binding proteins (FAPs) and a plant protein family with no isomerase activity (CHILs). Ancestral inference supported the evolution of CHI from a protein lacking isomerase activity. Further, we identified four alternative founder mutations, i.e., mutations that individually instated activity, including a mutation that is not phylogenetically traceable. Despite strong epistasis in other cases of protein evolution, CHI's laboratory reconstructed mutational trajectory shows weak epistasis. Thus, enantioselective CHI activity could readily emerge despite a catalytically inactive starting point. Accordingly, X-ray crystallography, NMR, and molecular dynamics simulations reveal reshaping of the active site toward a productive substratebinding mode and repositioning of the catalytic arginine that was inherited from the ancestral fatty-acid binding proteins.
|
|
29. |
- Karampelias, C, et al.
(author)
-
MNK2 deficiency potentiates β-cell regeneration via translational regulation
- 2022
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4469 .- 1552-4450. ; 18:9, s. 942-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Regenerating pancreatic β-cells is a potential curative approach for diabetes. We previously identified the small molecule CID661578 as a potent inducer of β-cell regeneration, but its target and mechanism of action have remained unknown. We now screened 257 million yeast clones and determined that CID661578 targets MAP kinase-interacting serine/threonine kinase 2 (MNK2), an interaction we genetically validated in vivo. CID661578 increased β-cell neogenesis from ductal cells in zebrafish, neonatal pig islet aggregates and human pancreatic ductal organoids. Mechanistically, we found that CID661578 boosts protein synthesis and regeneration by blocking MNK2 from binding eIF4G in the translation initiation complex at the mRNA cap. Unexpectedly, this blocking activity augmented eIF4E phosphorylation depending on MNK1 and bolstered the interaction between eIF4E and eIF4G, which is necessary for both hypertranslation and β-cell regeneration. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a targetable role of MNK2-controlled translation in β-cell regeneration, a role that warrants further investigation in diabetes.
|
|
30. |
- Kjellén, Lena
(author)
-
Glycobiology : Enzyme deficiencies deciphered
- 2012
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4469 .- 1552-4450. ; 8:2, s. 137-138
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mucopolysaccharidoses are inherited disorders in which inactivation of lysosomal enzymes results in accumulation of glycosaminoglycans within cells, causing tissue and organ dysfunction. A method to determine the unique end structures of the accumulated glycosaminoglycans offers a new way for diagnosis.
|
|
31. |
- Kleschyov, Andrei L., et al.
(author)
-
NO-ferroheme is a signaling entity in the vasculature
- 2023
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 19:10, s. 1267-1275
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite wide appreciation of the biological role of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) signaling, questions remain about the chemical nature of NOS-derived bioactivity. Here we show that NO-like bioactivity can be efficiently transduced by mobile NO-ferroheme species, which can transfer between proteins, partition into a hydrophobic phase and directly activate the sGC-cGMP-PKG pathway without intermediacy of free NO. The NO-ferroheme species (with or without a protein carrier) efficiently relax isolated blood vessels and induce hypotension in rodents, which is greatly potentiated after the blockade of NOS activity. While free NO-induced relaxations are abolished by an NO scavenger and in the presence of red blood cells or blood plasma, a model compound, NO-ferroheme-myoglobin preserves its vasoactivity suggesting the physiological relevance of NO-ferroheme species. We conclude that NO-ferroheme behaves as a signaling entity in the vasculature. Questions remain on the nature of the bioactivity of nitric oxide (NO) synthase signaling despite its wide appreciation. Here the authors describe NO-ferroheme as a vascular signaling species, whose biological activity is unrelated to the release of free nitric oxide, but allows it to travel protected to its main target guanylyl cyclase.
|
|
32. |
- Kurzawa, N, et al.
(author)
-
Deep thermal profiling for detection of functional proteoform groups
- 2023
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4469 .- 1552-4450. ; 19:8, s. 962-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The complexity of the functional proteome extends considerably beyond the coding genome, resulting in millions of proteoforms. Investigation of proteoforms and their functional roles is important to understand cellular physiology and its deregulation in diseases but challenging to perform systematically. Here we applied thermal proteome profiling with deep peptide coverage to detect functional proteoform groups in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines with different cytogenetic aberrations. We detected 15,846 proteoforms, capturing differently spliced, cleaved and post-translationally modified proteins expressed from 9,290 genes. We identified differential co-aggregation of proteoform pairs and established links to disease biology. Moreover, we systematically made use of measured biophysical proteoform states to find specific biomarkers of drug sensitivity. Our approach, thus, provides a powerful and unique tool for systematic detection and functional annotation of proteoform groups.
|
|
33. |
- Laraia, Luca, et al.
(author)
-
The cholesterol transfer protein GRAMD1A regulates autophagosome biogenesis
- 2019
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 15:7, s. 710-720
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Autophagy mediates the degradation of damaged proteins, organelles and pathogens, and plays a key role in health and disease. Thus, the identification of new mechanisms involved in the regulation of autophagy is of major interest. In particular, little is known about the role of lipids and lipid-binding proteins in the early steps of autophagosome biogenesis. Using target-agnostic, high-content, image-based identification of indicative phenotypic changes induced by small molecules, we have identified autogramins as a new class of autophagy inhibitor. Autogramins selectively target the recently discovered cholesterol transfer protein GRAM domain-containing protein 1A (GRAMD1A, which had not previously been implicated in autophagy), and directly compete with cholesterol binding to the GRAMD1A StART domain. GRAMD1A accumulates at sites of autophagosome initiation, affects cholesterol distribution in response to starvation and is required for autophagosome biogenesis. These findings identify a new biological function of GRAMD1A and a new role for cholesterol in autophagy.
|
|
34. |
|
|
35. |
|
|
36. |
- Licciardello, Marco P., et al.
(author)
-
A combinatorial screen of the CLOUD uncovers a synergy targeting the androgen receptor
- 2017
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 13:7, s. 771-778
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Approved drugs are invaluable tools to study biochemical pathways, and further characterization of these compounds may lead to repurposing of single drugs or combinations. Here we describe a collection of 308 small molecules representing the diversity of structures and molecular targets of all FDA-approved chemical entities. The CeMM Library of Unique Drugs (CLOUD) covers prodrugs and active forms at pharmacologically relevant concentrations and is ideally suited for combinatorial studies. We screened pairwise combinations of CLOUD drugs for impairment of cancer cell viability and discovered a synergistic interaction between flutamide and phenprocoumon (PPC). The combination of these drugs modulates the stability of the androgen receptor (AR) and resensitizes AR-mutant prostate cancer cells to flutamide. Mechanistically, we show that the AR is a substrate for gamma-carboxylation, a post-translational modification inhibited by PPC. Collectively, our data suggest that PPC could be repurposed to tackle resistance to antiandrogens in prostate cancer patients.
|
|
37. |
|
|
38. |
- Liu, Yi, 1986, et al.
(author)
-
Engineering yeast phospholipid metabolism for de novo oleoylethanolamide production
- 2020
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 16:2, s. 197-205
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Phospholipids, the most abundant membrane lipid components, are crucial in maintaining membrane structures and homeostasis for biofunctions. As a structurally diverse and tightly regulated system involved in multiple organelles, phospholipid metabolism is complicated to manipulate. Thus, repurposing phospholipids for lipid-derived chemical production remains unexplored. Herein, we develop a Saccharomyces cerevisiae platform for de novo production of oleoylethanolamide, a phospholipid derivative with promising pharmacological applications in ameliorating lipid dysfunction and neurobehavioral symptoms. Through deregulation of phospholipid metabolism, screening of biosynthetic enzymes, engineering of subcellular trafficking and process optimization, we could produce oleoylethanolamide at a titer of 8,115.7 µg l−1 and a yield on glucose of 405.8 µg g−1. Our work provides a proof-of-concept study for systemically repurposing phospholipid metabolism for conversion towards value-added biological chemicals, and this multi-faceted framework may shed light on tailoring phospholipid metabolism in other microbial hosts.
|
|
39. |
- Lorent, JH, et al.
(author)
-
Author Correction: Hitchhiking into the cell
- 2020
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4469 .- 1552-4450. ; 16:6, s. 710-710
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
40. |
|
|
41. |
- Luis, Ana S., et al.
(author)
-
Sulfated glycan recognition by carbohydrate sulfatases of the human gut microbiota.
- 2022
-
In: Nature chemical biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4469 .- 1552-4450. ; 18:8, s. 841-849
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sulfated glycans are ubiquitous nutrient sources for microbial communities that have coevolved with eukaryotic hosts. Bacteria metabolize sulfated glycans by deploying carbohydrate sulfatases that remove sulfate esters. Despite the biological importance of sulfatases, the mechanisms underlying their ability to recognize their glycan substrate remain poorly understood. Here, we use structural biology to determine how sulfatases from the human gut microbiota recognize sulfated glycans. We reveal seven new carbohydrate sulfatase structures spanning four S1 sulfatase subfamilies. Structures of S1_16 and S1_46 represent novel structures of these subfamilies. Structures of S1_11 and S1_15 demonstrate how non-conserved regions of the protein drive specificity toward related but distinct glycan targets. Collectively, these data reveal that carbohydrate sulfatases are highly selective for the glycan component of their substrate. These data provide new approaches for probing sulfated glycan metabolism while revealing the roles carbohydrate sulfatases play in host glycan catabolism.
|
|
42. |
- Lundberg, Jon O., et al.
(author)
-
Nitrate and nitrite in biology, nutrition and therapeutics
- 2009
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 5:12, s. 865-869
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inorganic nitrate and nitrite from endogenous or dietary sources are metabolized in vivo to nitric oxide (NO) and other bioactive nitrogen oxides. The nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway is emerging as an important mediator of blood flow regulation, cell signaling, energetics and tissue responses to hypoxia. The latest advances in our understanding of the biochemistry, physiology and therapeutics of nitrate, nitrite and NO were discussed during a recent 2-day meeting at the Nobel Forum, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
|
|
43. |
- Lundgren, Camilla A. K, et al.
(author)
-
Scavenging of superoxide by a membrane-bound superoxide oxidase
- 2018
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 14, s. 788-793
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Superoxide is a reactive oxygen species produced during aerobic metabolism in mitochondria and prokaryotes. It causes damage to lipids, proteins and DNA and is implicated in cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders and aging. As protection, cells express soluble superoxide dismutases, disproportionating superoxide to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Here, we describe a membrane-bound enzyme that directly oxidizes superoxide and funnels the sequestered electrons to ubiquinone in a diffusion-limited reaction. Experiments in proteoliposomes and inverted membranes show that the protein is capable of efficiently quenching superoxide generated at the membrane in vitro. The 2.0 Å crystal structure shows an integral membrane di-heme cytochrome b poised for electron transfer from the P-side and proton uptake from the N-side. This suggests that the reaction is electrogenic and contributes to the membrane potential while also conserving energy by reducing the quinone pool. Based on this enzymatic activity, we propose that the enzyme family be denoted superoxide oxidase (SOO).
|
|
44. |
- Mangano, Kyle, et al.
(author)
-
Context-based sensing of orthosomycin antibiotics by the translating ribosome
- 2022
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 18:11, s. 1277-1286
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Orthosomycin antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis by binding to the large ribosomal subunit in the tRNA accommodation corridor, which is traversed by incoming aminoacyl-tRNAs. Structural and biochemical studies suggested that orthosomycins block accommodation of any aminoacyl-tRNAs in the ribosomal A-site. However, the mode of action of orthosomycins in vivo remained unknown. Here, by carrying out genome-wide analysis of antibiotic action in bacterial cells, we discovered that orthosomycins primarily inhibit the ribosomes engaged in translation of specific amino acid sequences. Our results reveal that the predominant sites of orthosomycin-induced translation arrest are defined by the nature of the incoming aminoacyl-tRNA and likely by the identity of the two C-terminal amino acid residues of the nascent protein. We show that nature exploits this antibiotic-sensing mechanism for directing programmed ribosome stalling within the regulatory open reading frame, which may control expression of an orthosomycin-resistance gene in a variety of bacterial species.
|
|
45. |
- Manz, C., et al.
(author)
-
Single-molecule FRET reveals the energy landscape of the full-length SAM-I riboswitch
- 2017
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 13, s. 1172-1178
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) ligand binding induces major structural changes in SAM-I riboswitches, through which gene expression is regulated via transcription termination. Little is known about the conformations and motions governing the function of the full-length Bacillus subtilis yitJ SAM-I riboswitch. Therefore, we have explored its conformational energy landscape as a function of Mg2+ and SAM ligand concentrations using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) microscopy and hidden Markov modeling analysis. We resolved four conformational states both in the presence and the absence of SAM and determined their Mg2+-dependent fractional populations and conformational dynamics, including state lifetimes, interconversion rate coefficients and equilibration timescales. Riboswitches with terminator and antiterminator folds coexist, and SAM binding only gradually shifts the populations toward terminator states. We observed a pronounced acceleration of conformational transitions upon SAM binding, which may be crucial for off-switching during the brief decision window before expression of the downstream gene.
|
|
46. |
- Medema, M. H., et al.
(author)
-
Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster
- 2015
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 11:9, s. 625-631
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A wide variety of enzymatic pathways that produce specialized metabolites in bacteria, fungi and plants are known to be encoded in biosynthetic gene clusters. Information about these clusters, pathways and metabolites is currently dispersed throughout the literature, making it difficult to exploit. To facilitate consistent and systematic deposition and retrieval of data on biosynthetic gene clusters, we propose the Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster (MIBiG) data standard.
|
|
47. |
- Meier, Gianmarco, et al.
(author)
-
Deep mutational scan of a drug efflux pump reveals its structure–function landscape
- 2023
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 19, s. 440-450
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Drug efflux is a common resistance mechanism found in bacteria and cancer cells, but studies providing comprehensive functional insights are scarce. In this study, we performed deep mutational scanning (DMS) on the bacterial ABC transporter EfrCD to determine the drug efflux activity profile of more than 1,430 single variants. These systematic measurements revealed that the introduction of negative charges at different locations within the large substrate binding pocket results in strongly increased efflux activity toward positively charged ethidium, whereas additional aromatic residues did not display the same effect. Data analysis in the context of an inward-facing cryogenic electron microscopy structure of EfrCD uncovered a high-affinity binding site, which releases bound drugs through a peristaltic transport mechanism as the transporter transits to its outward-facing conformation. Finally, we identified substitutions resulting in rapid Hoechst influx without affecting the efflux activity for ethidium and daunorubicin. Hence, single mutations can convert EfrCD into a drug-specific ABC importer. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
|
|
48. |
|
|
49. |
|
|
50. |
- Nick McElhinny, Stephanie A, et al.
(author)
-
Genome instability due to ribonucleotide incorporation into DNA
- 2010
-
In: Nature Chemical Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1552-4450 .- 1552-4469. ; 6:10, s. 774-81
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Maintaining the chemical identity of DNA depends on ribonucleotide exclusion by DNA polymerases. However, ribonucleotide exclusion during DNA synthesis in vitro is imperfect. To determine whether ribonucleotides are incorporated during DNA replication in vivo, we substituted leucine or glycine for an active-site methionine in yeast DNA polymerase ϵ (Pol ϵ). Ribonucleotide incorporation in vitro was three-fold lower for M644L and 11-fold higher for M644G Pol ϵ compared to wild-type Pol ϵ. This hierarchy was recapitulated in vivo in yeast strains lacking RNase H2. Moreover, the pol2-M644G rnh201Δ strain progressed more slowly through S phase, had elevated dNTP pools and generated 2-5-base-pair deletions in repetitive sequences at a high rate and in a gene orientation-dependent manner. The data indicate that ribonucleotides are incorporated during replication in vivo, that they are removed by RNase H2-dependent repair and that defective repair results in replicative stress and genome instability via DNA strand misalignment.
|
|