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Mignon J, Leyder T, Mottet D, Uversky VN, Michaux C. In-depth investigation of the effect of pH on the autofluorescence properties of DPF3b and DPF3a amyloid fibrils. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 313:124156. [PMID: 38508075 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Double PHD fingers 3 (DPF3) protein exists as two splicing variants, DPF3b and DPF3a, the involvement of which in human cancer and neurodegeneration is beginning to be increasingly recognised. Both isoforms have recently been identified as intrinsically disordered proteins able to undergo amyloid fibrillation. Upon their aggregation, DPF3 proteins exhibit an intrinsic fluorescence in the visible range, referred to as deep-blue autofluorescence (dbAF). Comprehension of such phenomenon remaining elusive, we investigated in the present study the influence of pH on the optical properties of DPF3b and DPF3a fibrils. By varying the excitation wavelength and the pH condition, the two isoforms were revealed to display several autofluorescence modes that were defined as violet, deep-blue, and blue-green according to their emission range. Complementarily, analysis of excitation spectra and red edge shift plots allowed to better decipher their photoselection mechanism and to highlight isoform-specific excitation-emission features. Furthermore, the observed violation to Kasha-Vavilov's rule was attributed to red edge excitation shift effects, which were impacted by pH-mediated H-bond disruption, leading to changes in intramolecular charge and proton transfer, or π-electrons delocalisation. Finally, emergence of different autofluorescence emitters was likely related to structurally distinct fibrillar assemblies between isoforms, as well as to discrepancies in the amino acid composition of their aggregation prone regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Mignon
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Biomolécules, UCPTS, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
| | - Tanguy Leyder
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Biomolécules, UCPTS, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
| | - Denis Mottet
- Gene Expression and Cancer Laboratory, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, University of Liège, B34, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States.
| | - Catherine Michaux
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Biomolécules, UCPTS, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
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Monti A, Scognamiglio PL, Ruvo M, Vitagliano L, Doti N. The Characterization of Multifaceted PREP1 Peptides Provides Insights into Correlations between Spectroscopic and Structural Properties of Amyloid-like Assemblies. Chemistry 2024:e202400846. [PMID: 38682403 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202400846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The widespread ability of proteins and peptides to self-assemble by forming cross-β structure is one of the most significant discoveries in structural biology. Intriguingly, the cross-β association of proteins/peptides may generate intricate supramolecular architectures with uncommon spectroscopic properties. We have recently characterized self-assembled peptides extracted from the PREP1 protein that are endowed with interesting structural/spectroscopic properties. We here demonstrate that the green fluorescence emission of the peptide PREP1[117-132] (λem ~520 nm), can be induced by excitation with UV radiation. The associated unusually large Stokes shift (Δλ ~150 nm) represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first evidence of an internal resonance energy transfer in amyloid-like structures, where the blue emission of some assemblies becomes the excitation radiation for others. Moreover, the characterization of PREP1[117-132] variants provides insights into the sequence/structure and structure/spectroscopic properties relationships. Our data suggests that the green fluorescence is plausibly associated with antiparallel β-sheet states of the peptide whereas parallel β-sheet assemblies are only endowed with blue fluorescence. Notably, the different PREP1[117-132] variants also form assemblies characterized by distinct morphologies. Indeed, the parent peptide and single mutants form compact but structured aggregates whereas most of the double mutants exhibit elongated and highly extended fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Pasqualina Liana Scognamiglio
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Macchia Romana Campus 10, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - Menotti Ruvo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Nunzianna Doti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli, Italy
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Proksch J, Dal Colle MCS, Heinz F, Schmidt RF, Gottwald J, Delbianco M, Keller BG, Gradzielski M, Alexiev U, Koksch B. Impact of glycan nature on structure and viscoelastic properties of glycopeptide hydrogels. J Pept Sci 2024:e3599. [PMID: 38567550 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Mucus is a complex biological hydrogel that acts as a barrier for almost everything entering or exiting the body. It is therefore of emerging interest for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Besides water, the most abundant components are the large and densely glycosylated mucins, glycoproteins of up to 20 MDa and carbohydrate content of up to 80 wt%. Here, we designed and explored a library of glycosylated peptides to deconstruct the complexity of mucus. Using the well-characterized hFF03 coiled-coil system as a hydrogel-forming peptide scaffold, we systematically probed the contribution of single glycans to the secondary structure as well as the formation and viscoelastic properties of the resulting hydrogels. We show that glycan-decoration does not affect α-helix and coiled-coil formation while it alters gel stiffness. By using oscillatory macrorheology, dynamic light scattering microrheology, and fluorescence lifetime-based nanorheology, we characterized the glycopeptide materials over several length scales. Molecular simulations revealed that the glycosylated linker may extend into the solvent, but more frequently interacts with the peptide, thereby likely modifying the stability of the self-assembled fibers. This systematic study highlights the interplay between glycan structure and hydrogel properties and may guide the development of synthetic mucus mimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Proksch
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marlene C S Dal Colle
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Frederick Heinz
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert F Schmidt
- Stranski-Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Martina Delbianco
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Bettina G Keller
- Stranski-Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Gradzielski
- Stranski-Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Alexiev
- Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beate Koksch
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Balasco N, Diaferia C, Rosa E, Monti A, Ruvo M, Doti N, Vitagliano L. A Comprehensive Analysis of the Intrinsic Visible Fluorescence Emitted by Peptide/Protein Amyloid-like Assemblies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098372. [PMID: 37176084 PMCID: PMC10178990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation is a widespread process that involves proteins and peptides with different molecular complexity and amino acid composition. The structural motif (cross-β) underlying this supramolecular organization generates aggregates endowed with special mechanical and spectroscopic properties with huge implications in biomedical and technological fields, including emerging precision medicine. The puzzling ability of these assemblies to emit intrinsic and label-free fluorescence in regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as visible and even infrared, usually considered to be forbidden in the polypeptide chain, has attracted interest for its many implications in both basic and applied science. Despite the interest in this phenomenon, the physical basis of its origin is still poorly understood. To gain a global view of the available information on this phenomenon, we here provide an exhaustive survey of the current literature in which original data on this fluorescence have been reported. The emitting systems have been classified in terms of their molecular complexity, amino acid composition, and physical state. Information about the wavelength of the radiation used for the excitation as well as the emission range/peak has also been retrieved. The data collected here provide a picture of the complexity of this multifaceted phenomenon that could be helpful for future studies aimed at defining its structural and electronic basis and/or stimulating new applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Balasco
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council (CNR), Department of Chemistry, University of Rome Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Diaferia
- Department of Pharmacy and CIRPeB, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides "Carlo Pedone", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Rosa
- Department of Pharmacy and CIRPeB, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides "Carlo Pedone", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Menotti Ruvo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Nunzianna Doti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy
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5
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Schiattarella C, Diaferia C, Gallo E, Della Ventura B, Morelli G, Vitagliano L, Velotta R, Accardo A. Solid-state optical properties of self-assembling amyloid-like peptides with different charged states at the terminal ends. Sci Rep 2022; 12:759. [PMID: 35031624 PMCID: PMC8760239 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04394-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The self-assembling of small peptides not only leads to the formation of intriguing nanoarchitectures, but also generates materials with unexpected functional properties. Oligopeptides can form amyloid-like cross-β assemblies that are able to emit intrinsic photoluminescence (PL), over the whole near-UV/visible range, whose origin is still largely debated. As proton transfer between the peptide chain termini within the assembly is one of the invoked interpretations of this phenomenon, we here evaluated the solid state PL properties of a series of self-assembled hexaphenylalanine peptides characterized by a different terminal charge state. Overall, our data indicate that the charge state of these peptides has a marginal role in the PL emission as all systems exhibit very similar multicolour PL associated with a violation of the Kasha’s rule. On the other hand, charged/uncharged ends occasionally produce differences in the quantum yields. The generality of these observations has been proven by extending these analyses to the Aβ16–21 peptide. Collectively, the present findings provide useful information for deciphering the code that links the spectroscopic properties of these assemblies to their structural/electronic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Schiattarella
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Diaferia
- Department of Pharmacy and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Enrico Gallo
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Gianturco 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Bartolomeo Della Ventura
- Department of Physics "Ettore Pancini", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia 26, 80125, Naples, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Morelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Raffaele Velotta
- Department of Physics "Ettore Pancini", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia 26, 80125, Naples, Italy.
| | - Antonella Accardo
- Department of Pharmacy and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy.
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